According to reports from Taiwanese media, a senior Liu family-named pilot in Kaohsiung Port recently fell onto the traffic boat’s deck while on duty boarding a Mongolian-flagged cargo ship, the “Shun Xing Lun,” due to a detachable handrail on the ship coming loose and rotating. This resulted in a comminuted fracture of his left heel bone, leaving him unable to work for 10 months during recovery.
The Kaohsiung District Court determined that the shipowner failed to ensure equipment safety and ordered compensation of 12,966,299 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 3 million RMB). The case can still be appealed.
The judgment stated that on the morning of August 18, 2025, before the Shun Xing Lun prepared to enter Kaohsiung Port, it requested a compulsory pilotage service. The agency notified the Kaohsiung Pilot Office, which arranged for the Liu family-named pilot to go out to sea for transfer.
Although pilots receive high salaries due to their high professionalism and risk, their work involves transferring at sea via traffic boats and climbing rope ladders to board giant cargo ships. Any slight mistake can lead to significant danger.
When the traffic boat approached the portside ladder assembly of the Shun Xing Lun that day, the crew lowered the rope ladder and inserted the movable railing. While the Liu family-named pilot was halfway up the ladder, the right-side railing suddenly rotated entirely. Losing support, he fell heavily onto the traffic boat’s deck, immediately in too much pain to stand. A hospital examination revealed a comminuted fracture along with multiple contusions.
The court investigation revealed that the railing section on the Shun Xing Lun was not fixed and had to be reinserted during each port operation. However, due to a loose joint, it had long been reported by the ship’s crew to the shipowner as “rotating and non-compliant with regulations,” yet improvements were迟迟未 made.
The judge determined that the Shun Xing Lun was actually controlled and operated by the shipowner, who bears the ultimate responsibility for the safety of the ship’s equipment. The failure to repair this major defect constituted negligence.
The Liu family-named pilot sought compensation for being unable to work due to injury recovery. The court considered his average monthly income in the 6 months before the accident was approximately 122,000 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 28,000 RMB).
Based on medical advice and the high professional specialization of the pilot, it was determined that at least 10 months of recuperation were needed. Therefore, calculating medical expenses and other costs, a total compensation of 12,966,299 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 3 million RMB) in substantial damages was awarded.
Furthermore, the ship’s management company had previously issued a guarantee check for 10 million New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 2.3 million RMB) to the pilots’ union.
The court determined that if the shipowner is unable to pay the compensation in the future, the ship’s management company must bear the guarantee responsibility within the limit of 10 million New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 2.3 million RMB).
The case can still be appealed.
Statement: This article is reprinted for the purpose of conveying more information. If there are any source attribution errors or infringements of your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us with proof of ownership. We will promptly correct or delete the content. Thank you.
