Health and safety on ships
Fire prevention
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) provides information on requirements for fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction on board ships.
The rules depend on the size of the ship.
Large ships
Requirements for large ships are in the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) Regulations 2023.
Small ships
Requirements for small ships are in the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Small Ships) Regulations 1998.
You should also read the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 2003 – it includes updates to the regulations for small ships.
Get help
Contact the MCA to find out more about fire prevention and detection at sea.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
infoline@mcga.gov.uk
Telephone: 0203 817 2000
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