Overview - ISO 799-3:2022 (Pilot ladders attachments and equipment)
ISO 799-3:2022 supplements IMO requirements by specifying requirements and guidance for attachments and associated equipment of pilot ladders. It covers securing ladders at reduced length, deck and hull securing points, man-ropes, bulwark openings and stanchions, anti-chafing arrangements, and interfaces where pilot ladders are used with accommodation ladders (combination arrangements). The document complements ISO 799-1 (design) and ISO 799-2 (maintenance, use, survey and inspection).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Man-ropes: Grade 1 manila; 2 ropes, 28–32 mm diameter; clean, knot-free, ends seized/whipped; reach stanchion height; tagged and inspected per ISO 799-2.
- Deck securing strongpoints: Ring plates must withstand ≥ 24 kN; pilot ladder when rigged inboard should be secured ≥ 915 mm horizontally from ship side.
- Securing ladders at less than full length: Manufacturer-specified methods and rigging (e.g., rolling hitch) with tagged securing ropes and documented construction, knots and test data.
- Hull securing (bowsing): Mechanical clamps (magnetic or pneumatic suction pads) or hand-hold attachments to bowse ladder/accommodation ladder to hull - not intended to support weight.
- Holding forces: Accommodation-ladder securing ≥ 4 kN; pilot-ladder side-rope securing ≥ 3 kN each; securing devices must be readily removable by one person and have tethers.
- Deck access & stanchions: Access width 0.7–0.8 m; handholds/stanchions 32–36 mm diameter, extend ≥ 1.2 m above bulwark/top, spaced 0.7–0.8 m; rings with ~60 mm internal diameter for man-rope routing.
- Anti-chafing: Avoid “knife-edge” contact; fit rounding pipes or anti-chafe arrangements where side ropes pass over sharp edges.
- Combination arrangements (pilot + accommodation ladder): Requirements include platform siting, trapdoor aperture min. 750 × 750 mm, pilot ladder rigged through trapdoor to ≥ 2 m above platform, and secure lower platform to ship side.
- Additional equipment: Heaving line, lifebuoy with self-igniting light, and adequate lighting for transfers.
Practical applications and users
Who uses ISO 799-3:
- Shipowners, operators and masters for safe pilot transfer procedures
- Shipbuilders and naval architects designing pilot/embarkation arrangements
- Marine equipment manufacturers (man-ropes, magnetic clamps, stanchions)
- Classification societies, port authorities and maritime regulators enforcing SOLAS/IMO requirements
- Pilots, shipboard safety officers and crew responsible for rigging and inspections
Practical uses:
- Specifying and installing deck/hull strongpoints, stanchions and bowsing devices
- Defining inspection, tagging and storage practices for man-ropes and securing gear
- Ensuring compliant combination arrangements and trapdoor layouts for safe transfers
- Reducing chafe damage and improving pilot transfer safety in varying freeboard conditions
Related standards
- ISO 799-1:2019 (Pilot ladder design and specification)
- ISO 799-2:2021 (Maintenance, use, survey and inspection)
- SOLAS V/23 and IMO Resolution A.1045(27) (pilot transfer arrangements)
Open preview (PDF)Ships and marine technology — Pilot ladders — Part 3: Attachments and associated equipment
