Hull Construction Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1431)

Watertight Doors — Signals and Communications

• 17 (1) Every sliding watertight door shall be connected with an indicator at each position from which the door may be closed, other than at the door itself, showing whether the door is open or closed.

• (2) There shall be provided in connection with every watertight door that is operated by power a means of giving an audible warning at the door itself when the door is about to be closed; the arrangement shall be such that one movement at the position from which the door is about to be closed will be sufficient to sound the signal and to close the door, the signal to precede the movement of the door by an interval sufficient to allow the movement of persons and articles away from the door.

• (3) Where any door required by these Regulations to be watertight is not capable of being operated from a central control, means of communication by telegraph, telephone or otherwise shall be provided whereby the officer of the watch may communicate with the person responsible for the closing of the door.

Construction of Watertight Doors

• 18 (1) Every door required by these Regulations to be watertight shall be of such design, material and construction as will maintain the integrity of the watertight bulkhead in which it is fitted; any such door giving direct access to any space that may contain bunker coal shall, together with its frame, be made of cast or mild steel; any such door in any other position shall, together with its frame, be made of cast or mild steel or cast iron.

• (2) Every sliding watertight door shall be fitted with rubbing faces of brass or similar material that may be fitted either on the door itself or on the door frame, and, if they are of less than 25 mm in width, shall be fitted in recesses.

• (3) Where screw gear is used for operating such a door, the screw shall work in a nut of suitable non-corrodible metal.

• (4) The frame of every vertically sliding watertight door shall have no grooves at the bottom thereof in which dirt may lodge; the bottom of such a frame, if it is of skeleton form, shall be so arranged that dirt cannot lodge therein; the bottom edge of every such door shall be tapered or bevelled.

• (5) Every vertically sliding watertight door that is operated by power shall be so designed and fitted that, if the power supply ceases, there will be no danger of the door dropping.

• (6) Every horizontally sliding watertight door shall be so installed as to prevent its moving if the ship rolls, and if necessary a clip or other suitable device shall be provided for that purpose; the device shall not interfere with the closing of the door when the door is required to be closed.

• (7) The frame of every watertight door shall be properly fitted to the bulkhead in which the door is situated, and the jointing material between the frame and the bulkhead shall be of a type that will not deteriorate or be injured by heat.

• (8) Every watertight coal-bunker door shall be provided with screens or other devices to prevent coal from interfering with its closing.

• (9) Every watertight door shall be tested at the maker’s plant by water pressure to a head taken from the bottom of the door to the margin line, but in no case shall the test pressure be less than 6.1 m head for sliding doors and 3 m head for hinged doors; where there are several doors of the same type to be fitted, one of the type may be so tested and, provided the test is satisfactory, the remainder may be accepted; after installation in the ship, each watertight door shall be hose tested at a minimum pressure of 207 kPa to ensure integrity of the watertight bulkhead.

Openings in the Shell Plating below the Margin Line

• 19 (1) In every ship the number of side scuttles, scuppers, sanitary discharges and other openings in the shell plating below the margin line shall be the minimum compatible with the design and proper working of the ship, and no side scuttles shall be fitted below the bulkhead deck in ships of less than 150 tons, gross tonnage.

• (2) The arrangements for closing each such opening below the margin line shall be consistent with its intended purpose and shall be such as will ensure watertightness.

• (3) In every ship of 150 tons, gross tonnage, or over,

  • (a) the number of side scuttles below the margin line that are capable of being opened shall be the minimum compatible with the requirements of the proper operation of the ship;

  • (b) where in a between decks of such a ship the sills of any side scuttles are below a line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at side and having its lowest point 2 1/2 per cent of the breadth of the ship above the deepest subdivision load water line, every side scuttle in that between decks shall be of a non-opening type;

  • (c) where in a between decks all the sills of the side scuttles are above the aforesaid line, every side scuttle in that between decks shall be either of a non-opening type or incapable of being opened except by a person authorized to do so by the master of the ship;

  • (d) where other than non-opening type side scuttles are fitted, a notice shall be posted in the Chart Room stating that such side scuttles are required to be closed before the ship proceeds to sea and shall be kept closed while the ship is at sea; and

  • (e) similar notices shall be posted in the spaces within which such side scuttles are situated.

• (4) In every ship of 150 tons, gross tonnage, or over, every side scuttle below the margin line shall be fitted with an efficient hinged deadlight of material other than ordinary cast iron, permanently attached, so that it can be readily and effectively closed and secured watertight, provided that abaft a point one-eighth of the length of the ship 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 3.66 m plus 2 1/2 per cent of the breadth of the ship above the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line, deadlights may, for the purposes of these Regulations, be portable in crew spaces and in passenger spaces not appropriated for the use of steerage passengers.

