Revised international pilot ladder arrangements come into force on 01 January 2028. The rule changes were approved by the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee in June 2025.
There are several areas that are being addressed, namely, rigging at or below nine metres, rigging above nine metres, other ladder safety, and duties of the responsible officer.
Nine metres and below
When a ladder is rigged with a point of access nine metres or less above the water, then the pilot ladder and man-ropes should be secured to strong points on the deck. Stanchions should be a minimum of 120cm above the bulwark. Man-ropes must be rigged if required by the pilot. Spreaders should be a minimum of 180cm long, there should be a maximum of eight steps between spreaders and the fifth step from bottom should be a spreader. The retrieval rope should lean forward.
Above nine metres
There should be an accommodation ladder that leads aft, with a maximum slope of 45 degrees, and the lower platform should be horizontal. The accommodation ladder must be secured to the ship’s side. The pilot ladder must extend at least two metres above the lower platform. The pilot ladder and man-ropes, if rigged, shall be secured to the ship’s side 1.5 above the platform. The lower platform shall be rigged as requested by the pilot service with a minimum height of 5m above the water up to a maximum height of 9m above the water.
Other ladder safety
All pilot ladder winch reels need to have a means of prevention from being accidentally operated and there needs to be a minimum clearance of 220 cm. Ladders shall not be rigged over sharp edges (as this can damage ropes). The pilot ladder must be secured to a strong point independent of the pilot ladder winch reel. There should be no obstructions from the ship’s side inwards to a distance of 91.5cm.
Trap and side doors
When an accommodation ladder and trap-door system is used, the platform must be secured to the ship’s side when in use and the ladder length above the platform must be at least two metres. The lower platform must be a minimum of five metres above the water. When a side door is used, manropes may be rigged from the deck head, provided that they pass through a ring / eye at the top the stanchions at the point of access. Pilot ladders should be secured on the lowest deck within the ship-side opening. Rigging from the deckhead or freeboard deck is not permitted.
Applicable rules
MSC.1/Circ.1428 is revoked as of 1 April 2030; circular MSC.1/Circ.1428/Rev.1 of 05 September 2025 applies and should be alongside the amendments to SOLAS regulation V/23 adopted by resolution MSC.572(110) and the Performance standards for pilot transfer arrangements adopted by resolution MSC.576(110).
