S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N

2 0 2 0

CONTENTS

2 Near miss on a

Pilot Ladder

Beliefs

3 Foreword

4 Participants

5 Vessel Type

6 Means of Transfer

7-9 Non-Compliance

by Type of Defect

10 Required Boarding

Arrangements for

Pilot

11 IMPA Officers

and Secretariat

I N T R O D U C T I O N

22 I N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O NI N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O N

IMPA represents the international community of pilots. We use the resources of our membership to promote effective safety outcomes in pilotage as an essential public service.

N E A R M I S S O N A P I L O T L A D D E R

The 1st of October is always an important date for me as it marks the start of the IMPA Pilot ladder survey, this year was a marked with my own near miss on a Pilot ladder when one of the side ropes parted above my head just as I was about to place my hand on it.

It was day light, 20 miles out in the Southern North Sea hanging on one side rope 5 mtrs above the sea. I heard a shout from the deck hand below me “Hang on we are coming

Ladder liberally splattered with ‘red lead’ paint which should

have immediately condemned it.

back in”, my thoughts at the time was “up or down”. I decided to climb down carefully to the Pilot boat. The deck hand assisted me back on board and the skill of the Launch Coxswain in manoeuvring the Pilot boat back alongside prevented a serious outcome. Hanging on one side rope above the North Sea certainly highlights the danger of our job but also the importance of the data gathered in the IMPA annual survey.

Captain Hywel J Pugh

The public interest is best served by a fully regulated and cohesive pilotage service free of commercial pressure.

There is no substitute for the presence of a qualified pilot on the bridge.

IMO is the prime authority in matters concerning safety of international shipping.

All states should adopt a responsible approach based on proven safety strategies in establishing their own regulations, standards and procedures with respect to pilotage.

Existing and emerging information technologies are capable of enhancing on-board decision making by the maritime pilot.

B E L I E F S

1

2

3

4

5

P I L O T L A D D E R S A F E T Y S U R V E Y 2 0 2 0

33S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0

Minimum acceptable standards related to maritime safety are prescribed by the SOLAS Convention. SOLAS regulation V/23 and associated supporting IMO Assembly Resolution A.1045(27) as amended by Resolution 1108(29) and MSC.1/Circ.1428 specifically address pilot ladders. These standards have been adopted by IMO and, by association all Maritime Nations and all Non-Governmental Maritime Organisations.

Annual IMPA Pilot Ladder Surveys repeatedly demonstrate a consistent level of non-compliance with SOLAS regulation V/23. The 2020 survey returned a record number of reports; disappointingly results remain broadly in line with previous surveys. Furthermore, lives are still being lost.

Every year pilots are killed whilst embarking or disembarking via pilot ladders. One particular death this year highlights the persistent indifference of the industry as a major causal factor. A pilot fell to his death trying to board a ship which presented a proscribed pilot boarding arrangement. Many pilots question why this ship was allowed to trade.

Regrettably, we continue to find an unacceptable proportion of the world’s maritime fleet failing to provide safe pilot boarding arrangements. Would such a non-compliance rate with

respect to fire extinguishers in an office be acceptable? Would a similar rate of non-compliance for lifesaving appliances on a vessel be tolerable? We all take considerable measures to avoid having to use firefighting and lifesaving appliances, yet rightly insist that they must meet Convention requirements. Why then, with regard to pilot ladders, which we expect to be used on a daily basis, is the maritime industry so heedless? It is not uncommon for a pilot, having refused a non-compliant ladder, to be then offered a compliant ladder that the Master normally keeps to one side for Port Sate Control inspections.

Sadly, the maritime industry repeatedly fails to implement its own agreed minimum standards. The adoption of IMO Resolutions is not “job done!” It is “job started!” All stakeholders should must ensure that the recommendations and guidelines in Resolutions and circulars are

adhered to.

