Pilot Ladder Accidents: The Rules, the Failures, and Who Is Responsible

Every harbor pilot knows the moment. The pilot boat comes alongside a moving ship in the dark. The ladder hangs down the hull. The pilot waits for the swell, steps across, and starts climbing, sometimes thirty feet or more, on rope and wooden steps rigged by a crew he has never met.

I made that climb many times as a Los Angeles Harbor pilot. When it goes wrong, the results are often catastrophic.

The rules

Pilot transfer arrangements are governed internationally by SOLAS, Chapter V, Regulation 23, and by detailed IMO standards for ladder construction, rigging, and use. Among other things, the rules address:

• The condition and construction of the ladder, including its steps, spreaders, and side ropes
• How the ladder is secured to the ship
• The height a pilot may climb on a ladder alone before an accommodation ladder must be used in combination
• Lighting at night
• Handholds and safe access onto the deck
• A responsible officer in attendance, in contact with the bridge
• Lifebuoy and heaving line ready nearby

The IMO has adopted updated requirements for pilot transfer arrangements, scheduled to take effect in 2028. Whichever standard applied on the date of an accident is what counts.

Common failures

Pilot organizations have reported a steady stream of noncompliant ladders for years. The problems repeat:

• Ladders worn, damaged, or past their service life
• Ladders secured with shackles or to unsuitable fittings
• Steps not level or spacing uneven
• Ladder too long or too short for the freeboard
• Poor lighting or no officer at the rail
• The ship making too much speed, or not making a proper lee for the pilot boat

The approach

Boarding is a joint operation between the ship and the pilot boat. The ship sets course and speed to give a lee and a steady platform. The pilot boat operator matches speed and holds position. Communication between them matters, and recorded VHF traffic often shows whether they were working together.

Evidence

Pilot boarding cases are often well documented, because pilots and pilot organizations are quick to photograph defective ladders. Ask for:

• Photos and video of the ladder and its rigging
• The ladder's certificate and service records
• The ship's procedures and checklist for rigging the ladder
• VDR, AIS, and VHF records for the approach
• Pilot boat logs and the operator's testimony
• Weather and sea conditions

The duty is the ship's

The ship provides and rigs the ladder. The ship sets the approach. The pilot relies on both. When a pilot falls, the first questions are about whether the ship met its obligations, and the records usually answer them.

About the author

Captain Mitchell S. Stoller is a Master Mariner Unlimited, former Exxon tanker master, and former Los Angeles Harbor pilot. About Captain Stoller