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02 Dec 2015 / Australia

Use of pilot ladders

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued a new Marine Notice to bring to the attention of shipowners, operators, masters, crews, recognised organisations, pilots and pilotage providers, that pilot transfer arrangements which include pilot ladders must be in accordance with Marine Order 21 of 2012 (Safety of navigation and emergency procedures, MO21).

Owners and masters are required by MO21 to ensure that pilot transfer arrangements are in place and carried out in accordance with SOLAS V/23 which states that a pilot ladder shall be certified by the manufacturer as complying with V/23 or “with an international standard acceptable to the Organization”.

Compliance with this particular provision of SOLAS V/23 can be met when a manufacturer has certified the pilot ladder complies with either of the above standards, which are not identical.

Strict attention should be paid to the freeboard of the vessel to determine whether a combination ladder needs to be rigged and, if a combination ladder is required, attention should be paid to arrangements for securing such ladders to the vessel’s side.

The responsibility for safe personnel transfer practices rests jointly with each person involved in the activity, including the vessel’s owners, operators, master and crew, pilotage providers, pilots and pilot boat crew, as well as the person being transferred. All these parties should observe both the spirit and intent of the regulations, to ensure safety is not compromised.

Further details are provided in a Maritime Safety Awareness Bulletin at www.amsa.gov.au/forms-and-publications/International/publications/Ship-Safety/index.asp.

For information about operations in Australia contact GAC Australia at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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