A place of refuge for ships is a safe harbor or other secure place where a ship in distress can safely be taken to "prevent further damage or deterioration of the ship".
[1] It is often claimed that under international maritime law, "no port may be closed to a foreign ship seeking shelter from storm or bad weather or otherwise compelled to enter it in distress, unless another equally safe port is open".
[2] However, there are many limitations to this principle, especially when the ship may pose environmental or other dangers to the port.
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