• (5) Side scuttles shall not be fitted below the margin line in any space that is appropriated solely to the carriage of cargo or coal; if side scuttles are fitted in spaces below the margin line that may be appropriated to the carriage of cargo or passengers, such side scuttles and their deadlights shall be so constructed as to be incapable of being opened except by a person authorized to do so by the master of the ship; where other than non-opening type side scuttles are fitted, a notice shall be posted in the Chart Room stating that such side scuttles are required to be closed before the ship proceeds to sea and shall be kept closed while the ship is at sea; similar notices shall be posted in the spaces within which such side scuttles are situated.

• (6) Automatic ventilating side scuttles shall not be fitted below the margin line in the shell plating of any such ship.

• (7) In every ship

  • (a) each inlet and discharge led through the shell plating below the margin line shall be fitted with efficient and readily accessible means for preventing the accidental admission of water into the ship;

  • (b) without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, each discharge led through the shell plating from spaces below the margin line, not being a discharge in connection with machinery, shall be provided with either

    • (i) one automatic non-return valve fitted with a positive means by which it can be closed from a readily accessible position above the ship’s bulkhead deck and with an indicator at the position from which the valve may be closed to show whether the valve is open or shut, or

    • (ii) two automatic non-return valves, the upper of which is so situated above the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line as to be always accessible for examination under service conditions and is of a horizontal balanced type that is normally closed;

  • (c) any valve fitted in compliance with the requirements of paragraph (b) that is a geared valve, or the lower of two non-geared valves, shall be secured to the ship’s shell plating;

  • (d) all cocks and valves attached to inlets or discharges, or bulkhead fittings within B/5 distance from the shell plating, other than inlets or discharges connected with machinery, being cocks or valves fitted below the margin line or the failure of which may affect the subdivision of the ship, shall be made of steel, bronze, or other equally efficient material;

  • (e) main and auxiliary inlets and discharges connected with machinery shall be fitted with readily accessible cocks or valves between the pipes and the ship’s shell plating or between the pipes and a fabricated box attached to the shell plating and such cocks or valves of more than 76 mm diameter attached to such inlets or discharges shall be made of steel, bronze, or other equally efficient material; if made of steel they shall be protected against corrosion;

  • (f) discharge pipes led through the shell plating below the margin line shall not be fitted in a direct line between the outboard opening and the connection with the deck, water closet or other similar fitting, but shall be arranged with bends or elbows of substantial metal other than cast iron or lead;

  • (g) all discharge pipes led through the shell plating below the margin line and the valves relating thereto shall be protected from damage;

  • (h) all bolts connecting cocks, valves, discharge pipes and other similar equipment to the shell plating below the margin line shall have their heads outside the shell plating, and shall be either countersunk or cup-headed;

  • (i) efficient means shall be provided for the drainage of all watertight decks below the margin line and any drainage pipes shall be so fitted with valves or otherwise arranged as to avoid the danger of water passing from a damaged to an undamaged compartment;

  • (j) the inboard opening of every ash chute, rubbish chute and other similar chute shall be fitted with an efficient watertight cover, and, if such opening is below the margin line, it shall also be fitted with an automatic non-return valve in the chute in a readily accessible position above the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line; the valve shall be of the horizontal balanced type, normally closed and provided with local means for securing it in a closed position; when chutes are not being used, the cover and valve shall be kept closed and secured, and a permanent notice to this effect shall be posted in close proximity to the chute hopper; the requirements of this paragraph shall not apply to ash ejectors and expellers the inboard openings of which are in the ship’s stokehold and necessarily below the deepest subdivision load water line; such ejectors and expellers shall be fitted with means that will prevent water from entering the ship; and

  • (k) any gangway port, cargo port or coaling port fitted below the margin line shall be of adequate strength and its lowest point shall not be below the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line; an appropriate notice shall be posted in the Chart Room stating that all such gangway ports, cargo ports or coaling ports shall be effectively closed and secured watertight before the ship leaves port and shall be kept closed during navigation.

Side and Other Openings above the Margin Line

20 In every ship side scuttles, gangway ports, cargo ports, coaling ports and other openings in the shell plating above the margin line, and their means of closing, shall be of efficient design and construction and of sufficient strength having regard to the spaces in which they are fitted and their positions relative to the deepest subdivision load water line, and to the intended service of the ship.

Weather Deck

21 In every ship the bulkhead deck or a deck above the bulkhead deck shall be weathertight; all openings in a weathertight deck shall have coamings of adequate height and strength and shall be provided with efficient and rapid means of closing so as to make them weathertight; freeing ports or scuppers shall be provided for clearing such deck of water under all weather conditions.

Subdivision Load Lines

• 22 (1) Every ship shall be marked on its sides amidships with the subdivision load lines assigned to it by the Board; the marks shall consist of horizontal lines 25 mm in breadth, and 230 mm in length in the case of a ship that is a load line ship and 305 mm in length in the case of any other ship; the marks shall be painted in white or yellow on a dark ground or in black on a light ground, and shall also be cut in or centre-punched on iron or steel ships, and cut into the planking on wood ships.

