Accommodation ladder

An accommodation ladder is a foldable flight of steps down a ship's side.

Accommodation ladders can be mounted parallel or perpendicular to the ship's board.

The lower platform (or the ladder itself) hangs on a bail and can be lifted as required.

[citation needed] To prevent damage to boats going under the ladder as the water level rises and falls, a boat fender is fitted to the end of the ladder.[how?]

The lower end the ladder/lower platform is based on a roll to compensate for the motion of the ship in relation to the quay.