Emergency Contact Bulletin: Maintenance of pilot ladders Home Latest updates Publications Bulletin: Maintenance of pilot ladders 22 Oct 2025 Download page as PDF Sign up for alerts Pilot ladders, where appropriate, remain the most common and efficient means for pilots to board vessels. However, despite the apparent simplicity of the process, improper pilot transfer arrangements continue to give rise to claims. These can include serious injuries to pilots, occasionally resulting in death. In the last five years (2020-2024), the Club has been notified of ten incidents relating to pilot ladders, one of which resulted in a fatality. Pilots are typically required to board ships at sea, often in challenging conditions and sometimes on vessels with high freeboards. Pilot transfer arrangements generally consist of a rope ladder constructed in accordance with statutory requirements. However, for vessels with a larger freeboard, both the ship’s accommodation ladder and the pilot ladder are used. To reduce the risk of incidents, it is imperative that pilot ladders, accommodation ladders, and all associated equipment are properly maintained, stowed, and inspected as part of an ongoing process. Defective ropes and worn or damaged steps remain  among the leading causes of associated incidents. Planned maintenance systems should therefore include regular inspections of pilot transfer arrangements, with particular attention paid to the condition of the pilot ladder itself . The importance of stringent inspections cannot be overstated. The pilot ladder remains the weakest link in the transfer arrangement, and failures (such as deterioration of the natural fibre ropes, broken chocks used to support the ladder steps or damaged spreaders) can cause the ladder to give way under load. This can result in personnel falling onto the pilot boat or into the sea, with potentially fatal consequences. It is essential that pilot ladder certificates, inspection reports, and maintenance record