Preparing a Pilot Ladder by vessels crew

Most pilot embarkations and disembarkations around the world, are still carried out using a traditional pilot ladder, consisting of wooden steps supported and secured by side ropes.

Tuesday, October 1st is the start date of the latest International Maritime Pilot Association's annual Safety Campaign.

Previous campaigns by the association have consistently shown results of pilot ladder deficiencies around the 20% mark.

There are many things in both our everyday and professional lives which we take for granted and never question the origins of, an example of this might be the IMPA recommended ‘pilot mark or pilot line’, which is sometimes seen on the side of vessels indicating where a vessels freeboard exceeds 9 metres.

Before you, you see my third article on pilot boarding arrangements. After my two previous articles
(‘1000 ways to secure a pilot ladder’ and ‘1000 ladders around’, I have received a lot of feedback and
also questions to get deeper into the matter of combinations and embarkation platforms.

#PilotVessel "CATAMARÁN ANTARES"/ On board #BulkCarrierShip "KENNADI" #ZonaComún #RioDeLaPlata #Argentina/ 29th. December 2024 - 17:15 Local Time.- On this video (with original sound), you can watch the Pilot Vessel "CATAMARÁN ANTARES", arrived at #boardingpoint #ZonaComún #RioDeLaPlata to change Pilots  (Disembarking Maneuver of the Rio de la Plata Pilots and Embarking Manuever of Rio Paraná Pilots).- This video was filmed on board the following Vessel: Bulk Carrier Ship "KENNADI" - Call...

In the video shared, made by the Coast Guard communication department during the training days held at the Decimomannu and Pescara bases, some of the phases of the training, such as take-off-departure and 'winching' the pilot on board, are illustrated in sequence.

This article was first published back in February 2022: According to the International Group of P & I Clubs’ “Report on P&I claims involving vessels under pilotage 1999-2019”, over the last twenty years, there were 1,046 incidents in which pilot error either caused or contributed to those events.

Baltic Workboats AS in Estonia was awarded the contract to build the approximately 18 metre long vessel, which will be named "Hamburg Pilot 1", following a Europe-wide tender.