77. In the case of ships of 500 tons, gross tonnage, and over,

• (a) the skylights to spaces containing main propulsion machinery, or oil-fired boilers or auxiliary internal combustion type machinery of a total power of 746 kW (1 000 HP) or over, shall be capable of being closed and, where practicable, opened from outside the space in the event of fire and, where they contain glass panels, such panels shall be of fire-resisting construction fitted with wire reinforced glass and shall have external permanently attached shutters of steel or other equivalent material;

• (b) windows shall not be fitted in engine casings except where the Board is satisfied that they are necessary and will not constitute a fire hazard and, where they are fitted, they shall be of a non-opening type and shall be of fire-resisting construction fitted with wire reinforced glass and shall have external permanently attached shutters of steel or other equivalent material; and

• (c) the requirements of section 40 for exhibition of fire control plans shall apply as far as applicable to non-passenger ships.

78. In this Part, “length”, in respect of a ship, means,

• (a) in the case of a ship that is registered under the Act or required by the Act to be registered,

  • (i) the distance from the forepart of the uppermost end of the stem to the aft side of the head of the stern post, except that if a stern post is not fitted to the ship, the measurement shall be taken to the foreside of the head of the rudder stock,

  • (ii) if the ship has no rudder stock or has a rudder stock situated outside of the hull at the stern, the distance from the foreside of the foremost permanent structure to the aft side of the aftermost permanent structure of the ship, not including guards or rubbing strakes, or

  • (iii) if the ship is double-ended, the distance from the aft side of the forward rudder stock to the foreside of the after rudder stock; and

• (b) in the case of a ship that is not required by the Act to be registered, the horizontal distance between perpendiculars erected at the extreme ends of the outside of the hull.

• 79. (1) Sections 80, 81, 84 and 98 do not apply to a ship to which Part VIII applies.

• (2) Section 84 does not apply to a ship to which Part IX or X applies.

80. The provisions of section 81 regarding stability tests in the undamaged condition apply to

• (a) all passenger ships that make international voyages and any other passenger ship for which such provision is deemed necessary by the Board; and

• (b) all cargo ships of 500 tons, gross tonnage, and over, that make international voyages, and any other cargo ship for which such provision is deemed necessary by the Board.

• 81. (1) All stability tests shall be conducted in the presence of and to the satisfaction of a steamship inspector.

• (2) The results of the stability tests shall be developed to indicate the stability of the ship in the conditions, including the light, loaded, arrival and worst operating condition, that will be experienced having regard to the service in which the ship will be engaged.

• (3) The owner shall provide in every such ship a document containing the results of the stability tests required by subsection (2) and other relevant information for the use of the master, and it shall be the responsibility of the owner and master to ensure that a proper measure of stability is maintained for all conditions of loading and ballasting; in general, this information shall be such that the master can readily determine the metacentric height and determine the freeboard for any condition of loading; in the case of a ship that, due to its design or type of service requires special consideration of its stability characteristics, the information shall also include an indication of any operating condition that must be maintained to assure the safety of the ship.

• (4) If the following plans have not been previously submitted, they shall be made available at the time of the stability test:

  • (a) hydrostatic curves including cross curves of stability and curves of righting levers for the various conditions;

  • (b) capacity plan showing capacities and vertical and longitudinal centres of gravity of cargo spaces, tanks, etc.;

  • (c) tank sounding tables; and

  • (d) draught mark locations.

• (5) Subject to subsections (7) and (8), the stability test requirements of this section shall also apply to all foreign built vessels, for which application for registry in Canada has been approved, unless proof of the vessel’s stability as required in subsection (3) is submitted and approved by the Board.

• (6) In the case of any ship, to which this section applies, that is modified in such manner as to affect the ship’s stability, the stability document required by subsection (3) shall be corrected to indicate the new stability characteristics of the ship as approved by the Board.

• (7) Stability tests may be dispensed with if basic stability data is available from the stability test of a sister ship and if it is shown to the satisfaction of the Board that reliable stability information can be obtained from such basic data.

• (8) Except in the case of ships of Class I or Class II, the Board may allow the stability test to be dispensed with in exceptional circumstances if it can be shown to the Board’s satisfaction that owing to the form, construction and arrangement of the ship, stability calculations can safely be made without the stability test being conducted.