Shipowners and operators of all vessel types have been urged by the US Coast Guard (USCG) to update safety guidelines following a cruise ship fire that killed three people last December.

In a Marine Safety Alert issued March 11 by the USCG's Inspections and Compliance Directorate, the agency "strongly recommends" to owners that their vessels' service vendors, technicians and crew members working within machinery spaces understand escape routes and emergency equipment before starting work.

Owners should have up-to-date service bulletins and letters for critical equipment, the USCG noted, particularly for items that relate to fire prevention and safety.

The alert reiterated that shipboard polices should ensure that engineering personnel "know how to perform effective and comprehensive inspections and rounds to detect abnormalities and problematic systems, equipment, and components as early as possible".

The engine room fire occurred on Oceania Cruises'Insignia while the ship was at berth. A fuel oil spray ignited and quickly filled the machinery space with smoke, killing one crew member and two technicians.