Crew Accommodation Inspection Checklist

Ensuring your marine vessel's crew accommodation meets international maritime standards is essential for crew welfare, regulatory compliance, and maintaining operational excellence. Regular comprehensive inspections of living quarters, mess rooms, sanitary facilities, and recreational spaces help prevent deficiencies, ensure crew health and safety, and demonstrate commitment to maritime labor conventions. Proper crew accommodation inspection and documentation are critical for avoiding port state control detentions and maintaining MLC 2006 compliance. Start your free digital inspection trial

Crew Accommodation Inspection

Comprehensive Marine Vessel Crew Quarters Safety & Compliance Checklist

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Importance of Crew Accommodation Inspections

MLC 2006 Compliance

Crew accommodation inspections ensure vessels meet Maritime Labour Convention standards for living conditions, protecting crew welfare and preventing port state control violations that could result in vessel detention.

Crew Welfare & Retention

Quality living quarters directly impact crew morale, health, and job satisfaction, leading to better retention rates, reduced turnover costs, and improved operational performance at sea.

Safety & Health Standards

Regular inspections identify potential health hazards, sanitation issues, and safety deficiencies in crew spaces, ensuring a safe and healthy living environment that meets international maritime standards.

Operational Excellence

Well-maintained crew accommodation reduces complaints, demonstrates commitment to crew welfare, enhances vessel reputation, and ensures compliance with flag state requirements and international conventions.

1. Additional Requirements

Additional Requirements inspection requirements:

2. Crew Messrooms and recreation room

Crew Messrooms and recreation room inspection requirements:

3. Dry provision stores

Dry provision stores inspection requirements:

Dry provision stores (Part 1)

Access to stores made from a corridor, galley or pantry
Spaces with adequate capacity other than refrigerated spaces are available exclusively for the storage of provisions for persons on board

Dry provision stores (Part 2)

The spaces fitted with shelves, bins and drawers made of material easy to clean
The spaces separated or insulated from other spaces which contain heat sources, such as machinery or boiler spaces, galley, etc

Dry provision stores (Part 3)

The stores built of material easy to clean and resistant to vermin
The spaces adequately ventilated
The stores adequately lighted

4. Fresh water supply

Fresh water supply inspection requirements:

Fresh water supply (Part 1)

Drinking water taps are available at galleys and near the crew messrooms

Fresh water supply (Part 2)

If vessel is of 1000 GRT or above, means provided to cool the supply to at least one drinking water tap

Fresh water supply (Part 3)

If vessel is of 1000 GRT or above: Power pumps provided for sanitary and drinking water

5. Galleys

Galleys inspection requirements:

6. General

General inspection requirements:

General (Part 1)

All machinery casings and all boundary bulkheads of galleys and other spaces in which heat is produced adequately insulated where there is a possibility of resulting heat effects adjoining accommodation or passageways
Care taken to provide protection from heat effects of steam and/or hotwater service pipes
Composition floorings, if fitted, laid with rounded joinings at sides to avoid crevices

General (Part 2)

Main steam and exhaust pipes for winches and similar gear adequately insulated and encased if such pipes pass through alley-ways leading to crew accommodation
No main steam and exhaust pipes for winches and similar gear pass through crew accommodation
No tongued and grooved boarding or any other form of construction likely to harbour vermin used.

General (Part 3)

That part of the bulkhead separating such places listed in 2 from sleeping rooms and external bulkheads efficiently constructed of steel or other approved substances and are watertight and gastight
The deck surface made of a material which is impervious to damp and easily kept clean
The wall surface and deckheads in sleeping rooms and mess rooms easily kept clean. If painted, they are light in colour.

7. Heating arrangement

Heating arrangement inspection requirements:

Heating arrangement (Part 1)

An adequate system of heating the crew accommodation provided except ships engaged exclusively in voyages in the tropics and the Persian gulf
In all ships in which a heating system is required, the heating is by means of steam, hot water, warm air or electricity

Heating arrangement (Part 2)

Radiators and other heating apparatus so placed as to avoid risk of fire or danger or discomfort to the occupants
The heating system is capable of maintaining the temperature in crew accommodation at a satisfactory level under normal condition of weather and climate likely to be met with on service

Heating arrangement (Part 3)

The heating system is in operation at all times when the crew is living or working on board and condition require its use

8. Hospital Accommodation

Hospital Accommodation inspection requirements:

Hospital Accommodation (Part 1)