• (2) The subdivision load lines shall be identified with the letter C, measuring about 115 mm by 75 mm; the identifying letters and numerals shall in every case be painted and cut or centre-punched, as the case may be, on the sides of the ship in the same manner as the lines to which they relate, and

  • (a) in the case of ships of Class I and Class II with consecutive numbers beginning from the deepest subdivision load line that shall be marked C₁;

  • (b) in the case of ships of Class III and Class IV,

    • (i) if there is only one subdivision load line, it shall be identified with the letter C, and

    • (ii) if there is more than one subdivision load line, the subdivision load lines shall be identified with the letter C and with consecutive letters beginning from the deepest subdivision load line, which shall be marked C_A;

  • (c) where in the case of any ship the subdivision load line marks assigned are located below the lowest of the ordinary load lines, the latter load lines, if the owner so desires, need not be placed on the ship’s sides; for such cases the ship’s sides shall be marked with the deck line, the disc, the horizontal line through the centre of the disc, the subdivision load line or lines and the fresh water load line; the fresh water load line mark shall be placed at the same distance above the disc as if the disc were in its normal position; the fresh water mark shall be designated by the letter F at its after end and the forward end of this load line and that of the subdivision load line or lines shall be connected by a vertical line; the centre of the disc shall be placed at the level of the top edge of the highest subdivision load line; and

  • (d) in the case of ships that are not required to have ordinary load lines assigned, the subdivision line or lines shall be marked directly under the deck line and if more than one subdivision load line is marked on the ship’s sides the forward ends shall be joined by a vertical line.

• (3) In the case of a ship of Class III, IV, VI or VII that is 150 tons, gross tonnage, or over, a combined subdivision load line and inspection certificate shall be issued over the signature of the steamship inspector or inspectors concerned with the inspection of the ship.

PART II

Application of Part

23 This Part applies to the following classes of ships that carry more than 12 passengers:

• (a) Group A comprising

  • (i) all ships of Class III and Class IV that are 50 tons, gross tonnage, and less than 150 tons, gross tonnage,

  • (ii) all ships of Class VI and Class VII that are 75 tons, gross tonnage, or over, and

  • (iii) ships of Class V and Class VIII that are not ferry vessels and are 75 tons, gross tonnage, or over; and

• (b) Group B comprising all ships of Class V and Class VIII that are ferry vessels.

Standard of Subdivision

• 24 (1) Every Group A ship, whether or not specifically required by this section to meet at least a one-compartment standard of subdivision, shall be fitted with at least three transverse watertight bulkheads.

• (2) Every Group A ship shall be subdivided as follows:

  • (a) if carrying more than 49 passengers and not more than 400, it shall be so subdivided that with any one main compartment flooded, the margin line will not be submerged;

  • (b) if carrying more than 400 and not more than 600 passengers, it shall, in addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), be so subdivided that with the forepeak and the adjacent main compartment flooded, the margin line will not be submerged;

  • (c) if carrying more than 600 and not more than 800 passengers, it shall, in addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), be so subdivided that with any two adjacent main compartments flooded within at least 40 per cent of the ship’s length from the forward perpendicular, the margin line will not be submerged;

  • (d) if carrying more than 800 and not more than 1 000 passengers, it shall, in addition to the requirements of paragraph (a), be so subdivided that with any two adjacent compartments flooded within 60 per cent of the ship’s length from the forward perpendicular, the margin line will not be submerged; and

  • (e) if carrying more than 1 000 passengers, it shall be so subdivided by main transverse watertight bulkheads that with any two adjacent main compartments flooded, the margin line will not be submerged.

• (3) Every Group B ship

  • (a) that is not over 45.7 m in water line length shall be so subdivided by main transverse bulkheads that with any one main compartment flooded the margin line will not be submerged;

  • (b) that is over 45.7 m but not over 61 m in water line length shall, in addition to one compartment subdivision, be so subdivided that, with either of the peak compartments and its adjacent main compartment flooded, the margin line will not be submerged; and

  • (c) that is over 61 m in water line length shall be so subdivided by main transverse watertight bulkheads that with any two adjacent main compartments flooded, the margin line will not be submerged.

25 In making subdivision calculations, the volume shall be calculated to the margin line and the assumed average permeability of spaces shall be as follows:

Machinery spaces 85

Tanks, chain lockers and spaces normally filled with cargo stores, mail or baggage, in the full load condition 60

All other spaces 95

26 To be considered effective, watertight bulkheads abaft the collision bulkhead shall be spaced not less than 3.05 m plus three per cent of the load water line length, but in the case of ships of Group B this minimum spacing shall be applicable between peak bulkheads.