Korean Register (KR) has published new technical information to help the industry prepare for tightened International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements on pilot transfer arrangements.
Pilot transfer arrangements are the equipment used to move pilots safely on and off vessels. The requirements take effect on 1 January 2028.
KR developed the guidance with review and input from the Korea Maritime Pilots’ Association (KMPA), drawing on pilots’ firsthand experience of the risks involved in vessel boarding.
Pilot transfer arrangements, which include pilot ladders, handholds, securing points and the winches used to raise and lower the ladder, are critical safety equipment. Because pilots rely on these arrangements when transferring between vessels, even a minor design or installation deficiency can lead to a serious accident.
The IMO Maritime Safety Committee adopted amendments to SOLAS Regulation V/23 and a new mandatory performance standard for pilot transfer arrangements on 26 June 2025, through resolutions MSC.572(110) and MSC.576(110).
The amendments were developed based on accident cases and root-cause analyses compiled by the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA), aimed at addressing identified safety risks and improving the reliability of pilot transfer arrangements.
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Under the revised requirements, several design standards will be strengthened. The minimum breaking strength required for strong points used to secure the pilot ladder will increase, while requirements governing the location of deck handholds will also be revised.
A new minimum diameter requirement will apply to winch reel drums, which will also be required to incorporate a sunken securing point.
The revised design requirements will apply to pilot transfer arrangements installed on or after 1 January 2028. For ships with existing arrangements installed before that date, compliance will generally be required by the first survey conducted on or after 1 January 2029. For vessels not certified under SOLAS, the compliance deadline is 1 January 2030.
KR is recommending that shipowners and shipyards begin reviewing newbuilding specifications and retrofit plans well ahead of the implementation date.
The classification society noted that even for newbuildings scheduled for delivery before 2028, failing to reflect the revised requirements at the design stage could result in additional modifications shortly after delivery.
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For in-service vessels, KR said advance planning is important to align necessary modifications with drydocking and survey schedules, helping to limit costs and operational disruption.
KR’s new technical information sets out the major design changes and additional requirements applicable to in-service vessels through illustrations, alongside a checklist intended to support design reviews and survey preparation, helping shipowners and shipyards identify potential compliance issues and necessary modifications in advance.
Kyungbok Kim, KR’s Executive Vice President of the Statutory Division, said: “Pilot transfer arrangements are safety equipment directly linked to human life. We encourage shipyards and shipowners to start reviewing their newbuilding specifications and retrofit plans now so that the strengthened requirements can be incorporated into drydocking and survey schedules with minimal cost and disruption.”
For more information:
Korean Register – https://www.krs.co.kr/kor/
