Tidy ship, safe voyage: Keep key housekeeping items clean onboard

Keeping a ship clean and well-maintained is essential for ensuring a safer, healthier, and more efficient working environment onboard.

Regular inspections and proper care of critical areas help prevent accidents and extend the life of your vessel. In addition, clean housekeeping items are associated with the health and wellbeing of personnel onboard

RelatedNews

Power dynamics & decision-making: How to find the fine balance

Stay SEAFiT: Build financial wealth – starting with your definition of “enough”

The following quick-check guide, based on information from The American P&I Club’s Pocket Guide for Good Housekeeping Onboard, can help you maintain a tidy and safe ship. The Club emphasizes:

The appearance of your ship and its equipment on the outside reflects how well things are operating on the inside, and, more importantly, contributes to the health, safety, and well-being of both the vessel and its crew.

Particularly important for the health and hygiene of personnel onboard are:

An organized medicine cabinet and properly stored medical supplies
Clean and tidy crew cabins and guest rooms
Well-maintained toilets and sanitary facilities
Adequate and properly managed cleaning supplies

1. Hospital / Medical Supplies

What to check: Medicine cabinet and medical supplies are organized

Tasks:

Stow medicines and supplies neatly, in clearly labeled containers
Regularly check and update inventory
Dispose of expired medicines properly

According to the WHO’s International Medical Guide for Ships, all vessels subject to IMO and ILO regulations must maintain adequate medical supplies. These supplies should be periodically inspected, kept in good condition, and ready for use at all times, considering the number of persons onboard and the nature and duration of the voyage.

2. Cabins & Guest Rooms

What to check:

Rooms are clean and tidy
Flooring and tiles are intact
Light fixtures and bulbs work properly
No food left out to attract pests

Tasks:

Conduct periodic inspections
Report and repair issues promptly
Stow shoes, clothing, and equipment in lockers or designated areas

For improved standards of shipboard accommodation, it is important to provide adequate storage, proper control of light and temperature, recreational provisions, and minimize noise and vibration disturbances in cabins.

3. Toilets & Sanitary Facilities

What to check:

Toilets are functional and clean
Showers, sinks, and curtains free of mold, mildew, and soap scum

Tasks:

Report and repair nonfunctional toilets or plumbing
Use cleaning products safe for marine sanitation devices (MSDs)
Keep facilities sanitized and mildew-free

Industry stakeholders have highlighted that addressing issues such as the cost, storage, and disposal of sanitary items is essential for supporting diversity onboard and encouraging more women to pursue careers at sea.

4. Cleaning Supplies

What to check: Adequate cleaning supplies are available onboard

Tasks:

Ensure crew has access to cleaning agents for rooms and duties
Provide training on proper use of products
Keep Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available for reference

The Marine Safety Forum emphasizes that crew must wear appropriate PPE when handling cleaning chemicals. Any routine task involving chemicals should be closely supervised to ensure safety.