Representation Image Arriving for a canal transit, the vessel had rigged the starboard accommodation ladder to facilitate the transfer of immigration, customs personnel, agents, ship chandlers, etc and to embark canal pilots. All these transfers were safely executed, after which the crew started heaving up the ladder in order to secure it in its recess in preparation for the first lock. When the ladder was hoisted to the upper deck level and flipped inboard under power, the fall wire rope parted about 2 metres from its inboard thimble eye, in the way of the outrigger’s outboard guide sheave. The gangway fell and hung vertically along the ship’s side. Fortunately, no one was injured. The fallen gangway was recovered and secured, and the parted wire was renewed with a new spare. As a precaution, the port gangway’s fall wire rope was thoroughly inspected and was found to be deformed at the same corresponding section. This wire was also renewed, and a satisfactory hoisting and static load test on both port and starboard accommodation ladders was undertaken. Investigation of the incident showed no evidence of breach of either company procedures or statutory regulations; however, there was non-compliance with the guidance as given in Chapter 18.6 of the Code of Safe Working Practice, which requires periodical maintenance of the equipment for means of access. Root cause/contributory factors Company procedures do not give specific guidance on how to carry out periodical maintenance/status control of the accommodation ladders, including the wire falls, other than stating that a responsible person should carry out the inspection. Company procedures require control over the condition of the accommodation ladders every time they are put in service, however these do not include a specific requirement for an effective control over the condition of the wire falls. Although the visual inspection was done in accordance with company requirements, considering the position where the wire parted (see Figures 1 to 3, p18), we have to assume that due to difficulty of access, this particular part of the wire fall was neither thoroughly maintained nor inspected, although overall greasing of the wire falls was carried out monthly and recorded in the monthly maintenance reports. Corrective/preventative actions Fall wires were renewed on both accommodation ladders and thereafter they were closely inspected and successfully tested under load; Safety officers will be duly trained on how to carry out safety inspection on board the vessels; Company quality, safety and environmental (QSE) manual is being revised to include specific instructions/guidance on how and when to carry out inspections; The safety officer inspection checklist has been amended with specific requirements over the control of the condition of all wire falls; Inspection guidance to also include instructions related to components/parts that are not easily accessible, to ensure that their condition is properly verified; Incident report circulated to the fleet. Masters have been instructed to include discussion about this incident at the next monthly QSE committee meeting minutes; Analysis of this incident has been included in the agenda of future company seminars; Vessels have been instructed to inspect fall wires and safely carry out both hoisting and static load tests of accommodation ladders immediately, report results and forward evidence of the condition status to the company; Company’s safety in