M2358

Given various enclosed spaces within a superyacht, the reporter is justified in questioning the absence of gas monitoring equipment. Gas testing equipment is essential for ensuring safe entry into all enclosed spaces.

Enclosed spaces exist on all vessels—superyachts are no exception. Areas such as engine rooms, fuel and water tanks, below deck storage compartments, hull voids, and electrical control rooms pose serious  risks, including oxygen depletion, toxic gas accumulation, and the potential for fire or explosion.

Given these dangers, gas testing equipment is not optional—it is essential. Every vessel must be equipped to conduct gas tests as part of a structured permit-to-work system. Without this, there is a real and preventable risk of asphyxiation, poisoning, or catastrophic incidents.

While regulations mandate safety measures for enclosed spaces, these measures are not consistently implemented at the design stage, especially in the superyacht sector. Assertions that a vessel has “no  enclosed spaces” are simply inaccurate and reveal a significant oversight in regulatory design safety management.

CHIRP urges vessel operators and regulators to ensure all enclosed spaces are appropriately identified, marked, and documented, with gas detection equipment readily available and crews trained in its  correct use. Ignoring this issue puts lives at risk, and action must be taken to close this safety gap.

CHIRP and other maritime organisations are working to establish an internationally recognised enclosed space sign. This initiative aims to ensure that all seafarers, regardless of the vessel they serve on, can quickly identify these hazardous areas. Standardised signage will help remove ambiguity and reinforce safe working practices across the maritime industry.