Bahamas Maritime Authority: Guidance on CIC for Pilot Transfer Arrangements

The decision came as a number of accident reports published by various organizations across the maritime industry reveal a growing number of serious accidents, incidents, and near misses related to incorrect pilot transfer arrangements or significant defects in associated equipment.

Last year, USCG published MSIB 21-20 Change 1 “Recommendation for Pilot Transfer Arrangements”, in light of recent deaths of maritime pilots while embarking commercial vessels, while earlier in 2021, several countries and port authorities have shared instructions regarding pilot boarding arrangements.

The root causes identified in these cases were mainly due to the use of substandard and/or modified pilot and combination ladders, unauthorized modifications to deck access, defective winches and reels, and incorrect pilot ladder securing.

All of these issues can be attributed to non-compliant designs, inadequate procedures, unsafe rigging, poor maintenance and/or insufficient crew training in relation to pilot transfer operations,

…the BMA said.

All ships to which the SOLAS 1974, as amended applies are expected to meet the pilot transfer arrangement requirements laid out in Regulation 23 of Chapter V of SOLAS and IMO Resolution A.1045 (27) Pilot Transfer Arrangements.

Instructions to Masters and companies on the Campaign Procedure

• Companies operating Bahamian ships are requested to circulate this Technical Alert among their fleet.
• Masters of Bahamian ships are requested to address the issues raised in BMA Safety Alert 21-01 and Information Notice 018 at an onboard safety committee meeting.
• It is also requested to conduct at least one training session to increase crew awareness of the correct procedure for arranging pilot transfer, and inspection requirements for transfer equipment onboard. The Master may decide, at his or her discretion, to conduct follow-up training sessions as necessary in order to ensure adequate understanding by the crew.
• Training records with signatures of the attendees are to be available for inspection at the annual flag inspection.
• The checklist included in Annex 1 of this document should be completed by the attending inspector at the inspection and reported directly to [email protected] Masters, if they wish, may complete and submit the checklist at any time.

Instructions to Flag Approved Nautical Inspectors (ANI)

• The ANI should complete the same checklist at every flag inspection during the CIC, where practicable. The completed checklist shall be reported directly to the BMA via email soonest possible following to completion of the inspection onboard. The company may be put in copy to this communication. Any deficiencies identified are to be reported with other findings of the inspection through BORIS.
• The ANI should interview responsible crew members to make sure they have been properly trained on the correct procedure of arranging pilot transfer and inspection of transfer arrangements and equipment involved. This can be confirmed through a “Pilot Transfer Arrangement Rigging” drill, which can be recorded as a drill for the flag inspection.
• The ANI should check training and safety committee meeting records and note this in the narrative section of the inspection report under “General Comments”.

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