United Kingdom maritime pilots association
The Challenge
Pilot transfer remains one of the most hazardous operations in international shipping, with an average of two fatalities recorded globally each year. More than 100,000 vessels call at UK ports annually, requiring maritime pilots to board ships safely in all conditions, day and night. Failures in Pilot Transfer Arrangements (PTAs)—particularly non-compliant ladders—pose a direct threat to pilots’ lives and disrupt port operations.
Historically, the requirements of SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 23 were poorly understood and inconsistently applied. This resulted in widespread non-compliance, unsafe boarding arrangements, and frequent disputes between pilots, masters and port authorities. The consequences are significant: pilots are forced to refuse boarding unsafe vessels, while ship operators face costly delays, inspections or detentions to rectify deficiencies.
In June 2025, the International Maritime Organization adopted strengthened PTA standards (MSC 110), mandating that non-compliant arrangements be formally reported and corrected. While this significantly improved accountability, safety ultimately depends on practical understanding and correct implementation at the frontline. The fundamental challenge therefore is not regulation alone, but enabling a global, multilingual workforce to recognise, understand and apply safe pilot-transfer practices consistently.
The Innovation
To address this challenge, the UK Maritime Pilots’ Association developed an interactive digital Pilot Transfer Arrangements poster that converts complex regulatory text into a clear, visual and practical tool.
The innovation lies in visualisation and interaction. Rather than static guidance or lengthy documents, the poster uses step-by-step illustrations to show compliant and non-compliant PTAs side by side. Users can click through diagrams to explore specific scenarios, highlighting common failures and best-practice arrangements instantly.
Designed for universal accessibility, the poster is freely available online and optimised for use aboard ships, leveraging mandatory onboard internet access under the Maritime Labour Convention. It functions simultaneously as:
- A training resource for seafarers, pilots and naval architects
- An inspection aid for port authorities, surveyors and classification societies
- A practical checklist for crews preparing vessels for pilot boarding
By simplifying regulation into an intuitive, shared reference point, the tool bridges the gap between policy and practice—empowering crews and operators to prevent unsafe boarding before it occurs.
How It Was Implemented
The poster was conceived by the UKMPA Technical & Training Committee, led by experienced maritime pilots with decades of operational expertise. Key contributors included Technical Chair John Slater, committee members Jonathan Smith and James Musgrove, and Kevin Vallance, author of The Pilot Ladder Manual.
The team distilled the updated SOLAS V/23 requirements into a logical, visual structure and then partnered with digital specialists to create the interactive format. The result was launched publicly on the UKMPA website, ensuring free, global access with no software barriers.
Implementation focused on early adoption ahead of new enforcement deadlines (2028–2030). Outreach included targeted engagement with pilots, masters, port and harbour authorities, naval architects, classification societies and trade organisations, supported by presentations at safety forums and industry communications. The poster was designed for seamless integration into daily operations—accessible from ship bridges, crew areas and mobile devices.
Result
Since its launch in July 2025, the interactive poster has been widely recognised as a practical, life-saving safety tool. Feedback from pilots and crews confirms that its visual, clickable design enables immediate recognition of unsafe arrangements, reducing ambiguity and supporting confident decision-making.
The tool has already prevented unsafe boarding by giving pilots and ship crews a clear, shared standard for compliance. Ship operators report tangible operational benefits: deficiencies can be identified and corrected before arrival, reducing delays, inspections and detentions.
Beyond immediate safety improvements, the poster supports long-term cultural change. By clearly demonstrating “what good looks like,” it raises expectations and consistency across vessel types, operators and nationalities. Port authorities and insurers have also noted improved transparency and trust between pilots and ship operators.
Conclusion
The UKMPA interactive PTA poster is a low-cost, high-impact safety innovation with global relevance. It addresses a critical, long-standing risk using an accessible, scalable solution that works in real operational contexts.
By transforming dense regulation into clear visual guidance, the poster accelerates adoption of new SOLAS V/23 standards ahead of mandatory enforcement and improves safety outcomes without adding administrative burden. It exemplifies pilot leadership in advancing maritime safety and builds upon the foundational advocacy of the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA).
Ultimately, this innovation protects lives, safeguards port efficiency and strengthens supply-chain resilience, providing a model of best practice in how regulation can be translated into real-world safety improvement.
- Date
- 25/08/2026
