24Navigation Safety Regulations

Pilot Transfer Equipment and Arrangements

(1)Every ship engaged on a voyage in the course of which a pilot is likely to be employed shall be provided with pilot transfer equipment and arrangements in accordance with Regulation 23 of Chapter V of the Safety Convention.

(2)Pilot transfer equipment and arrangements with which a ship is provided shall meet the requirements of the annex to IMO Resolution A1045(27) as amended time to time, Pilot Transfer Arrangements.

(3)Despite subsection (1), in the case of a Canadian ship in the waters of the Great Lakes or St. Lawrence River, if the distance from the water to the point of access of the ship is more than five metres, the ship shall provide an accommodation ladder, or other equipment that provides equally safe and convenient access to and egress from the ship, so that the climb on the pilot ladder does not exceed five metres. (See Section 26. Additional Guidance on Pilot transfer Arrangements.)

SOLAS – Chapter V

REGULATION 23, Pilot transfer arrangements

1Application

1.1Ships engaged on voyages in the course of which pilots are likely to be employed shall be provided with pilot transfer arrangements.

1.2Equipment and arrangements for pilot transfer which are installed^Footnote1 on or after 1 July 2012 shall comply with the requirements of this regulation, and due regard shall be paid to the standards adopted by the Organization.^Footnote2

1.3Except as provided otherwise, equipment and arrangements for pilot transfer which are provided on ships before 1 July 2012 shall at least comply with the requirements of regulation 17^Footnote3 or 23, as applicable, of the Convention in force prior to that date, and due regard shall be paid to the standards adopted by the Organization prior to that date.

1.4Equipment and arrangements installed on or after 1 July 2012, which are a replacement of equipment and arrangements provided on ships before 1 July 2012, shall, in so far as is reasonable and practicable, comply with the requirements of this regulation.

1.5With respect to ships constructed before 1 January 1994, paragraph 5 shall apply not later than the first survey^Footnote4 on or after 1 July 2012.

1.6Paragraph 6 applies to all ships.

2General

2.1All arrangements used for pilot transfer shall efficiently fulfil their purpose of enabling pilots to embark and disembark safely. The appliances shall be kept clean, properly maintained and stowed and shall be regularly inspected to ensure that they are safe to use. They shall be used solely for the embarkation and disembarkation of personnel.

2.2The rigging of the pilot transfer arrangements and the embarkation of a pilot shall be supervised by a responsible officer having means of communication with the navigation bridge who shall also arrange for the escort of the pilot by a safe route to and from the navigation bridge. Personnel engaged in rigging and operating any mechanical equipment shall be instructed in the safe procedures to be adopted and the equipment shall be tested prior to use.

2.3A pilot ladder shall be certified by the manufacturer as complying with this regulation or with an international standard acceptable to the Organization^Footnote5. Ladders shall be inspected in accordance with regulations I/6, 7 and 8.

2.4All pilot ladders used for pilot transfer shall be clearly identified with tags or other permanent marking so as to enable identification of each appliance for the purposes of survey, inspection and record keeping. A record shall be kept on the ship as to the date the identified ladder is placed into service and any repairs effected.

2.5Reference in this regulation to an accommodation ladder includes a sloping ladder used as part of the pilot transfer arrangements.

3Transfer arrangements

3.1Arrangements shall be provided to enable the pilot to embark and disembark safely on either side of the ship.

3.2In all ships where the distance from sea level to the point of access to, or egress from, the ship exceeds 9 m, and when it is intended to embark and disembark pilots by means of the accommodation ladder^Footnote6, or other equally safe and convenient means in conjunction with a pilot ladder, the ship shall carry such equipment on each side, unless the equipment is capable of being transferred for use on either side.

3.3Safe and convenient access to, and egress from, the ship shall be provided by either:

.1a pilot ladder requiring a climb of not less than 1.5 m and not more than 9 m above the surface of the water so positioned and secured that:

.1.1it is clear of any possible discharges from the ship;
.1.2it is within the parallel body length of the ship and, as far as is practicable, within the mid-ship half length of the ship;
.1.3each step rests firmly against the ship’s side; where constructional features, such as rubbing bands, would prevent the implementation of this provision, special arrangements shall, to the satisfaction of the Administration, be made to ensure that persons are able to embark and disembark safely;
.1.4the single length of pilot ladder is capable of reaching the water from the point of access to, or egress from, the ship and due allowance is made for all conditions of loading and trim of the ship, and for an adverse list of 15°; the securing strongpoints, shackles and securing ropes shall be at least as strong as the side ropes; or

.2an accommodation ladder in conjunction with the pilot ladder (i.e. a combination arrangement), or other equally safe and convenient means, whenever the distance from the surface of the water to the point of access to the ship is more than 9 m. The accommodation ladder shall be sited leading aft. When in use, means shall be provided to secure the lower platform of the accommodation ladder to the ship's side, so as to ensure that the lower end of the accommodation ladder and the lower platform are held firmly against the ship's side within the parallel body length of the ship and, as far as is practicable, within the mid-ship half length and clear of all discharges;

.2.1when a combination arrangement is used for pilot access, means shall be provided to secure the pilot ladder and manropes to the ship's side at a point of nominally 1.5 m above the bottom platform of the accommodation ladder. In the case of a combination arrangement using an accommodation ladder with a trapdoor in the bottom platform (i.e. embarkation platform), the pilot ladder and man ropes shall be rigged through the trapdoor extending above the platform to the height of the handrail.

4Access to the ship’s deck

Means shall be provided to ensure safe, convenient and unobstructed passage for any person embarking on, or disembarking from, the ship between the head of the pilot ladder, or of any accommodation ladder or other appliance, and the ship’s deck. Where such passage is by means of:

.1a gateway in the rails of bulwark, adequate handholds shall be provided;
.2a bulwark ladder, two handhold stanchions rigidly secured to the ship’s structure at or near their bases and at higher points shall be fitted. The bulwark ladder shall be securely attached to the ship to prevent overturning.

5Shipside doors

Shipside doors used for pilot transfer shall not open outwards.

6Mechanical pilot hoists

Mechanical pilot hoists shall not be used

7Associated equipment

7.1The following associated equipment shall be kept at hand ready for immediate use when persons are being transferred:

.1two man-ropes of not less than 28 mm and not more than 32 mm in diameter properly secured to the ship if required by the pilot; man-ropes shall be fixed at the rope end to the ring plate fixed on deck and shall be ready for use when the pilot disembarks, or upon request from a pilot approaching to board (the manropes shall reach the height of the stanchions or bulwarks at the point of access to the deck before terminating at the ring plate on deck);
.2a lifebuoy equipped with a self-igniting light;
.3a heaving line.

7.2When required by paragraph 4 above, stanchions and bulwark ladders shall be provided.

8Lighting

Adequate lighting shall be provided to illuminate the transfer arrangements overside, and the position on deck where a person embarks or disembarks.

Authority: Transport Canada

Pilot Transfer Arrangements amended by Resolution A.1108(29)