Association Seeks Seafarers’ Help To Understudy Common Cause Of Deaths Aboard Ships.

Ship management sector association InterManager has launched a new industry-wide Seafarers’ and Managers’ survey to gather up-to-date information on risks around working in enclosed spaces.

The survey asks seafarers their thoughts on topics including how involved they have been in the development of company Safety Management Systems, progress on ship design and technology to eliminate the need to enter enclosed spaces, provision of enclosed space safety training, and other factors relevant to safe working onboard.

Data submitted to the IMO by InterManager earlier this year showed the overall level of accidents on ships remaining stable, and a worrying recent increase in enclosed space incidents, many of which resulted in one or more deaths. There were 14 reported enclosed space incidents in both 2022 and 2023, resulting in 18 deaths in 2022 and 34 in 2023. Initial figures for 2024 suggest there were 11 enclosed space incidents resulting in the deaths of eight seafarers and six contractors.

The Seafarers’ and Mariners’ survey 2025 seeks further detail on issues raised in the 2018 edition, and has been launched in collaboration with the Nautical Institute and IMarEST. Respondents can answer questions anonymously, and InterManager are appealing to seafarers, HSEQ departments and superintendents to take the survey, as well as urging its ship and crew manager members to share the survey link with their seafarers – The Seafarers’ and Mariners’ survey 2025.

InterManager secretary general, Kuba Szymanski, said: “We’ve been discussing enclosed space safety at the highest levels for many years now and yet, despite the shipping industry producing a wealth of rules, procedures, guidelines, leaflets etc, people are still dying in these confined spaces on ships. Please have your say on what needs to be done.”