MAIB Concerned Pilot Ladder Incidents are Under-Reported

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its 2022 annual report which includes details of its investigation into pilot ladder safety.

The MAIB canvassed 105 UK Competent Harbour Authorities, and this revealed that almost 700 marine pilots conducted over 96,000 transfers underway using a pilot ladder, during which there were over 400 incidents or accidents.

Just over half of these were reported to the MAIB, the most serious of which resulted in the pilot suffering a fractured ankle when they lost their grip on the handhold stanchion and fell three metres onto the pilot boat. The preliminary assessment found that the vessel’s handhold stanchions were not fit for purpose, as their design prevented the pilot gaining a firm grasp as they reached the top of the ladder.

The analysis also showed that 25% of pilot ladder incidents were the result of shackles rather than rolling hitches being used to secure the pilot ladder side ropes. 23% occurred because the material condition of the pilot ladder was poor, and 13% happened because handhold stanchions were not fit for purpose. The remaining 39% involved issues such as the length of the ladder, its position against the hull and incorrect rigging of the tripping line.

MAIB recommends the following preventative action:

• Check that the pilot ladder is properly rigged.

• Inspect the ladder before use (While old ladders are more likely to be in poor condition, new ladders are also at risk of damage; the pilot ladder should be thoroughly checked before each use and replaced or retested after 30 months of service.

• Handhold stanchions must be fit for purpose (The pilot is at particular risk of falling when they transition between the top of the ladder and the vessel’s deck. The handhold stanchion design must allow the pilot a firm grip as they make this transition. The Designated Person Ashore must be notified and arrangements made to fix the issue if the existing on board arrangements do not meet this requirement.)

• Continue to report pilot ladder incidents and accidents (MAIB says it is concerning that MAIB has been unable to undertake full analysis of the cause of pilot ladder incidents and accidents due to little more than half of these occurrences being reported to the branch.)