SOLAS II-1/3-9 · SOLAS V/23 · MSC.1/Circ.1331 · MSC.572(110) · ISPS Code
Gangway, Accommodation Ladder, Pilot Ladder & ISPS Access Checklist
An inspector’s impression of a ship is formed before reaching the main deck. Deficiencies on the accommodation ladder, gangway, pilot transfer arrangement (`SOLAS V/23`), or ISPS gangway watch routinely trigger immediate pilot refusals to board, Port State Control Action Code 17 / 30 detentions, and high-severity SIRE 2.0 and RightShip RISQ 3.2 findings.
This guide brings together the mandatory rules under SOLAS Reg. II-1/3-9 (MSC.1/Circ.1331), SOLAS Reg. V/23 (Res. A.1045(27) and the new 2028 mandatory Performance Standards MSC.572(110) / MSC.576(110)), and SOLAS Ch. XI-2 / ISPS Code Part A gangway security controls.
Updated · Written by SeaReady in our own words. Not affiliated with OCIMF, RightShip, CDI, any MoU or any administration — always check the current official documents.
1. SOLAS II-1/3-9, SOLAS V/23 & ISPS Access Control Summary Table
Safe embarkation, pilot transfer, and gangway access control are governed by three overlapping SOLAS chapters that every Master, Chief Officer, and Ship Security Officer (SSO) must verify before arrival in port:
| Equipment / Area | Mandatory Limit / Interval | SOLAS & IMO Regulatory Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation Ladder & Gangway Rigging (SOLAS II-1/3-9 & MSC.1/Circ.1331) | Accommodation ladder ≤ 55°; Gangway ≤ 30° inclination | Must be rigged with a full-length safety net extending ≥ 1.5 m forward and aft of the lower and upper platforms (or protecting any gap between ship and quay), all stanchions and handrails taut and pinned, safe-working-load (SWL) and maximum angle stencilled clearly at both ends, and a lifebuoy with self-igniting light and buoyant line ready at the embarkation point. |
| Accommodation Ladder Inspection, 5-Year Load Test & Wire Renewal (MSC.1/Circ.1331 & SOLAS III/20.4) | Monthly shipboard inspection · Annual survey · 5-year load test & fall wire renewal | Inspected monthly by a responsible officer (recorded in PMS), thoroughly examined annually during the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment survey, operationally load-tested every 5 years with the maximum operational load, and fall wires renewed at intervals not exceeding 5 years (or earlier if deteriorated). |
| Pilot Ladder & Combination Arrangement (SOLAS V/23 & Res. A.1045(27) / A.1108(29)) | Combination ladder mandatory whenever freeboard > 9.0 m | Accommodation ladder angled ≤ 45° leading aft, lower platform horizontal and ≥ 5 m above sea level, pilot ladder secured firmly to the ship’s side 2.0 m above the lower platform (0.15 m horizontal tie-in), steps horizontal and chocked (bottom 4 steps rubber, 5th step spreader), 180 cm spreaders every ≤ 9 steps, and 28–32 mm manila manropes (when requested by the pilot). |
| 2028 Mandatory Pilot Transfer Performance Standards (IMO Res. MSC.572(110) & MSC.576(110)) | Effective 1 January 2028 (Early adoption enforced by Pilot Associations) | Makes pilot transfer Performance Standards mandatory under SOLAS V/23: 3-monthly officer inspection, ban on replacing damaged steps (entire ladder retired if a step fails), mandatory spare pilot ladder and manropes on board, and strict retirement at 30 months from date into service or 36 months from manufacture. |
| ISPS Code Gangway Access Control (SOLAS XI-2 & ISPS Code Part A § 7 / § 9) | Continuous gangway watch & ID / baggage verification (MARSEC 1, 2 & 3) | Single controlled access point at MARSEC Level 1: verify government photo ID against the approved visitor list, issue numbered visitor/contractor badges, log time in/out, conduct random/percentage baggage checks per the Ship Security Plan (SSP), and keep Restricted Area doors locked from the outside. |
2. Accommodation Ladder & Brow / Gangway Rigging Checklist (MSC.1/Circ.1331)
As soon as the vessel is all fast alongside (or anchored where the accommodation ladder is deployed for launches/tenders), the deck officer and bosun must verify the following points under SOLAS Reg. II-1/3-9 and MSC.1/Circ.1331:
- Inclination Angle & Bottom Roller Clearance: Never exceed 55° from the horizontal for an accommodation ladder or 30° for a brow/gangway unless specifically designed and marked for a greater angle. Ensure the lower platform and bottom rollers can move freely on the quay as the tide, draft and surge change, and keep the area beneath the roller clear of mooring lines and shore hoses.
- Full-Length Safety Net: Rig a clean, undamaged safety net beneath the entire length of the ladder/gangway, extending at least 1.5 m beyond the upper and lower platforms so that a person slipping between the ship’s side and the quay cannot fall into the water.
- Stanchions, Handrails, Bulwark Ladder & Lighting: Every removable stanchion must be locked in its socket with a securing pin; manrope/wire handrails must be taut on both sides; any bulwark ladder must be bolted or clamped to the deck with a centre stanchion/handhold extending ≥ 1.2 m above the bulwark; and dedicated embarkation lighting must illuminate the full ladder at night.
- Marking Plate, Lifebuoy & Safety Warning Board: Check that the marking plate at both ends legibly displays the Safe Working Load (SWL), maximum number of persons, maximum angle of inclination, and 5-year load test date. Position a lifebuoy fitted with a self-igniting light and a separate buoyant lifeline at the head of the gangway alongside the ISPS security / PPE notice board.
