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publishes a report on the extent to which pilot ladders meet the
legal requirements. In 2018, thirteen percent of the ships involved in the survey failed to meet said requirements. In previous years, that percentage was even higher. In a commentary, IMPA adds that many stakeholders still mistakenly feel that SOLAS regulation V/23 is optional or that it is an ambition rather than an internationally applicable standard. All maritime stakeholders must stand up and take the necessary actions to improve the safety of pilots transferring at sea, state the authors of the annual report.
Many more examples of bad practices can be found in the international Facebook group #DangerousLadders. More than 1500 pilots and other relevant parties continuously share photos here, often with poignant
examples of inferior ladders and the manners in which they are secured on board. By making this visible, the group aims to increase awareness of this issue and realise change.
CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO IMPROVEMENTS
Palmers puts the investment required on the part of a shipping line into perspective: “A good IMO-certified pilot ladder costs $ 450. A full list of ladders, both certified and non-certified, is available at the website MARed.org. That makes choosing the right ladder quite easy.” In the meantime, Palmers remains committed to making improvements. “As pilots, we need to get together and draw a line. At present, we are simply too accepting. Bear in mind that we are ultimately talking about our own safety here.”
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