Discussion:
- The majority of pilot ladders are secured at intermediate length, in such a way that fatal accidents can potentially happen easily.
- It is a critical process, meaning that serious injury or fatalities are common as the result of accidents involving pilot ladders.
- On a daily basis, pilots around the world come across pilot ladder failures which may well be caused by the securing methods previously used which were harmful to the ropes, the steps, or the pilot ladder as a whole.
- The fact that there is no proven design for the securing of a pilot ladder at intermediate length in a safe, convenient manner calls for innovative solutions to the ever-present danger of breaking of failing pilot ladders.
Recommendations:
- The research conducted in this survey should be repeated regularly to identify trends and changes in the securing methods used for pilot ladders at intermediate length. IMPA could play an important role if they are willing to incorporate this research into their annual safety survey.
- A new innovative securing method for pilot ladders at intermediate length should be developed, Ideally, this process should involve ship designers, ship owners, pilot ladder manufacturers as well as maritime pilots. The design of the pilot ladder itself must be subject for reconsideration if needed.
- An industry standard should be developed regarding the securing of pilot ladders at intermediate length, involving all relevant stakeholders in the maritime industry.
- A global pilot ladder incident, accident and near-miss database should be developed in order to generate much needed management information which can be used to improve safety of pilot ladders in general.