9 August 2023 (Lloyd's List) - TRANSFER accidents on pilot ladders continue to kill two to three people a year, an industry group has warned, with poor-condition ladders still a prominent cause.

In 2022 there were more than 400 incidents or accidents involving embarkation and disembarkation using pilot ladders at UK ports alone, according to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. More than 99% of pilot transfers were carried out safely. But chief inspector Andrew Moll said “barely half” of incidents were reported to MAIB.

Capt Dmitrii Simonov, vetting superintendent at Rightship, a ship-vetting agency, said boarding incidents rarely reach public attention, but occur with an alarming frequency. Pilot ladder incidents make up a significant proportion of the incidents seen by Rightship.

“Not every incident is being recorded, or the number of defects would be even higher,” Simonov said on a recent webinar. “With so many defects, it’s just a statistical fact that incidents are destined to happen.”

Causes include inadequate leadership and supervision, substandard equipment, lack of training and complacency. An American P&I Club report said while the “not uncommon” falls were less likely to be fatal, tragedies still occur.

“Worldwide, harbour pilots experience an average of two to three fatalities per year as a result of transfer accidents,” the club said.

Erik Mooij, who heads LR Group’s health and safety team, wrote in February that a person falling from nine metres will hit the surface at close to 50 km/h, which is dangerous whether they fall into the water or the deck of the transfer boat below.  

Pilot ladders have not changed in form or function in several decades, yet still about 20% of pilot ladder deployments fail to meet the basic safety standards outlined by the International Maritime Organization and International Maritime Pilots Association, according to Mooij.

MAIB reported that one quarter of the incidents were the consequence of using shackles rather than rolling hitches to secure the pilot ladder side ropes. A further 23% occurred because of the poor condition of the ladder itself. In 13% handhold stanchions were not fit for purpose; while the remaining 39% of incidents and accidents involved issues such as the length of the ladder, its position against the hull, and incorrect rigging of the tripping line.

According to an IMPA pilot ladder safety survey in 2022, out of almost 800 defects in boarding equipment picked up by participating members, 87% of non-compliant ships were not reported to the recognised authority.

By far the largest number of defects involved pilot ladders. Issues included incorrectly rigged retrieval lines, broken steps, slippery steps, and steps made from the wrong material. IMPA said it was aware of reports of pilots refusing to board ships due to non-compliance with SOLAS regulations and non-conformities with ISO standards.

“The courage shown by pilots and ports in rejecting ships with non-compliant pilot transfer arrangements is to be admired,” the association said. “We expect more pilots and ports to adopt this approach if the persistence in pilot ladder defects continues.”

A high-quality, third-party certified pilot ladder supplied with care and an instruction manual from a reputable supplier costs $900, IMPA stated.

“The presentation of a non-compliant pilot ladder speaks volumes about the overall safety culture onboard a ship and in the company responsible for managing it.”

Pilots report that the crews they interact with say consistently they are busy people with conflicting priorities and time pressure. IMPA said repairing pilot ladders on board ships should now be considered a last resort. The best policy is “replace them early, replace them often.”

Capt Simonov agreed that although boarding incidents rarely reach public attention, they occur with an alarming frequency. Pilot ladder incidents make up a significant proportion of the incidents seen by Rightship.

“Not every incident is being recorded, or the number of defects would be even higher,” Simonov said on a recent webinar.

“With so many defects, it’s just a statistical fact that incidents are destined to happen.”

Despite rules and regulations in place, there are still many accidents. The reasons range from inadequate leadership and supervision to substandard equipment, lack of training and complacency.

Pilots and crew of all ranks will have to exercise their Stop Work Authority to force change, Capt Simonov said.