3. Pilot Ladder & Combination Rigging: Four Fatal Inspection Traps
Harbour pilots and Port State Control Officers inspect pilot transfer arrangements against the ICS / IMPA / IMO Required Boarding Arrangements for Pilots poster (MSC.1/Circ.1428). Any of the four defects below can lead to an immediate refusal to board and a PSC report:
| Non-Compliant Practice | SOLAS V/23 Rule | Correct Shipboard Rigging Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Tripping line or shackles on pilot ladder | Strictly prohibited by SOLAS V/23 & A.1045(27) | Never attach a tripping line below the lowest spreader or use shackles/knots/splices to secure the pilot ladder side ropes to deck strongpoints — secure directly with a rolling hitch (28 mm+ manila/spun-yarn lashing) around the side ropes or via the manufacturer’s certified thimble eye / securing clamp. |
| Trapdoor combination ladder defects | Opening ≥ 750 mm × 750 mm; opens upward & aft/inboard | On trapdoor accommodation ladders, the pilot ladder must extend 2.0 m above the lower platform up to the height of the handrail, with steps resting firmly against the ship’s side and the trapdoor secured open so it cannot fall back onto the pilot. |
| Sponsons, rubbing bands & overboard discharges | Clear flat hull side ≥ 2.0 m (minimum 1.5 m) | The pilot ladder must never be rigged over a hull rubbing band, belting or within the discharge zone of a scupper/overboard valve unless an approved hull cut-out and discharge shut-off interlock are in place. |
| Painted, varnished or slippery steps | Natural unpainted hardwood / approved composite | Pilot ladder steps must never be painted, varnished or coated with non-slip paint that hides wood cracks, knots or rot; keep steps clean and free of grease or cargo dust. |
4. ISPS Code Gangway Watch & Ship Security Checkpoints (SOLAS XI-2)
When the inspector steps onto the upper platform, the gangway watchkeeper is tested immediately on ISPS Code Part A access-control procedures:
- Photo ID Verification & Visitor Log: Challenge every boarding person politely before they leave the gangway platform, check an official government or port-authority photo ID against the expected visitors list, record their name, organisation, badge number and time of boarding, and issue a numbered Visitor Badge (escorted vs unescorted per the SSP).
- MARSEC Security Level Awareness: The gangway watchkeeper must know the current Security Level (Level 1, 2 or 3) posted at the gangway, the name of the Ship Security Officer (SSO), how to contact the Officer of the Watch (OOW) immediately by intrinsically safe UHF radio, and the percentage of unaccompanied baggage / stores searched at each Security Level.
- Restricted Areas & Deck Patrols: Verify that all designated Restricted Areas (bridge, engine room, steering gear compartment, bow thruster room, cargo control room, CO₂ room, battery locker, accommodation doors) are secured according to the SSP, without padlock keys left hanging in the locks or fire-escape crash bars chained shut from the inside.
Questions seafarers ask
Why is the gangway and pilot ladder the very first thing a PSC, SIRE 2.0 or RightShip inspector checks?
Every vetting inspector, Port State Control Officer, Class surveyor and harbour pilot boards the vessel via the pilot ladder or accommodation ladder / gangway. Before setting foot on deck, the inspector checks the pilot ladder certificate tag, step horizontal alignment, side-rope seizing, accommodation ladder fall-wire renewal date, safety net rigging, SWL/maximum-angle stencil, lifebuoy with light and line, and the alert gangway watchkeeper checking photo ID under the ISPS Code.
When is a combination ladder (accommodation ladder + pilot ladder) required under SOLAS Regulation V/23?
Under SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 23.3.3.2 and IMO Resolution A.1045(27), whenever the distance from the surface of the water to the point of access to the ship exceeds 9 metres, access from the pilot ladder to the ship must be by means of an accommodation ladder in conjunction with the pilot ladder (a combination arrangement), or other equally safe and convenient means.
How often must accommodation ladder fall wires be renewed and load-tested?
Under SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-9, IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1331, and SOLAS Regulation III/20.4, accommodation ladder and gangway fall wires must be renewed at intervals of not more than 5 years (or earlier when monthly/annual inspections show broken wires, corrosion or flattening). In addition, the accommodation ladder, gangway and winch must undergo an operational load test every 5 years using the maximum operational load (either by applying test weights or a calibrated dynamometer in accordance with MSC.1/Circ.1331).
What changes for pilot ladders on 1 January 2028 under IMO Resolutions MSC.572(110) and MSC.576(110)?
IMO Resolution MSC.572(110) amends SOLAS V/23 and appends pilot transfer equipment (including mandatory spare pilot ladder and spare manropes) to the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate Record of Equipment (Forms P, E and C). Resolution MSC.576(110) establishes mandatory Performance Standards requiring 3-monthly officer inspections, prohibiting any repair or replacement of damaged steps, and requiring every pilot ladder and manrope to be retired no later than 30 months after entering service or 36 months after manufacture (whichever comes first).
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Related guides
- LSA & FFA maintenance intervals checklistWeekly, monthly, annual and 5-yearly LSA/FFA maintenance intervals under SOLAS III/20 and MSC.1/Circ.1432.
- PSC inspection checklistThe inspection start to finish, every deficiency area, risk windows and the CIC.
- SIRE 2.0 inspection checklistChapter by chapter: what the inspector looks at and the evidence to have ready.
- RightShip inspection checklistThe 17 RISQ 3.2 sections, how the inspection day runs, what changed in 3.2 and the age-trigger dates.
- Pilot transfer arrangements SOLAS V/23 & MSC.572(110) guideSOLAS V/23 & MSC.572(110)/576(110) pilot ladder rules, >9m combination rigs, trapdoors, 30/36m service life and spare ladders.