This Circular establishes the requirements of the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) and highlights the safety standards to be followed when personnel enter enclosed spaces on board ships flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda.

These requirements are issued in recognition of the continuing loss of life resulting from entry into enclosed spaces where the atmosphere may be oxygen-deficient, oxygen-enriched, toxic, or flammable.

This Circular draws attention to the revised recommendations for safe entry into enclosed spaces as adopted by the International Maritime Organization under Resolution MSC.581(110). The guidance highlights that atmospheres should be tested for hazardous gases, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), where a risk assessment indicates its potential presence. Entry into any enclosed space should only occur once it has been verified as safe through proper testing and ventilation.