(1) The master should draw up a checklist or lists based on his own ship and cargo. (A standard ship’s form can be drafted for modification for different cargoes carried. )
(2) The master should have a thorough search made of all areas of the ship by crew parties with an officer in charge of each party. Completed checklists should be returned to the chief officer or master and filed; these will be needed by the owners, P&I club, lawyers or shore authorities if stowaways are discovered. (3) The master should make an entry in the deck log recording the search and its results, with full details of the date, time, spaces searched, and names and ranks of searchers.