Keeping mariners safe should not be seen as an optional extra in a modern maritime industry. Ship’s Masters, Owners and all regulatory bodies have their part to play. All the photographs of non-compliant arrangements in this report were taken by pilots during the short period of the survey, all of

them have had the approval of the Master, Shipowner, Flag State, Port State

and Classification Society.

I M PA S a f e t y S u r v e y 2 0 2 0

PA R T I C I PA N T S

The chart below shows 6,394 returns from participating IMPA members which have been grouped into 6 geographical areas.

44

TOTAL NONNON

COUNTRY RETURNS

COMPLIANT COMPLIANT

COMPLIANTAS %

Africa 173 154 19 10.98

Asia / Oceania 912 817 95 10.42

Europe 1718 1366 352 20.49

Middle East 31 13 18 58.06

North America 415 338 77 18.55

South America 3145 2932 213 6.77

TOTAL 6394 5620 774 12.11

I N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O NI N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O N

Compliant Non-compliant

3000

2750

2500

2250

2000

1750

1500

1250

1000

750

500

250

0

Africa Asia / Oceania Europe Middle East North America South America

213338

7713 18

1366

352

817

95

154

19

2932

COMPLIANCE AND NON-COMPLIANCE BY REGION

V E S S E L T Y P E

The following chart shows a breakdown of all returns by vessel type.

55

TOTALNON

NONVESSEL TYPE NUMBER OF COMPLIANT

COMPLIANT COMPLIANT

VESSELS AS %

General Cargo 864 741 123 14.24

Oil Tanker 1094 991 103 9.41

Ro/Ro 251 218 33 13.15

Passenger 70 55 15 21.43

Container 1679 1485 194 11.55

Gas Tanker 234 203 31 13.25

Reefer 26 21 5 19.23

Fishing 13 11 2 15.38

Bulkcarrier 1414 1246 168 11.88

Chemical Tanker 301 253 48 15.95

Car Carrier 108 100 8 7.41

Rig Supply Vessel 51 47 4 7.84

Other (E.G. Navy) 330 282 48 14.55

S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0

COMPLIANCE AND NON-COMPLIANCE BY VESSEL TYPE

Oth

er (

E.G

. Nav

y)

1250

1500

1000

750741

123

991

194203

168

253

48100

847

4

282

4831 21 5 211

103

218

33 55 15

1485

1246

500

250

0

Rig

Supp

ly V

esse

l

Car

Car

rier

Che

mic

al T

anke

r

Bulk

Car

rier

Fish

ing

Reef

er

Gas

Tan

ker

Cont

aine

r

Pass

enge

r

Ro /

Ro

Oil

Tank

er

Gen

eral

Car

go

Compliant Non-compliant

M E A N S O F T R A N S F E R

The following chart shows a breakdown of all returns by means of transfer.

66

MEANS OF TOTAL NONNON

TRANSFER NUMBER COMPLIANT

COMPLIANT COMPLIANT

AS %

Pilot Ladder 3920 3456 464 11.84

Combination 1685 1443 242 14.36

Side Door and 525 467 58 11.05Pilot Ladder

Gangway 126 119 7 5.56

Helicopter 92 89 3 3.26

Deck to Deck 127 112 15 11.81

TOTAL 6475 5686 789

COMPLIANCE AND NON-COMPLIANCE BY MEANS OF TRANSFER

Compliant Non-compliant

I N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O NI N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O N

3500

3250

3000

2750

2500

2250

2000

1750

1500

1250

1000

750

500

250

0

Pilot Ladder Combination Side Door and

Pilot Ladder

Gangway Helicopter Deck to Deck

3456

464

242

467

58 119 7 389 112 15

1443

N O N - C O M P L I A N C EB Y T Y P E O F D E F E C T

The first pie chart shows the percentage of the defects that were reported and not reported to the Authority. The second pie chart shows non-compliance by type of defect. Both the number and percentage are shown.

