Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the publication of the 2021 Marine Accident Investigation Branch Annual Report on 9 June, what steps they are taking to reduce the numbers of unsafe pilot ladders.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is engaging with UK pilot safety stakeholders, under the UK Safety of Navigation Committee (UKSON), to look to reduce the numbers of unsafe pilot ladders. This includes discussions on pilot transfer safety.

Pilot ladder reports are logged and local Marine Surveyors must investigate and take appropriate action. They are required to look at pilot ladders during their surveys on board UK flagged vessels and during Port State Control inspections on foreign vessels, in accordance with the Paris Memorandum of Understanding.

The MCA is also liaising with, among others, the International Maritime Organization, UK maritime industry, International Association of Classification Societies and International Standards Organization to foster international collaboration and influence suitable changes and amendments to relevant conventions, regulations and standards on pilot ladder safety.