Sheltered locations where a ship in distress can be moved to stabilise, transfer cargo, or undergo emergency repair, granted by coastal-state authorities.
Regulatory detail & full definition
Governed by IMO Res. A.949(23) (Guidelines on places of refuge for ships in need of assistance) and EU Directive 2002/59/EC for European waters. Coastal states are not obliged to grant entry; refusals (e.g. Prestige 2002, MSC Flaminia 2012) have triggered casualty escalation. Each state designates a single competent authority for the request.