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–1 : Construction — Subdivision and Stability, Machinery and Electrical Installations

Part B — Subdivision and Stability

Regulation 9 : Peak and machinery space bulkheads, shaft tunnels, etc.

Purchase

(a)

(i)	A ship shall have a forepeak or collision bulkhead, which shall be watertight up to the bulkhead deck. This bulkhead shall be fitted not less than 5 per cent of the length of the ship, and not more than 3,05 metres (10 feet) plus 5 per cent of the length of the ship from the forward perpendicular.

(ii)

If the ship has a long forward superstructure, the forepeak bulkhead shall be extended weathertight to the deck next above the bulkhead deck. The extension need not be fitted directly over the bulkhead below, provided it is at least 5 per cent of the length of the ship from the forward perpendicular, and the part of the bulkhead deck which forms the step is made effectively weathertight.

(b)

An afterpeak bulkhead, and bulkheads dividing the machinery space, as defined in Regulation 2 of this Chapter, from the cargo and passenger spaces forward and after, shall also be fitted and made watertight up to the bulkhead deck. The afterpeak bulkhead may, however, be stepped below the bulkhead deck, provided the degree of safety of the ship as regards subdivision is not thereby diminished.

(c)

In all cases stern tubes shall be enclosed in watertight spaces of moderate volume. The stern gland shall be situated in a watertight shaft tunnel or other watertight space separate from the stern tube compartment and of such volume that, if flooded by leakage through the stern gland, the margin line will not be submerged.