I was just thinking if this was in the US a lot of visitors could not make it up those ladders . Why? Lots of obese folks in the USA.
Apparently there is no embarkation sponson or permanent ladder aboard CV-16....Or perhaps this method of bring aboard visitors was prefered.
I believe these are permanent ladders stowed vertically, but are probably too low to the water (when deployed) to be used for that pier in the photos, however: