It will promote new measures next month - "Stopober" - to limit lighting up at sea and in port.
Sophia Bullard, from the pre-employment medical examination programme of UK P&I, said: “It’s important for employers to establish a no smoking policy on board their ships to reduce risks to health and safety of all crew and visitors.
“The policy should include control measures beneficial for the whole crew, such as a complete smoking ban on board or an indoor smoking ban except for within designated ‘smoking rooms’.”
She added the ‘no smoking’ signs should be displayed in prominent areas of the ship.
A growing number of shipowners and operators have chosen to ban smoking in all parts of the common areas of their ships, Bullard said.
And she also mentioned that cruise operators are already restricting smoking in passenger areas and even on cabin balconies.
