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.

Pilot going bridge to pilot seafers

Vehicles Carrier Ship "JASPER ARROW" / Pilot Vessel "CATAMARÁN ANTARES" #ZonaComún #RioDeLaPlata - Maneuvering of Embarking #RioDeLaPlataPilots and Disembarking #RioParanáPilot #Prácticos.- This video was filmed on board Pilot Vessel "CATAMARÁN ANTARES" and shows the moments when the Pilot Vessel was proceeding to the #BoardingStation Zona Común - Rio de la Plata, to the vessel "JASPER ARROW", to start with the Maneuvering of Embarking and Disembarking #Pilots .- Special appreciation to...

Over the past few years a number of pilot transfer accidents have occurred resulting from total failure of the side ropes, one school of thought is that the methods of securing a pilot ladder is a factor in such occurrences.

#PilotVessel "SEA MASTER"/ On board #GeneralCargoShip "BBC MONT BLANC" #JP #Recalada #RioDeLaPlata/ 12th. April 2025 - 07:47 Local Time.- On this video (with original sound), you can watch the moment in which the Pilot Vessel "SEA MASTER" arrived to the Port Side of the General Cargo Ship "BBC MONT BLANC" (Approaching Maneuver) to Disembark the Rio de la Plata Pilots, from that vessel, at the #BoardingStation​ #JP​ #Recalada​ #RioDeLaPlata​.- This video was filmed on board the following...

The hazards of Pilot boarding
Throughout 2016, the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) held a safety campaign focused upon the standard of pilot ladders and associated equipment. CHIRP supported this campaign and received many reports on the subject.
This first report describes issues concerning pilot access near
the non-parallel ends of a ship, and use of a retractable platform.

Everyone said, "You can't do that!" Until someone came along who didn't know that. Then he did it:
What do you think about this mooring solution?

The Ministry of Transport can confirm that the pilot boat, St David, was involved in a crash with a reef off of the Northeast Breaker Beacon on Thursday, May 6th, 2021 at 6:48am.