77

TOTAL NUMBER OF NON-COMPLIANT SHIPS IN SURVEY REPORTED 774

Number of defects reported to Authority 96

% of ships reported 12.4

% of ships not reported 87.6

NON-COMPLIANT BY TYPE OF DEFECT TOTAL AS %

Pilot ladder 492 50.51

Bulwark/Deck 228 23.41

Combination 141 14.48

Safety Equipment 113 11.6

TOTAL 974

Pilot Ladder

Bulwark/Deck

Combination

Safety Equipment

DEFECTS REPORTED TO AUTHORITY

NON-COMPLIANCE BY TYPE OF DEFECT

S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0

% of ships not reported

% of ships reported

N O N - C O M P L I A N C EB Y T Y P E O F D E F E C T

68

DEFECTS OF PILOT LADDER TOTAL AS %

Not against ship’s hull 69 10.36

Steps not of suitable material 5 0.75

Poorly rigged retrieval line 138 20.72

Steps broken 22 3.3

Steps not equally spaced 29 4.35

Pilot Ladder more than 9 metres 5 0.75

Steps dirty/slippery 29 4.35

Sideropes not of suitable material 8 1.2

Pilot Ladder too far forward/Aft 17 2.55

Steps painted 19 2.85

Incorrect step fittings 34 5.11

No bulwark ladder 7 1.05

Steps not horizontal 121 18.17

Other 163 24.47

TOTAL 666

DEFECTS OF PILOT LADDER

No/faulty handhold stanchions

Ladder not secured properly

Other

DEFECTS OF BULWARK / DECK

DEFECTS OF BULWARK / DECK TOTAL AS %

No/faulty handhold stanchions 44 17.39

Ladder not secured properly 183 72.33

Other 26 10.28

TOTAL 253

Not against ship’s hull

Steps not of suitable material

Poorly rigged retrieval line

Steps broken

Steps not equally spaced

Pilot Ladder more than 9 metres

Steps dirty/slippery

Sideropes not of suitable material

Pilot Ladder too far forward/Aft

Steps painted

Incorrect step fittings

No bulwark ladder

Steps not horizontal

Other

I N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O NI N T E R N A T I O N A L M A R I T I M E P I L O T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O N

The first pie chart shows the types of defects of the pilot ladder. Both the number and percentage are shown. The second pie chart shows the types of defects of the bulwark / deck arrangements. Both the number and percentage are shown.

N O N - C O M P L I A N C EB Y T Y P E O F D E F E C T

99

Inadequate lighting at night

No lifebuoy with self-igniting light

No VHF communication with the bridge

No heaving line

No responsible officer in attendance

Other

COMBINATION DEFECTS TOTAL AS %

Accommodation Ladder not leading aft 2 0.81

Lower platform stanchions / rail incorrect rigged 32 12.96

Accommodation ladder too steep (>45 degrees) 22 8.91

Pilot Ladder not attached 1-5mabove Accommodation Ladder 59 23.89

Lower platform not horizontal 31 12.55

Ladder(s) not secured to ship’s side 51 20.65

Lower platform less than 5 metresabove the sea 26 10.53

Other 24 9.72

TOTAL 247

SAFETY EQUIPMENT DEFECTS TOTAL AS %

Inadequate lighting at night 36 21.43

No lifebuoy with self-igniting light 49 29.17

No VHF communication with the bridge 10 5.95

No heaving line 36 21.43

No responsible officer in attendance 31 18.45

Other 6 3.57

TOTAL 168

COMBINATION DEFECTS

SAFETY EQUIPMENT DEFECTS

Accommodation Ladder not leading aft

Lower platform stanchions / rail incorrect rigged

Accommodation Laddertoo steep (>45 degrees)

Pilot Ladder not attached 1.5m above Accommodation Ladder

Lower platform not horizontal

Ladder(s) not secured to ship’s side

Lower platform less than5 metres above the sea

Other

The first pie chart shows the combination defects. Both the number and percentage are shown. The second pie chart shows the safety equipment defects. Both the number and percentage are shown.

