InterManager’s safety statistics highlight a worrying development of seafarers and shore personnel that lose their lives in enclosed spaces accidents onboard ships
By January 2025, InterManager estimated that around 350 seafarers and third-party workers had died from asphyxiation in enclosed spaces onboard ships since 1996, with 43 accidents since 2022 accounting for 70 of these deaths.
Gard Club highlights that while these alarmingly high numbers may be partly attributed to improvements in reporting and investigation methods, it does not change the fact that the overall number of enclosed space deaths onboard ships remains too high.
Additionally, it is also worth noting that these types of accidents do not only affect trainees and inexperienced personnel. Many of those who die in these accidents are members of a ship’s leadership team, including Masters and Chief Officers. Deaths among shore personnel are also relatively common.
Furthermore, data show that more than 40% of the enclosed space accidents occurred onboard bulk carriers, primarily inside the cargo holds or the hold accesses, although tankers and general cargo ships are also frequently represented in its statistics.
InterManager’s safety statistics demonstrate that the number of enclosed space accidents and fatalities has not decreased between the implementation of Res.A.1050(27) in 2011 and January 2025, and accident investigations reveal that the reasons of the incidents have not changed.
To remind, in June 2024 InterManager raised concern on enclosed space deaths, and submitted a paper to the IMO regarding the alarming trend.
In September 2024, the IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargo (CCC 10) presented an amended version of Res. A.1050(27). The Gard P&I Club provides an overview of the other amendments and recommendations with regards to enclosed space entry:
- Enhanced training and knowledge, particularly for the designated competent and responsible persons. A reference to the SOLAS Reg.III/19.3.6. requirements for drills has also been incorporated.
- Maintenance of an enclosed space register. The register should be ship-specific and record and assess the hazards of all enclosed spaces onboard. It should also take into account how the atmosphere of each space may change depending on its content or the cargo carried. Associated risk mitigating measures should be listed.
- Making shipper’s declaration available to the master or his representative onboard. The declaration should contain all relevant information relating to the hazards of the cargo and convey this information in a format that is understandable to the ship’s crew.
- Better onboard activity and resource planning to ensure that external factors such as undue time pressure or simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) do not put enclosed space entry activity at risk. Furthermore, enclosed space activity should be conducted during a ship’s normal working hours and single person entry into an enclosed space is not recommended.
- Improved access and entry procedures that make sure also shore personnel are informed of any potential hazards and safety precautions required before and during entry, including any enclosed space entry permit arrangements to be used. A new appendix provides examples of warning signs and diagrams to be used at space entry points and ships’ gangways.
- Testing of the atmosphere, which now refers to detection equipment and testing instruments as required by SOLAS Reg.X1-1/7. It is also advised that, in addition to testing for oxygen, flammability, and toxicity, the atmosphere be checked for carbon dioxide.
- Establishment of an enclosed space emergency response plan that is easy understood, regularly practiced, verified as being effective, and followed precisely. It should be stressed that in the event of an emergency, ship crews or shore personnel should always follow the established rescue plan and never try to do rescue operations on their own in an enclosed space.
The amended enclosed space entry recommendations are up for final approval at the IMO MSC 110 in spring 2025. However, ship operators are encouraged to review and take relevant advice from the new version of the recommendations as soon as possible and update onboard procedures as necessary.
