Gangway Keep Clear Sign

Gangway Keep Clear Sign – MS0048

The Gangway Keep Clear Sign marks the gangway approach and landing area that must be kept free of obstructions at all times, ensuring safe boarding and disembarkation for crew, passengers, and visiting personnel. This mandatory sign instructs everyone in the vicinity not to store equipment, cargo, or mooring lines across the gangway route, keeping the access clear for both routine transit and emergency evacuation.

Manufactured from durable photoluminescent material, MS0048 continues to glow after the ship’s main lighting fails, keeping the instruction legible during a blackout, heavy weather, or a night-time embarkation. Its blue circular mandatory-action field with bold white text is designed for instant recognition at the gangway head and landing platform, supporting the IMO’s emphasis on clear, standardised shipboard signage.

Why the Gangway Keep Clear Instruction Matters

A gangway obstructed by stores, lines, or equipment slows boarding and disembarkation and creates a tripping hazard for crew and visitors alike, particularly in poor lighting or heavy weather. In an emergency, the gangway may be the primary or only route for evacuation or shore-side access, so a clear, standardised keep-clear instruction reinforces the discipline needed to keep this critical access point unobstructed at all times.

Compliance and Certification

MS0048 is produced to support compliance with the vessel’s Safety Management System under the ISM Code, and safe means of access, including gangway arrangements, is addressed within SOLAS Chapter II-1 and associated port-state guidance on safe access to ships. For the full regulatory text, see the IMO’s SOLAS convention overview. Maintaining clear, legible signage at the gangway supports a positive outcome at Port State Control and flag-state inspections.

Installation Recommendations

Install MS0048 at the gangway head and at the shore-side landing point, positioned so anyone approaching sees it clearly before boarding. Mount on a flat, stable surface using marine-grade adhesive or corrosion-resistant fasteners suited to continuous weather exposure. Reinforce the instruction through deck watch rounds and pre-departure checks to confirm the gangway route remains unobstructed.

• Photoluminescent pictogram charges under ambient light and glows during power loss
• Bold mandatory-action blue circle format for instant multilingual recognition
• Rigid, UV-stable substrate engineered for continuous marine and weather exposure
• Compact format suited to gangway heads, landing platforms, and access points
• Supports ISM Code safety-management and SOLAS safe-access documentation

Equip every gangway aboard your vessel with the MS0048 Gangway Keep Clear Sign, and keep boarding and evacuation routes compliant, clear, and reliable when it matters most.

Complete your vessel’s safety signage programme by pairing this sign with our Hazard Signs and Fire Fighting Signs ranges, ensuring full coverage across every shipboard risk area.