Ship Medicine Chest and First Aid Kits
Written for the operator, cited to the rule
Chest contents, quantities, the medical guide, equipment, inspection intervals and the flag-state notices that override the general rule.
MLC 2006 Standard A4.1(4)(a) sets the obligation. The WHO International Medical Guide for Ships and its Quantification Addendum set contents. Category A, B and C classification comes from EU Directive 92/29/EEC, not WHO or IMO. Open registries publish their own, for example Marshall Islands MN 7-042-1.
What medical equipment and guides must a ship carry?
The guide operators open first
21 CFR 1301.25 explained, for the people who have to comply with it
- August 5, 2026
Everything in Guide
Answers operators and search engines look for
At regular intervals and at least once every 12 months under MLC 2006 guidance and most flag-state rules. The inspection covers contents, quantities and expiry, and should be documented. See MedChest for how we document it.
The flag state decides, using the WHO guide as the reference. The Category A, B and C vessel classification comes from EU Directive 92/29/EEC, which is frequently misattributed to WHO or IMO.
Yes, and a general supplier cannot legally handle them. That portion needs a DEA-registered medical officer under 21 CFR 1301.25. See Controlled Substances.
The WHO guide is read alongside the Medical First Aid Guide (MFAG) for vessels carrying dangerous goods, which adds substance-specific treatment guidance.
Reading about compliance is not the same as being compliant
- ✓ Physician-led review, not a sales call
- ✓ Every flag state and voyage type
- ✓ One team for all three services
- ✓ We reply within one business day
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