Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)

Schedules

Second Schedule

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974

Annex

Chapter II-2 : Construction—Fire Protection, Fire Detection and Fire Extinction

Part D — Fire Safety Measures for Cargo Ships

Regulation 51 : General requirements for cargo ships of 4 000 tons gross tonnage and upwards other than tankers covered by Part E of this Chapter

Purchase

(a)	The hull, superstructure, structural bulkheads, decks and deckhouses shall be constructed of steel, except where the Administration may sanction the use of other suitable material in special cases, having in mind the risk of fire.

(b)	In accommodation spaces, the corridor bulkheads shall be of steel or be constructed of “B” Class panels.

(c)	Deck coverings within accommodation spaces on the decks forming the crown of machinery and cargo spaces shall be of a type which will not readily ignite.

(d)	Interior stairways below the weather deck shall be of steel or other suitable material. Crew lift trunks within accommodation shall be of steel or equivalent material.

(e)	Bulkheads of galleys, paint stores, lamp rooms, boatswain’s stores when adjacent to accommodation spaces and emergency generator rooms if any, shall be of steel or equivalent material.

(f)	In accommodation and machinery spaces, paints, varnishes and similar preparations having a nitrocellulose or other highly inflammable base shall not be used.

(g)

Pipes conveying oil or combustible liquids shall be of a material approved by the Administration having regard to the fire risk. Materials readily rendered ineffective by heat shall not be used for overboard scuppers, sanitary discharges, and other outlets which are close to the waterline and where the failure of the material in the event of fire would give rise to danger of flooding.

(h)	Power ventilation of machinery spaces shall be capable of being stopped from an easily accessible position outside the machinery spaces.