A rope side ladder rigged overside to enable a pilot to board or disembark from a ship at sea.
In practice
The chief mate is responsible for supervising the rigging of the pilot ladder before each pilot boarding. At high freeboard vessels, SOLAS V/23 requires a combination arrangement — a pilot ladder below joined to an accommodation ladder above — where the difference in height exceeds a defined threshold. An officer and a crew member must be posted at the embarkation point, and a light must be available at night. IMO Resolution A.1045(27) and IMPA guidelines provide additional practical guidance. Port state control inspections regularly identify defective pilot ladders as detainable deficiencies, making their maintenance a high-priority item.
Regulatory detail & full definition
A pilot ladder is a rope side ladder rigged over the ship's side at the embarkation point to allow a marine pilot to board or disembark safely while the vessel is underway at sea speed or approaching port. SOLAS V/23 sets detailed mandatory requirements for the construction and rigging of pilot ladders, including minimum rung dimensions, step spacing, the condition of side ropes, and the prohibition of damaged or knotted ropes. The interval between the lowest rung and the water surface must be appropriate for the freeboard height.
The chief mate is responsible for supervising the rigging of the pilot ladder before each pilot boarding. At high freeboard vessels, SOLAS V/23 requires a combination arrangement — a pilot ladder below joined to an accommodation ladder above — where the difference in height exceeds a defined threshold. An officer and a crew member must be posted at the embarkation point, and a light must be available at night. IMO Resolution A.1045(27) and IMPA guidelines provide additional practical guidance. Port state control inspections regularly identify defective pilot ladders as detainable deficiencies, making their maintenance a high-priority item.