China has urged the IMO Sub Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NSCR) to consider the following issues relating to pilot transfer arrangements (PTA’s):
China acknowledges that trapdoor incidents have been expienced in their national waters. Furthermore, China identified the following issues regarding pilot ladder safety:
- IMPA reported a 14,3% percentage of non compliant pilots ladders .
- Unsafe and improper us of pilot ladders are a major contributing factor to non compliances of pilot transfer arrangements.
- Maintenance and inspection requirements of pilot transfer arrangements to be included in Solas V/23
- Training in the use of pilot ladders to be strengthened en best practices or guidance to be developed
- Concentrated Inspection Campaign on PTA’s to be carried out worldwide
- Information exchange between PSC and pilotage authorities to be strengthened
- PTA’s using a trapdoor arrangement should be improved so that the ladder extends above the railing of the trapdoor arrangement.
- A sketch of the PTA – trapdoor arrangement should be included in the PTA wheelhouse poster.
- The size of the aperture to be reconsidered to make it appropriate for pilots on all circumstances.
- An upper limit for side ropes and handholds is needed in IMO 1045
- The supervision for the disembarkation for the pilot needs to be added to Solas V/23
- The inconsistencies between IMO and ISO standards need to be clarified with a view to achieving harmonized and safe standards worldwide.
