The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has updated its guidance on safe access for small vessels and fishing boats with the release of MGN 591 (M+F) Amendment 3. While the amendment itself only updates references, the message is clear: unsafe boarding arrangements continue to cause serious – and sometimes fatal – accidents. Recent MAIB reports highlight falls from ladders, poorly lit pontoons, and gaps between vessels as recurring risks.
Who’s responsible?
Responsibility for safe access depends on the equipment in use:
- Boat owners/skippers are responsible when using their own ladders or gangways.
- Marina and harbour operators are responsible when shore-based equipment is provided.
- In many cases, the responsibility is shared — but the MCA stresses that safety is everyone’s concern.
Risk assessments
The MCA reminds operators that risk assessments are a legal requirement under health and safety regulations. These should cover all conditions, including darkness, tidal changes, bad weather and late-night returns after time ashore.
Safer ways of access
A recommended “hierarchy” of access is set out:
- Properly secured gangways with guard rails.
- Direct step/level access between vessel and pontoon.
- Fixed ladders on quaysides or pontoons.
- Portable ladders — only as a last resort and following a risk assessment.
In every case, a lifebuoy with a line should be within easy reach.
Why it matters
Unsafe access doesn’t just put lives at risk — it can lead to detention of vessels, prohibition notices, fines or even imprisonment. For marinas and operators, poor arrangements risk reputational damage, civil claims and costly disruption if surveys or works are delayed.
For leisure operators and marina managers, this update is a timely prompt to:
- Review the condition and lighting of pontoons, ladders and gangways.
- Ensure contractors and boat owners use safe access methods.
- Remind crews and visitors of their own responsibility to act safely.
Download the MGN: Final MGN 591 Amendment