A worrying percentage of pilot ladders do not meet minimum international safety standards in some regions, according to a survey by the International Maritime Pilots' Association (IMPA).

Ship-to-ship transfer is known as the cause of a significant loss of life at sea, although there are no official figures available.

The IMPA’s survey, part of its ongoing safety campaign, found that on average about 16% of pilot ladders around the world do not meet the safety standards laid out in the IMO’s International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.