Hull Construction Regulations

53 (1) Where, for fire protection, Method I is adopted, the following requirements apply:

• (a) every bulkhead within the accommodation spaces or service spaces of a ship in which Method I of fire protection has been adopted, not being a bulkhead required by these Regulations to consist of “A” Class divisions, shall consist of “B” Class divisions; the bulkheads shall be joined together in a manner that will ensure the maximum resistance to fire; if such a ship carries more than 100 passengers, the said “B” Class divisions shall be constructed of incombustible material but, subject to the provisions of paragraph 56(1)(b), may be faced with combustible material;

• (b) every such bulkhead shall extend from deck to deck, provided that a bulkhead, other than a corridor bulkhead, may terminate at a ceiling consisting of incombustible material;

• (c) where the ship’s shell plating forms the boundary of an accommodation space or a service space, the adjacent transverse bulkheads shall extend to the shell plating; where the external plating of a deckhouse forms the boundary of an accommodation space or service space, the adjacent transverse and longitudinal bulkheads shall extend to the external plating, provided that any such bulkhead, other than a corridor bulkhead, may terminate at a lining consisting of incombustible material; and

• (d) any ventilation opening in a corridor bulkhead shall be in the lower part of the bulkhead, wherever practicable, and shall be provided with a grille constructed of incombustible material.

(2) Where, for fire protection, Method III is adopted, the following requirements apply:

• (a) bulkheads within the accommodation spaces and service spaces of every ship in which Method III of fire protection has been adopted, not being a bulkhead required by these Regulations to consist of “A” Class divisions, shall be constructed of “B” Class divisions so as to form a continuous network of “B” Class divisions or, together with such bulkheads as are constructed of “A” Class divisions, a continuous network of “A” and “B” Class divisions; the area of any one compartment formed by such network shall not exceed 150 m² and shall, wherever practicable, not exceed 120 m²;

• (b) every public room in such a ship, being a space without interior subdivisions, shall, except at the shell plating of the ship or the external plating of a deckhouse, be bounded by bulkheads consisting of “B” Class divisions unless the bulkheads enclosing the room are required by these Regulations to consist of “A” Class divisions;

• (c) every corridor bulkhead in such a ship shall consist of “B” Class divisions unless it is required by these Regulations to consist of “A” Class divisions and shall extend from deck to deck; provided that ventilation openings having grilles of incombustible material may be installed in such bulkhead at points where no ceilings are fitted above such bulkhead or where the ceilings there fitted are constructed of incombustible material; and

• (d) if such a ship carries more than 100 passengers, every “B” Class division constructed in accordance with this section shall be constructed of incombustible material but, subject to the provisions of subsection 56(2), may be faced with combustible material; if such a ship carries 100 passengers or less, every such division shall have an incombustible core or shall be assembled with internal layers of sheet asbestos or similar incombustible material, and in either case shall comply with the requirements of subsection 41(2) as if it were constructed wholly of combustible material.