VERIFY GATEWAY HANDHOLD ARRANGEMENTS Incorrect Terminations Can Lead to Marine Casualties

The United States Coast Guard have issued a marine safety alert on the importance of verifying the correct arrangements of handhold stanchions at the embarkation gate.

The safety alert follows an investigation involving a fall from a pilot ladder where the handhold stanchions terminated without being rigidly secured to the deck. This resulted in a gap on the handhold stanchion in an area where an embarking pilot could reach up to pull themselves onto the vessel.

The safety alert states that the arrangement on the vessel in question appeared to have been a modification. It is likely that this was done to enable the spreaders on the pilot ladder to pass under the handhold stanchions,  rather than having to run them over the vessel’s railing when deploying or retrieving the pilot ladder.

The Coast Guard strongly recommends that flag state administrations, classification societies, port state control inspectors, and shipboard personnel:

• Ensure familiarity with applicable requirements pertaining to handholds in gateway embarkation arrangements aboard merchant vessels.
• Visually examine handholds in gateway embarkation arrangements for gaps, specifically at the lower terminations.
• Initiate rectification and issue outstanding conditions to meet regulatory intent for any non- conformities discovered.The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently published a series of standards aimed at improving pilot ladder safety. These standards supplement existing IMO recommendations and requirements for pilot ladders. Vessel owners and operators, shipboard personnel, and system designers are highly encouraged to review and comply with these standards.

• ISO 799-1:2019 Ships and marine technology — Pilot ladders — Part 1: Design and specification
• ISO 799-2: 2021 Ships and marine technology — Pilot ladders — Part 2: Maintenance, use, survey, and inspection
• ISO 799-3:2022 Ships and marine technology — Pilot ladders — Part 3: Attachments and associated equipmentThis Safety Alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational, or material requirements. Developed by the Coast Guard Sector New York Investigations Division, and distributed by the Office of Investigations and Analysis. Please address questions to HQS-SMB-CG-INV@uscg.mil.Please note other related available information here:
  1. International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution A. 1045(27) titled, “Pilot TransferArrangements”. The link for this document can be found here.
  2. USCG Safety Alert 14-18 titled,“Don’t Forget about Gangways and Ladders! Pilot Dies inGangway Accident” posted on the DCO site here.
  3. International Maritime Organization (IMO)/International Maritime Pilots Association’s “Required Boarding Arrangements for Pilot” poster (found on IMPA’s website here and also enclosed on page 3).