Constanța Port says it has identified a new method for pilot embarkation and disembarkation in difficult weather, including winds above force 7 Bft, following a test carried out on 1 April.

The system is presented as an alternative to the traditional pilot ladder. It is based on “oxygen-powered thrusters”, allowing the pilot to reach the vessel directly rather than climbing alongside the ship.

The stated aim is to reduce the risks linked to pilot ladder transfers in rough seas while also cutting transfer time. The port update also says the method is intended to support operational continuity when weather conditions make conventional pilot transfer more difficult.

The initiative is linked to a wider operational reality in which maneuvers are rarely suspended because of sea state or wind conditions, while the risks in pilot transfer remain significant. In that context, the update argues that adapting transfer methods is a more practical response than stopping operations.

The test was presented as a response to those conditions and as an attempt to improve the way pilots board and leave vessels during adverse weather.