Hull Construction Regulations

42 (1) The hull, superstructure, structural bulkheads, decks and deckhouses of every ship shall be constructed of steel, but the Board may exempt any ship wholly or in part from the requirements of this subsection if it is satisfied that these parts are constructed of material equally resistant to fire.

(2) The hull, superstructure and deckhouses shall be subdivided by bulkheads consisting of “A” Class divisions into main vertical zones; the mean length of each zone, above the bulkhead deck, shall not exceed 40 m; any steps in the bulkheads shall consist of “A” Class divisions; in the case of railway car ferries (which does not include automobile carrying ships) where it is impracticable to fit fire-resisting bulkheads on the car deck, the car deck shall be completely isolated from the passenger spaces by fire-resisting bulkheads, doors and decks.

(3) Ships of Class I to Class IV and Class VI and Class VII that are certified to carry more than 12 passengers and have vehicular decks for the carriage of automobiles or other vehicles with fuel in their tanks shall have fitted on each of those decks a sprinkler system that complies with the requirements of the Fire Detection and Extinguishing Equipment Regulations.

(4) Where a sprinkler system is fitted on a vehicular deck, approved automatic water curtains complying with the requirements of the Fire Detection and Extinguishing Equipment Regulations may be substituted for main vertical zone “A” Class bulkheads.

(5) Any portions of such divisions that extend above the ship’s bulkhead deck shall, whenever possible, be in line with watertight subdivision bulkheads situated immediately below the bulkhead deck and shall extend from deck to deck and to the ship’s shell plating and, in the case of a deckhouse, to the external plating thereof; the insulation of such bulkheads shall be extended for a suitable distance at the bulkhead boundaries, but in no case less than 380 mm.

(6) Exits shall be provided from spaces between fire-resisting bulkheads and shall be independent of the doors in such bulkheads; they shall be so arranged that they will not act as conductors of fire from one deck to another; such exits shall be so arranged that all persons accommodated within spaces that are bounded by fire-resisting bulkheads will be able to escape from such spaces to an open deck or to spaces within other compartments that will lead to an open deck or to a place of safety.