Accommodation ladders and gangways to meet ISO standards from 1 July 2026

The Republic of Liberia has issued a Marine Notice advising that accommodation ladders and gangways used for embarkation and disembarkation on ships constructed on or after 1 January 2010, and installed on or after 1 July 2026, are to comply with applicable international standards.

These include ISO 5488:2015, Ships and marine technology – Accommodation ladders, and ISO 7061:2015 or ISO 7061:2024, Ships and marine technology – Aluminium shore gangways for seagoing vessels, as well as any national standards or other requirements recognized by the Administration.

For ships constructed before 1 January 2010, accommodation ladders and gangways installed on or after 1 July 2026 should, insofar as reasonable and practicable, comply with applicable international standards. Such standards may include ISO 5488:1979 or ISO 5488:2015 for accommodation ladders, and ISO 7061:1993, ISO 7061:2015, or ISO 7061:2024 for aluminium shore gangways, or other national standards recognized by the Administration.

In addition, accommodation ladder winches installed on or after 1 July 2026 on ships constructed on or after 1 January 2010 are to be constructed and tested in accordance with applicable international standards, such as ISO 7364:2016, Ships and marine technology – Deck machinery – Accommodation ladder winches.

For ships constructed before 1 January 2010, accommodation ladder winches installed on or after 1 July 2026 should, insofar as reasonable and practicable, comply with applicable international standards, including ISO 7364:1983 or ISO 7364:2016, as recognized by the Administration.

Rigging a safety net

A “safety net” is a net which is rigged between the ship’s side and the means of (dis)embarkation to prevent a person from falling into the water or onto the quayside from a means of (dis)embarkation.

A safety net should be mounted in way of the accommodation ladders and gangways where it is possible that a person may fall from the means of embarkation and disembarkation or between the ship and quayside

The safety net described above is not required if BOTH the provisions below are met:

1. The hazard of a person falling through the sides of the means of (dis)embarkation is adequately mitigated if the top railing is of rigid construction and a side net has been rigged between this railing and the base of the accommodation ladder, including its upper and lower platforms, or the gangway

2. The hazard of falling over the rigid top railing is adequately mitigated if this railing is installed in accordance with relevant international standards, at a height of not less than 1,000 mm.

source : safety4sea