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MLC 2006 Reg. 4.1 · WHO Medical Guide · MFAG (MSC/Circ.857) · ISM Code Element 6

Ship Medicine Chest, Controlled Drugs Register, MFAG & Crew Handover Checklist

Two shipboard records are inspected on almost every Port State Control, SIRE 2.0, RightShip RISQ 3.2, and CDI boarding: the Ship’s Medicine Chest, Hospital & Controlled Drugs Register (`MLC 2006 Reg. 4.1`) and the Officer Command / Department Handover Dossier (`ISM Code Element 6`).

Complementing our MLC 2006 Seafarer Employment & Welfare Guide and ISM Internal Audit & DPA Checklist, this guide covers Category A/B/C medical stores, Controlled Drugs custody, IMO MFAG (`MSC/Circ.857`) chemical antidotes, hospital inspection readiness, and Master, Chief Officer, Chief Engineer & Junior Officer handover checklists.

Updated · Written by SeaReady in our own words. Not affiliated with OCIMF, RightShip, CDI, any MoU or any administration — always check the current official documents.

1. MLC 2006 Reg. 4.1 Medicine Chest, Controlled Drugs & MFAG Standards

Whether the Master delegates routine medical inventory checks to the 2nd Officer or a dedicated Medical Officer, the Master remains legally accountable for four statutory medical-care requirements on board:

MLC 2006 Reg. 4.1, WHO International Medical Guide for Ships, UK MSN 1905 Amdt 5, UN Controlled Drugs and IMO MFAG requirements.
Statutory Area & InstrumentApplicability & ScaleInspection & Verification Standard
Ship Medicine Chest & Annual Pharmacist Certificate (MLC 2006 Reg. 4.1 & Standard A4.1)Category A (ocean-going), Category B (≤ 150 nm from port) or Category C (harbour/coastal/lifeboats)Every ship must carry a medicine chest, medical equipment and the current WHO International Medical Guide for Ships (3rd Edition, or national equivalent such as the Ship Captain’s Medical Guide) inspected at intervals not exceeding 12 months by a designated authority or licensed shore pharmacist (EU Directive 92/29/EEC & UK MCA MSN 1905 Amendment 5).
Controlled Drugs Custody & Two-Signature Register (UN 1961/1971 Conventions & MSN 1905 Amdt 5)Master’s double-locked Controlled Drugs Cupboard + Bound Controlled Drugs RegisterMorphine, midazolam, diazepam, tramadol and other scheduled narcotics/psychotropics must be stored in the Master’s double-locked safe/cupboard. Every receipt, administration to a patient (recording patient name, dose, date/time, and two signatures: administering officer + witness), and witnessed shore disposal must be logged; physical ampoule counts must match the register 100%.
MFAG Dangerous Goods Antidotes (IMO MSC/Circ.857 in the IMDG Code Supplement)Mandatory when carrying packaged IMDG dangerous goods (SOLAS VII) or bulk chemicals (IBC Code Ch. 14)Verify chemical-specific antidotes against the cargo manifest before loading: Calcium Gluconate Gel (hydrofluoric acid), Atropine (organophosphates/carbamates), Naloxone, Nitrite/Thiosulphate or Hydroxocobalamin (cyanides), Activated Charcoal, Eye-wash bottles, and 100% Medical Oxygen resuscitation cylinders (≥ 200 bar).
Ship’s Hospital, Medical Oxygen & 24/7 TMAS Radio Medical Advice (MLC Standard A3.1.12 & A4.1.4)Mandatory hospital accommodation on ships carrying ≥ 15 seafarers on voyages > 3 daysThe hospital must have dedicated sanitary facilities (WC, washbasin, hot/cold running water), a working call bell to the bridge/duty mess, Neil Robertson / basket stretcher, portable resuscitator, and 24/7 Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service (TMAS) contact instructions posted at the GMDSS station — and must NEVER be used as a passenger/crew cabin or store room.

2. Ten-Point Pre-Arrival Medicine Chest & Hospital Inspection Checklist

Run this ten-point walk-through in SeaReady’s Medicine Chest Tracker before arriving at any PSC or vetting port:

  • 1. Valid 12-Month Pharmacist Inspection Certificate: Confirm the shore pharmacist’s Medical Stores Certificate is in date (≤ 12 months) and matches the vessel’s Flag State scale (e.g., UK MSN 1905 Amendment 5 Category A, Directive 92/29/EEC, or Flag equivalent).
  • 2. Zero Expired Medicines in Active Lockers: Remove any medicine, syringe, suture, or dressing expiring before the end of the upcoming voyage, place it in a sealed container labelled "EXPIRED — DO NOT USE — FOR SHORE DISPOSAL", and record the requisition for replacement.
  • 3. Controlled Drugs Physical Count vs Register: Reconcile every ampoule and tablet inside the Master’s double-locked Controlled Drugs Cupboard against the bound Controlled Drugs Register (confirming two signatures for every administration and shore disposal receipt).
  • 4. Medical Refrigerator Temperature Log (`2°C–8°C`): Verify that insulin, tetanus/diphtheria vaccines, oxytocin, and other thermolabile medicines are kept in a dedicated medical refrigerator logged daily between 2°C and 8°C.
  • 5. Medical Oxygen Resuscitator & Cylinders (`≥ 200 bar`): Check the pressure gauge on both main and spare medical oxygen cylinders, hydrostatic test dates, flowmeter/mask expiry dates, and Guedel airways.
  • 6. IMO MFAG (`MSC/Circ.857`) Antidotes & Eyewash Stations: On ships carrying packaged dangerous goods (`IMDG Code`) or bulk chemicals (`IBC Code`), verify that the specific MFAG antidotes required by the cargo manifest are in date and that deck/pump-room eyewash and decontamination showers work in both frost and tropical conditions.
  • 7. Hospital Space, Call Bell & Hot/Cold Water: Confirm the ship’s hospital is clean, unobstructed, never used for stowage or crew berthing, has a tested emergency call bell to the bridge, and has working hot and cold running water and a flushing WC.
  • 8. Stretcher, Automated External Defibrillator (AED) & First-Aid Kits: Check the Neil Robertson / basket stretcher hoisting strops, AED electrode pad and battery expiry dates, and sealed emergency first-aid kits in the bridge, engine control room (ECR), galley, and lifeboats.

