This Annual Notice to Mariners (ANTM) combines and supersedes ANTM 02, 26 and 103 of 2025.

Notice Summary:

This ANTM reaffirms the Port of Milford Haven’s commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety in pilot embarkation and disembarkation, consistent with the Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) Regulations, SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 23, and the latest IMO, ISO, and IMPA standards.

Unsafe or non-compliant pilot boarding arrangements continue to present a significant risk to Pilots, boat crews, and vessels. Mariners are reminded that the Port of Milford Haven Pilots and Pilot Cutter Coxswains are instructed not to board or land from vessels which fail to comply with the required standards. Non-compliance will result in delay to vessel movements.

  1. General Obligations
    1. All vessels calling at the Port of Milford Haven must ensure that Pilot Boarding Arrangements (PBAs) fully comply with:
      1. The Merchant Shipping (Pilot Ladders and Hoists) Regulations
      2. SOLAS V/23 and IMO Resolutions A.1045(27) and A.1108(29)
      3. ISO 799-1:2019 and ISO 799-2:2021
      4. IMPA/IMO “Required Boarding Arrangements for Pilots” Poster; and
      5. The Port of Milford Haven Pilot Boarding Arrangement Requirements booklet.
    2. Vessels must provide a safe, properly rigged, and well-maintained pilot ladder or combination ladder before the Pilot’s arrival.
    3. Historic or “grandfather rights” will not be accepted.  Arrangements must be upgraded to current international standards as soon as practicable, and no later than the next scheduled drydock or repair cycle (maximum 30 months).
  2. Construction and Rigging Requirements
    1. Tripping or retrieval lines must not impede safe ascent or descent and are to be rigged at or above the bottom spreader, leading forward. Trip lines attached to the bottom of the ladder are prohibited.
    2. Man ropes are not to be rigged for pilot transfers within Milford Haven.
    3. Accommodation ladders used in combination with pilot ladders must:
      1. Always lead aft
      2. Have the lower platform horizontal
      3. Provide a continuous pilot ladder extending 2 m above the platform
      4. Ensure the underside of the accommodation ladder is at least 7 m above the waterline in heavy weather to allow safe pilot boat approach.
    4. Pilot ladders and platforms must lie flat against the ship’s hull over their full length. Magnetic securing devices may be used to assist in achieving this, provided they meet the safety and maintenance requirements set out in Section 3.
    5. Pilot ladders should be located as near midships as practicable, with a flat, parallel hull surface extending aft of the ladder. Where belting is fitted, a clear gap of at least 6 m is required for the pilot boat to come alongside safely.
    6. All pilot ladders must be certified, periodically inspected, and replaced no later than 30 months after manufacture or tested and certificated.
  3. Use of Magnetic Securing Devices
    1. Mariners are reminded that magnetic securing devices (magnets) used as part of pilot ladder or accommodation ladder arrangements must:
      1. Comply with manufacturer’s ISO and SOLAS standards
      2. Be clearly marked with their load rating and serial number
      3. Be used solely as supplementary securing aids, not as replacements for fixed rigging or securing methods in the vessel’s approved rigging plan; and
      4. Be used strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
    2. Magnets must be tested, maintained, and stored in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance.  All such devices must be included in the vessel’s Planned Maintenance System (PMS) with valid maintenance records and certificates available for inspection.
    3. Over time, magnets may lose strength due to:
      1. High temperatures
      2. Physical damage (impacts or vibration)
      3. Electromagnetic interference from nearby electrical systems
      4. Corrosion if unprotected or poorly coated.
    4. To maintain reliability, magnets must be stored in a protected, stable environment, kept clean and rust-free, and replaced proactively if their condition or holding strength is uncertain.
  4. Operational Considerations
    1. Due to the size and freeboard of Milford Haven pilot cutters, safe pilot transfer in rough weather is reduced when a combination ladder is required. Masters are therefore advised, where practicable, to reduce freeboard below 9m to enable direct ladder boarding and avoid delay.
    2. In ballast condition, the hull area abaft the pilot ladder must be flat and unobstructed, ensuring safe and stable contact with the pilot cutter.
    3. Pilots and Coxswains have been instructed to refuse to embark or disembark vessels whose boarding arrangements are unsafe or non-compliant.  Such refusal will result in operational delay until the issue is rectified.
  5. Continuous Improvement and Reference Material
    1. The Port maintains a record of all unsafe pilot boarding arrangements. Vessels presenting repeated deficiencies may be reported to their flag administration, owners, or agents.
    2. The MAIB Safety Digest (1/2022) reminds all mariners that pilot transfer operations “demand the highest standards of safety, without compromise.”
    3. A copy of the Milford Haven “Pilot Boarding Arrangement Requirements” booklet and the IMO/IMPA ‘Required Boarding Arrangements for Pilots’ Wheelhouse Poster are available on the Milford Haven website within the Marine Services section: www.mhpa.co.uk/our-services/marine-services. 
  6. This Notice will self-cancel at 23:59hrs on 31st December 2026.