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.

This Circular provides information in respect of the amendments to Chapter III of SOLAS that came into force on 1 January 2020 by the adoption of Resolution MSC.402(96) in 2016 and explains the Antigua and Barbuda requirements.

This Circular also provides information on the approval of liferafts with extended service intervals in accordance with SOLAS Ch.III regulation 4 and Ch. III regulation 20.8.3 which has been communicated to the IMO vide SLS.14/Circ.499

This Circular provides guidance on the construction, certification, rigging, inspection, and service life of pilot ladders carried on board Antigua and Barbuda flagged vessels in accordance with the requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and relevant International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments.

The Circular also highlights common Port State Control (PSC) deficiencies associated with pilot ladders and provides recommended inspection practices to assist shipowners, operators, masters, and Recognized Organizations in ensuring compliance and safe pilot transfer operations

This advisory provides an update on the escalating security risks within the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman. It highlights recent developments affecting maritime security in the region and outlines potential threats to vessels operating or transiting through these waters. The document is intended to inform shipowners, operators, masters, and relevant maritime stakeholders of the current security environment and to encourage the implementation of heightened vigilance and appropriate risk mitigation measures while navigating in the affected areas.

This Circular provides guidance on the implementation of SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13, adopted by Resolution MSC.532(107), introducing statutory requirements for the testing, examination, certification, and maintenance of lifting appliances and anchor-handling winches. It supersedes ILO Circular 2022-003 and establishes the applicable requirements for Antigua and Barbuda-flagged ships.