boarding ladder

01 What is a boarding ladder?

Boarding ladder refers to the ladder set up at the boarding place of lifeboats and rafts for the personnel to log in safely to the lifeboats and rafts which have landed on the water. It should be a product recognized by the ship inspection agency, and the boarding ladder is equipped for lifeboats and rafts, different from the pilot's ladder, and does not refer to other ladders for boarding such as the step boarding rope ladder, knotting rope, stick ladder, and so on.

02 How to choose a boarding ladder?

The selection, arrangement, transfer and installation of the boarding ladder should be based on the principle of facilitating the convenient escape of trapped crew members. It should be easy to get (close to the boarding location and as far as possible centralized arrangement), move (lightweight and flexible), installation, the relevant channel should be easy to transfer and pass and good lighting, reliable and feasible, time-saving and labor-saving, the fewer intermediate links the better.

03 What requirements do I need to meet to board a ride?

One approved boarding ladder shall be provided at each boat or raft landing station or at each of two adjacent landing stations for access by persons on board to lifeboats or rafts landing on the water.

92 Sea Gauge

A boarding ladder conforming to the above requirements shall be provided at each landing station or at each of two adjacent landing stations. The ladder shall be of such length that it can be extended from that deck to the lightest navigational waterline when the ship is inclined 15 degrees transversely to any side in an unfavorable longitudinal inclination. However, provided that the ship is provided with not less than one boarding ladder on each side of the ship, the remaining ladders may, with the consent of the Council, be replaced by approved boarding devices for access to life rafts on the water.

08 Modification Bulletin

For a cargo ship with a horizontal distance of more than 100m between the foremost point of the bow or the stern to the nearest point where the nearest life raft is stowed, in addition to the life rafts required above, it shall be provided with, so far as reasonably practicable, one life raft, which shall be stowed as close as practicable to the fore or aft end, or two life rafts, one as close as practicable to the fore end, and one as close as practicable to the aft end. The raft or rafts may be fastened in such a manner that they can be manually disengaged and need not be of a type that can be landed by approved landing gear. At least 2 life jackets and at least 2 life suits, suitable lighting and a boarding ladder or equivalent other boarding facilities shall be provided at the storage area of the life rafts.

11 Sea Regulations

A single length of boarding ladder may extend to the lightest navigational waterline in the unfavorable case of a ship with a longitudinal inclination of 10 degrees and a transverse inclination of 20 degrees on either side.

If the boarding position of a cast inflatable life raft is not more than 4.5 m above the lightest loaded waterline, a boarding ladder, a sea evacuation system or an equivalent facility shall be used to ensure that the persons on board the raft are safely boarded and landed on the water surface within 30 minutes. The length of the boarding ladder, sea evacuation system evacuation route shall extend from the deck to the lightest navigational waterline in the unfavorable case where the ship is inclined longitudinally to 10 degrees and transversely to 20 degrees on any side, and if the length and weight of the boarding ladder makes human release impossible, the said lightest navigational waterline may be replaced by the waterline of the ship in equilibrium at the time of the breakage of the ship (taking the case with the greatest length requirement).

04 Structure and arrangement of boarding ladders

The boarding ladder is made up of treads, side ropes, rings, buckles, tie-downs and embedded rings. The treads are in the form of hardwood planks, the side ropes are made of white brown rope, the tie-downs tie the upper and lower portions of the side ropes of each tread smoothly and securely so that they remain horizontal, and the rings at the end of the side ropes are linked together with the decking order by means of buckles.

According to the International Life-Saving Apparatus Code, boarding ladders should meet the appropriate technical standards, with specific requirements as follows:

Handrails shall be provided to ensure safe passage from the deck to the top of the boarding ladder, or from the top of the boarding ladder to the deck;

Treads shall be made of hardwood free from knots or other uneven profiles and finished smooth and free from sharp edges and burrs, or of other suitable materials of equivalent character;

Treads should have an effective non-slip surface, either longitudinally grooved or with an approved non-slip covering;

Treads shall be not less than 480mm in length, not less than 115mm in width, and not less than 25mm in thickness, not counting any non-slip surfaces or coverings;

The pedals are equally spaced at intervals of not less than 300mm and not more than 380mm and are fastened in such a way that they remain horizontal;

The side ropes on each side of a boarding ladder shall consist of two bare white coir ropes with a circumference of not less than 65 mm, each of which shall be in one piece without splices under the top tread. Other materials may be used, provided that the dimensions, breaking stress, weathering properties, stretch properties and grip properties are at least equivalent to those of the white coir rope. All rope ends shall be securely tied to prevent loosening.

05 Common defects of boarding ladders

1. Failure to provide boarding ladders

2. Boarding ladders not positioned near life rafts as required

3. Deterioration of boarding ladder ropes, broken strands

4. Lack of handrail at boarding ladder landing

5. Boarding ladder end shackle not connected to ground order

6. Boarding ladder boarding entrance gangway railings not removed

7. Pilot's ladder in lieu of boarding ladder

8. Non-compliance with pedal dimensions

06 Write at the end

In the actual inspection, it is found that many ships do not pay attention to the maintenance of boarding ladder, and even do not understand the requirements of boarding ladder, and a few ships mistakenly believe that the boarding position is less than 4.5 meters away from the waterline of the lightest water load, and do not need to be equipped with boarding ladder, and in fact, the circular on revision of the sea rules 12 has reduced the exemption of the requirement of the boarding position of the life raft equipped on the bow of the ship, which is less than 4.5 meters away from the waterline of the lightest water load.

It is recommended that shipowners, management companies and crews fully understand the requirements for boarding ladder equipment, maintain and repair the boarding ladder in strict accordance with the company's system and the relevant requirements of the conventions and regulations, and discover and rectify any defects related to the boarding ladder in time. Conduct life-saving drills for abandonment of ship according to the regulations to meet the requirements of the code, so as to improve the safety coefficient of escape in the process of abandonment of ship and reduce unnecessary casualties.