An approved medicine chest with readily understandable instructions carried in every ship which does not carry a doctor
Hospital accommodation not used for other than medical purposes

Hospital Accommodation (Part 2)

In any ship carrying a crew of fifteen or more and engaged in voyage of more than three day?s duration, separate hospital accommodation provided
The arrangement of the entrance, berths, lighting, ventilation, heating and water supply designed to ensure the comfort and facilitate the treatment of the occupants

Hospital Accommodation (Part 3)

The hospital accommodation suitably situated, so that it is easy of access and so that the occupants comfortably is housed and may receive proper attention in all weathers
Water closet accommodation provided for the exclusive use of the occupants of the hospital accommodation, either as part of the accommodation or in close proximity thereto

9. Refer Provision stores

Refer Provision stores inspection requirements:

Refer Provision stores (Part 1)

If a person can enter the refrigerated spaces: Doors opened from inside the spaces
Refrigerated provision rooms with adequate size provided exclusively for the provision for all persons on board

Refer Provision stores (Part 2)

The insulation, refrigeration arrangements and machinery maintained the provisions at an adequate temperature at all times
The refrigerated chambers adequately lighted

Refer Provision stores (Part 3)

The refrigerated spaces constructed of materials easy to clean and resistant to vermin
The refrigeration machinery installed in a well ventilated room, separated from sleeping rooms by gas- tight doors and bulkheads

10. Sanitary arrangement

Sanitary arrangement inspection requirements:

11. Sleeping room

Sleeping room inspection requirements:

12. Ventilation arrangement

Ventilation arrangement inspection requirements:

Ventilation arrangement (Part 1)

Power for the operation of the aids to ventilation available at all times
Ships engaged outside the tropics shall be equipped with either mechanical means of ventilation or electric fans

Ventilation arrangement (Part 2)

Ships regularly engaged on voyages in the tropics and the Persian gulf equipped with both mechanical means of ventilation and electric fans
Sleeping rooms and mess rooms shall adequately ventilated

Ventilation arrangement (Part 3)

The system ventilation controlled so as to maintain the air in a satisfactory condition and to ensure a sufficiency of air movement in all condition of whether and climate

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Why Use Digital Fleet Management for Crew Accommodation?

Marine Inspection App Benefits for Crew Accommodation Management:

✓ Automate MLC 2006 accommodation inspection schedules and compliance tracking
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✓ Track maintenance schedules for all accommodation systems and equipment
✓ Monitor hygiene standards in sanitary facilities, galleys, and mess rooms
✓ Generate audit-ready reports for port state control and MLC certification
✓ Reduce inspection preparation time with organized documentation

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Frequently Asked Questions About Crew Accommodation Inspections

1. What are the MLC 2006 requirements for crew accommodation?

The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 establishes minimum standards for crew accommodation including adequate headroom, ventilation, heating, lighting, sleeping facilities, mess rooms, sanitary facilities, and recreational spaces. Vessels must provide decent living conditions that protect crew health and wellbeing.

2. How often should crew accommodation inspections be conducted?

Crew accommodation should be inspected regularly as part of routine maintenance schedules, typically monthly for cleanliness and functionality checks. Comprehensive inspections should occur quarterly, with thorough assessments conducted annually and before regulatory inspections or MLC certification renewals.

3. What are the key focus areas in crew accommodation inspections?

Key focus areas include sleeping quarters (ventilation, lighting, bedding), sanitary facilities (toilets, showers, cleanliness), mess rooms and galleys (hygiene, equipment condition), recreational spaces (entertainment facilities), laundry facilities, medical facilities, and overall structural integrity and maintenance standards.

4. How can digital management improve crew accommodation compliance?

Digital fleet management systems help maintain continuous compliance by tracking maintenance schedules, cleanliness inspections, equipment functionality, and documentation. Automated reminders ensure regular inspections occur, while centralized records make MLC certification and PSC inspections efficient and comprehensive.

5. What happens if crew accommodation fails inspection?

Poor crew accommodation inspection results can lead to MLC certification issues, port state control detentions, crew complaints, reduced crew morale and retention, and potential reputational damage. Deficiencies must be addressed immediately, with corrective actions documented and verified to prevent regulatory violations.

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Maintain MLC 2006 Crew Accommodation Excellence

Comprehensive accommodation management: sleeping quarters, sanitary facilities, mess rooms, galleys, recreational spaces, medical facilities—all tracked automatically for crew welfare and compliance success.

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Crew Accommodation Inspection Checklist