S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0S A F E T Y C A M P A I G N 2 0 2 0

RIG

GIN

G F

OR

FR

EEB

OA

RD

SO

F 9

MET

RES

OR

LES

S

HA

ND

HO

LDST

AN

CH

ION

SM

in. D

iam

. 32

mm

Min

.12

0cm

Abo

ve B

ulw

ark

MA

N-R

OPE

S(w

itho

ut k

nots

)M

in. D

iam

. 28

mm

Max

. Dia

m. 3

2m

mIF

REQ

UIR

EDBY

TH

E PI

LOT

SPR

EAD

ERM

in. 1

80

cm L

ong

Min

. 40

cm

31

-35

cm

MA

XIM

UM

9 S

TEPS

Be

twee

n sp

read

ers

5th

STE

P Fr

om

bo

tto

mm

ust

be a

spr

eade

r

6 M

ETR

ES

uno

bstr

ucte

dsh

ip’s

sid

eH

eigh

tRe

quir

ed b

y Pi

lot

SID

E RO

PES

Min

. Dia

m. 1

8m

m

ALL

STE

PSM

ust

rest

fir

mly

agai

nst

ship

’s s

ide

Han

dho

lds

Min

. 70

cmM

ax. 8

0cm

PILO

T L

AD

DER

Mu

st e

xten

dat

leas

t 2

met

res

abov

e lo

wer

plat

form

AC

CO

MM

OD

AT

ION

LA

DD

ERSe

cure

d to

sh

ip’s

sid

e Sh

ou

ld le

ad a

ft

A p

ilot

ladd

erre

qu

ires

a c

limb

of

no

t le

ss t

han

1.5

met

res

and

no

mo

re t

han

9 m

etre

s

The

low

erpl

atfo

rmsh

all b

e a

min

imu

mo

f 5

met

res

abov

e th

e se

a

CO

MB

INA

TIO

N A

RR

AN

GEM

ENT

FOR

SH

IPS

WIT

H A

FREE

BO

AR

D O

F M

OR

ET

HA

N 9

MET

RES

WH

EN N

O S

IDE

DO

OR

AV

AIL

AB

LE

Max

imu

m4

5˚

slo

pe

Low

erpl

atfo

rmh

ori

zon

tal

Reco

mm

ende

d9

met

res

free

boar

d m

ark

0.5

m

2m

2m

STER

N B

OW

Acc

om

mo

dati

on

ladd

er s

ho

uld

be s

ecu

red

tosh

ip’s

sid

e

(Usi

ng

eyep

ad,

mag

net

ic o

rpn

eum

atic

syst

em)

Ladd

er m

ust

be

firm

ly a

ttac

hed

to s

hip

’s s

ide

1.5

met

res

abov

eac

com

mo

dati

on

plat

form

NO

!N

o s

hack

les,

kno

ts o

r sp

lices

NO

!Th

e st

eps

mus

t be

equa

lly s

pace

d

NO

!Th

e st

eps

mus

t be

hori

zont

al a

nd c

hock

sun

der

the

step

s m

ust

beti

ghtl

y se

cure

d

NO

!Sp

read

ers

mus

tno

t be

lash

edbe

twee

n st

eps

NO

!Si

de r

ope

s m

ust

be e

qual

ly s

pace

d

NO

!Th

e st

eps

sho

uld

not

be p

aint

ed,

dirt

y o

r sl

ippe

ry

NO

!Lo

ops

and

tri

ppin

glin

es p

rese

nt a

trip

ping

haz

ard

and

foul

the

Pilo

t La

unch

Han

dho

lds

Min

. 70

cmM

ax. 8

0cm

Min

imum

Cle

aran

ce2

20

cm

Min

. 91

.5cm

Min

. 91

.5cm

Pad

eye

NO

OBSTRUCTIONS

PILO

T L

AD

DER

WIN

CH

REE

L

Min

imum

Cle

aran

ce2

20

cm

Min

imum

91

.5cm

Han

dhol

dsM

in. 7

0cm

Max

. 80c

m

All

pilo

t la

dder

win

ch r

eels

sho

uld

have

a m

eans

of

prev

enti

on

fro

mbe

ing

acci

dent

ally

ope

rate

d.

