99016 Pilot Boarding Ladders

Pilot Boarding Ladders
Report No. 99016

In the mid 70's I was working at an Oil Terminal as a Berthing Master to a couple of SBMs about 14 miles offshore. Boarding was usually from a small tug. Normal procedure was for the tug to back up to the pilot ladder, the pilot would jump onto the ladder and the tug would pull smartly away and remain clear until the pilot was safely aboard the tanker. Bags etc were sent up later by heaving line. Usually a companionway was rigged to about 15 or 20 feet above the water to facilitate the long climb up the side of a ballasted tanker and it was easy to side step off the pilot ladder and onto the lower platform of the companionway.

On this occasion I had reached the lower platform and was starting the climb to the tanker's deck when, hearing a shout, I looked down to see the stern of the tug rising up on the swell with a crewman holding my bag aloft to place it on the gangway. Unfortunately the swell was higher than the tug master had anticipated and the tug collided with the platform pushing it up a few feet after which it fell back on the wire bridles causing them both to part whereupon the whole assembly, myself and bag fell into the water.

I don't like thinking about the next few seconds even now, I was submerged for a bit and remember white water and turning propellers, also disentangling myself from lengths of 1 inch wire bridle which were surprisingly heavy. It was not normal practice for us to wear life jackets. Eventually after what seemed a long time but could only have been seconds, I surfaced and managed to climb unassisted up the now vertically hanging gangway. It was some time before I got home, I then went to my GP who sent me to hospital for an X Ray where they discovered three broken ribs. Reading various maritime publications it seems that the safe rigging of gangways and ladders is a lesson we never learn.