Section 50
of Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations, 2003
Section 50
(1)
The number of openings in the shell plating shall be reduced to the minimum compatible with the design and proper working of the ship.
(2)
The arrangement and efficiency of the means for closing any opening in the shell plating shall be consistent with its intended purpose and the position in which it is fitted and generally to the satisfaction of the Director.
(3)
(aj Subject to the requirements of the International Convention on
Load Lines in force, no sidescuttle shall be fitted in such a position that its sill is below a line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at side and having its lowest point 2.5% of the breadth of the ship above the deepest sub-division load line, or 500 millimetres, whichever is the greater.
All sidescuttles the sills of which are below the margin line, as permitted by paragraph (aJ shall be of such construction as will effectively prevent any person opening them without the consent of the master of the ship.
(cJ
(i)
Where in a between-decks, the sills of any of the sides-cuttles referred to in paragraph (bJ are below a line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at side and having its lowest point 1.4 metres plus 2.5% of the breadth of the ship above the water when the ship departs from any port, all the sides-cuttles in that between-decks shall be closed watertight and locked before the ship leaves port, and they shall not be opened before the ship arrives at the next port. In the applica-tion of this sub-paragraph, the appropriate allowance for fresh water may be made when applicable.
(ii)
The time of opening such sidescuttles in port and of closing and locking them before the ship leaves port shall be entered in the official log-book.
(iii)
For any ship that has one or more sidescuttles so placed that the requirements of sub-paragraph (iJ would apply when it was floating at its deepest subdivision load line, the Director may indicate the limiting mean draught at which these sides-cuttles will have their sills above the line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at side, and having its lowest point 1.4 metres plus 2.5% of the breadth of the ship above the water-line corresponding to the limiting mean draught, and at which it will therefore be permissible to depart from port without previously closing and locking them and to open them at sea on the responsibility of the master during the voyage to the next port. In tropical zones as defined in the International
Convention on Load Lines in force, this limiting draught may be increased by 0.3 metre.
(4)
Efficient hinged inside deadlights arranged so that they can be easily and effectively closed and secured watertight shall be fitted to all sidescuttles 574
except that abaft one-eighth of the ship's length from the forward perpendicular and above a line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at side and having its lowest point at a height of 3. 7 metres plus 2.5% of the breadth of the ship above the deepest subdivision load line, the deadlights may be portable in passenger accommodation other than that for steerage passengers, unless the deadlights are required by the International Convention on Load Lines in force to be permanently attached in their proper positions. Such portable deadlights shall be stowed adjacent to the sidescuttles they serve.
(5)
Sidescuttles and their deadlights which will not be accessible during navigation shall be closed and secured before the ship leaves port.
(6)
{a}
No sidescuttles shall be fitted in any spaces which are appropriated exclusively to the carriage of cargo or coal.
{b)
Sidescuttles may be fitted in spaces appropriated alternatively to the carriage of cargo or passengers, but they shall be of such construction as will effectively prevent any person opening them or their deadlights with-out the consent of the master of the ship.
{c) If cargo is carried in such spaces, the sidescuttles and their deadlights shall be closed watertight and locked before the cargo is shipped and such closing and locking shall be recorded in the official log-book.
(7)
Automatic ventilating sidescuttles shall not be fitted in the shell plating below the margin line without the special sanction of the Director.
(8)
The number of scuppers, sanitary discharges and other similar openings in the shell plating shall be reduced to the minimum either by making each discharge serve for as many as possible of the sanitary and other pipes, or in any other satisfactory manner.
(9)
{a}
All inlets and discharges in the shell plating shall be fitted with efficient and accessible arrangements for preventing the accidental admission of water into the ship.
{b)
(i)
Subject to the requirements of the International Conven-tion on Load Lines in force, and except as provided in para-graph {c), each separate discharge led through the shell plating from spaces below the margin line shall be provided with either one automatic non-return valve fitted with a positive means of closing it from above the bulkhead deck or with 2 automatic non-return valves without positive means of closing, provided that the inboard valve is situated above the deepest subdivision load line and is always accessible for examination under service conditions. Where a valve with positive means of closing is fitted, the operating
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM GOVERNMENT GAZETTE position above the bulkhead deck shall always be readily accessible and means shall be provided for indicating whether the valve is open or closed.
(ii)
The requirements of the International Convention on Load
Lines in force shall apply to discharges led through the shell plating from spaces above the margin line.
{c}
Machinery space main and auxiliary sea inlets and discharges in connection with the operation of machinery shall be fitted with readily accessible valves between the pipes and the shell plating or between the pipes and fabricated boxes attached to the shell plating. The valves may be controlled locally and shall be provided with indicators showing whether they are open or closed.
{d}
All shell fittings and valves required by this regulation shall be of steel, bronze or other approved ductile material. Valves of ordinary cast iron or similar material are not acceptable. All pipes to which this regulation refers shall be of steel or other equivalent material to the satisfaction of the
Director.
(10)
{a} Gangway, cargo and coaling ports fitted below the margin line shall be of sufficient strength. They shall be effectively closed and secured watertight before the ship leaves port, and shall be kept closed during navigation.
{b)
Such ports shall be in no case fitted so as to have their lowest point below the deepest subdivision load line.
(11)
{a} The inboard opening of each ash-chute, rubbish-chute etc.
shall be fitted with an efficient cover.
i
(b} If the inboard opening is situated below the margin line, the cover shall be watertight, and, in addition, an automatic non-return valve shall be fitted in the chute in an easily accessible position above the deepest subdivision load line. When the chute is not in use, both the cover and the valve shall be kept closed and secured.
Openings in shell plating below bulkhead deck of passenger ships and freeboard deck of cargo ships.