3. ISM Code Element 6 Officer Handover Checklist by Rank

Under ISM Code Section 6.2 & 6.3 and SeaReady’s Handover Module, incoming and outgoing officers should complete and sign a structured handover dossier covering department-specific risks and open defects:

Master, Chief Officer, Chief Engineer, and Junior Officer handover requirements under ISM Code Element 6.
Rank / Department HandoverMandatory DocumentationCritical Handover Verification Items
Master Command Handover (ISM Code Elements 5 & 6 / Official Log Book)Signed handover dossier + Official Log Book command sign-over entryCovers validity of all statutory, class, and P&I financial security certificates (MLC A2.5.2/A4.2.1); open PSC, SIRE 2.0, RightShip, CDI and ISM audit findings; Master’s Standing Orders; charterer voyage instructions; Ship Security Plan (SSP) & SSAS location; ship’s cash/bond safe; and physical count + key handover of the Controlled Drugs Cupboard.
Chief Officer Deck & Cargo Handover (ISM Code Element 6.2)Signed deck/cargo handover report + ballast/cargo tank & stability statusCovers current stability condition (GM₀, drafts, trim, shear forces/bending moments), cargo/ballast tank ROBs, IMSBC/IGC/IBC/IMDG cargo care logs, Mooring System Management Plan (MSMP) & Line Management Plan (LMP), LSA/FFA maintenance tracker status, enclosed-space entry permits, and garbage/ballast record books (BWRB/GRB).
Chief Engineer & 2nd Engineer Machinery Handover (ISM Code Elements 6.2 & 10.3)Signed machinery handover report + joint bunker ROB sounding & ORB Part I reviewCovers joint sounding of all HFO, VLSFO, MGO and lube oil tanks against the Oil Record Book Part I (Codes C, D, G, H) and recent Bunker Delivery Notes (BDNs + 12-month MARPOL samples); status of all ISM Element 10.3 critical equipment and minimum critical spares; overdue PMS jobs; OWS 15 ppm bilge alarm test; and emergency generator / fire pump readiness.
2nd Officer (Navigation & Medical) & 3rd Officer (LSA/FFA) HandoversSigned bridge/medical or safety handover + weekly/monthly test status2nd Officer verifies ECDIS ENC permits, Admiralty Notices to Mariners (NP133A/NP133C), GMDSS radio log, chronometer/compass error book, and Medicine Chest expiry dates + refrigerator temperature log (2°C–8°C). 3rd Officer walks every deck to verify fire extinguishers, SCBA pressures, lifeboat release gear, hydrostatic release units (HRUs) and pyrotechnic expiry dates.

Questions seafarers ask

How often must a ship’s medicine chest be inspected by a qualified pharmacist or authority under MLC 2006?

Under MLC 2006 Standard A4.1 paragraph 4(a) and Guideline B4.1.1 paragraph 4, the medicine chest and medical equipment carried on board must be properly maintained and inspected at regular intervals, not exceeding 12 months, by the competent authority or a qualified pharmacist designated by the authority, who issues a dated Medical Stores Certificate confirming compliance with the Flag State scale (such as EU Directive 92/29/EEC or UK MCA MSN 1905 Amendment 5 Categories A, B or C).

What are the most common Port State Control deficiencies found in the ship’s hospital and medicine chest?

The five most frequent PSC deficiencies under MLC Title 4 and SOLAS are: (1) expired medicines or expired MFAG dangerous-goods antidotes kept in the active locker instead of being segregated in a clearly marked "Expired — For Disposal at Next Port" container; (2) a mismatch between the physical count of Morphine/Diazepam ampoules and the Controlled Drugs Register; (3) the ship’s hospital being used as a crew cabin or spare-parts store room, or having a defective hospital call bell / cold-water-only tap; (4) depleted medical oxygen resuscitation cylinders or expired O2 pressure regulators; and (5) missing daily temperature logs (2°C–8°C) for the medical refrigerator.

Why does ISM Code Element 6 require documented handover notes and pre-watch familiarisation?

Under ISM Code Section 6.2 and 6.3, the Company must establish procedures to ensure that new personnel and personnel transferred to new assignments related to safety and protection of the environment are given proper familiarisation with their duties, and must identify the essential instructions that must be provided prior to sailing. SIRE 2.0, RightShip RISQ 3.2, and PSC inspectors routinely request the latest Master, Chief Officer, Chief Engineer, and OOW handover reports alongside the signed SOLAS III/19.2 & STCW Section A-I/14 familiarisation checklists.

How should expired controlled drugs be handled on board a merchant vessel?

Expired controlled drugs must never be flushed overboard, incinerated unrecorded, or thrown into general shipboard garbage. They must be segregated inside a sealed, tamper-evident envelope or container inside the Master’s double-locked Controlled Drugs Cupboard, logged as "quarantined / expired awaiting disposal" in the Controlled Drugs Register, declared on the port arrival Customs Controlled Drugs Declaration, and surrendered to an authorised shore pharmacist or port health authority against a signed receipt (or destroyed with two witnessed signatures where Flag regulations explicitly permit).

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