Opinion Pilot Ladder - The Weakest Link in Marine Pilotage
by Capt. Santosha K. Nayak - published on 10 August 2020
Pilot transfer arrangement is a sensitive topic to be discussed among the pilot’s fraternity. Although ships are designed and operated with compliance to the SOLAS requirements in all respects including the pilot transfer arrangements, there has been numerous deficiencies observed related to pilot transfer arrangements. The small deficiencies from the part of ships cause life threatening accidents for pilots and sometimes to the ship staff themselves. There are many instances of defective ladder and complacency in proper rigging of ladders has been reported almost every day in different parts of the world. Many pilots lost their life, severely injured for life and face many minor to major accidents. The latest incident being the Capt. Timothy Murray of Sandy hooks Pilot.
Video Lisbon pilot disembarking from Adonia in rough seas (2014)
published on 11 September 2021
Video Pilot boarding in the ice
published on 4 July 2019
Video Maiden voyage of HMM Algeciras #1-Qingdao
published on 5 June 2020
Video Rotterdam pilot boards a tanker thats entering the port
published on 23 May 2025
Video Maiden call Ever Act, Worlds largest eases from Felixstowe 9 with 4 Svitzer tugs 27th October 2021
published on 29 October 2021
The Ever Act, the worlds largest and the second to be built out of a series of 12 record breaking vessels prepares to depart Felixstowe Berth 9 with a maximum draught of 10.2 metres for her next port of Hamburg. As the DFDS ferry was heading inbound at the North Shipwash, Harwich VTS had asked then to make best speed so they planned to get the Suecia Seaways through before the Ever Act broke away. A Harwich Haven Pilot Launch heads over from Harwich with a pilot for the Ever Act....
Article Sandy Hook Pilot Timothy M. Murray lost his life while boarding a ship (08/05/2020)
by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 6 August 2020
On August 5, 2020 at approximately 10:30 pm, Sandy Hook Pilot Captain Timothy M. Murray was involved in an incident while boarding a tanker vessel inbound to the Port of New York & New Jersey. He sustained injuries after falling from a pilot ladder and was evacuated to a local hospital where his injuries proved to be fatal.