The

brak

e an

d lo

ck m

ust

be

ope

rati

ve o

n m

anua

lly o

pera

ted

win

ches

.

Pow

er w

inch

es m

ust

have

an

ope

rati

ve s

afet

y de

vice

to

lock

th

e w

inch

in p

osi

tio

n.

Side

ope

ning

Ship

’s s

ide

doo

rsus

ed f

or

tran

sfer

sho

uld

not

ope

no

utw

ard

Min

imum

Cle

aran

ce2

20

cm

Min

imum

91

.5cm

75

cm7

5cm

Han

dho

lds

Min

. 70

cmM

ax. 8

0cm

Han

dho

ld s

tan

chio

ns

rigi

dly

secu

red

to d

eck

Life

buoy

wit

hse

lf-i

gnit

ing

ligh

t

Bu

lwar

k &

Pilo

t la

dder

secu

red

to d

eck

stro

ng

poin

ts

Resp

on

sibl

e O

ffic

erin

co

nta

ct w

ith

bri

dge

REQ

UIR

ED B

OA

RD

ING

AR

RA

NG

EMEN

TS

FOR

PIL

OT

In a

cco

rdan

ce w

ith

SO

LAS

Regu

lati

on

V/2

3 &

IMO

Res

olu

tio

n A

.10

45

(27

)

INT

ERN

AT

ION

AL

MA

RIT

IME

PILO

TS’

ASS

OC

IAT

ION

H.Q

.S.“

Wel

lingt

on

”Te

mpl

e St

airs

,Vic

tori

a Em

ban

kmen

t,Lo

ndo

n W

C2

R 2

PN T

el:+

44

(0

)20

72

40

39

73

Fax

:+4

4 (

0)2

0 7

21

0 3

51

8 E

mai

l:o

ffic

e@im

pah

q.o

rgTh

is d

ocu

men

t an

d al

l IM

O P

ilot-

rela

ted

docu

men

ts a

re a

vaila

ble

for

dow

nlo

ad a

t:h

ttp:

//w

ww

.impa

hq

.org

A B C

REQ

UIR

ED B

OA

RD

ING

AR

RA

NG

EMEN

TS

FOR

PIL

OT

In a

ccor

danc

e w

ith

SOLA

S Re

gula

tion

V/2

3 &

IMO

Res

olut

ion

A.1

045(

27)

INT

ERN

AT

ION

AL

MA

RIT

IME

PILO

TS’

ASS

OC

IAT

ION

H.Q

.S. “

Wel

lingt

on” T

empl

e St

airs

, Vic

tori

a Em

bank

men

t, Lo

ndon

WC

2R 2

PN

Tel:

+44

(0)

20 7

240

3973

Em

ail:

offi

ce@

impa

hq.o

rgTh

is d

ocum

ent

and

all I

MO

Pilo

t-re

late

d do

cum

ents

are

ava

ilabl

e fo

r do

wnl

oad

at: h

ttp:

//w

ww

.impa

hq.o

rg

I M PA O F F I C E R S

President

Captain Simon Pelletier - Canada

Senior Vice President / Treasurer

Captain Jean-Philippe Casanova - France

Vice Presidents

Captain Alvaro Moreno - Panama

Captain Choi, Yeong Sig - Korea

Captain John Pearn - UK

Captain Oumar Dramé - Senegal

Captain Ricardo Falcão - Brazil

I M PA S E C R E TA R I AT

Secretary General

Nick Cutmore

Executive Assistant

Eliane Blanch

T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A LM A R I T I M E P I L O T ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA)HQS Wellington, Temple Stairs, Victoria Embankment, London WC2R 2PNTelephone: +44 20 7240 3973 Email: office@impahq.org Website: www.impahq.org