Hull Construction Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1431)

Means of Closing Openings in Watertight Bulkheads

• 15 (1) In every ship efficient means shall be provided for closing and making watertight all openings in bulkheads and other structures required to be watertight.

• (2) Every door fitted to any such opening shall be a sliding watertight door, provided that, in a ship that is not required by section 9 of Schedule I to have a factor of subdivision of 0.5 or less, hinged watertight doors may be fitted

  • (a) in passenger, crew and working spaces above any deck the underside of which at its lowest point is at least 2.13 m above the deepest subdivision load water line; and

  • (b) in any bulkhead, not being a collision bulkhead, that divides two cargo between deck spaces; for such cases a notice shall be posted in the Chart Room stating that these doors shall be closed before the voyage commences and shall be kept closed during navigation; similar notices shall be posted at the doors, on each side of the bulkhead.

• (2.1) The master and persons in charge of the navigation and engine room watches shall ensure that the doors fitted in accordance with paragraph (2)(b) are closed before the voyage commences and are kept closed during navigation, and the master shall ensure that the notices to this effect required by that paragraph are posted in the Chart Room and at the doors on each side of the bulkhead.

• (3) Hinged watertight doors shall be fitted with catches capable of being worked from each side of the bulkhead in which the door is fitted.

• (4) All doors required to be watertight shall be secured by means other than bolts, and shall be closed by means other than gravity or a dropping weight.

• (5) Watertight doors fitted in bulkheads between permanent and reserve bunkers, other than the doors referred to in subsection 16(3), shall always be accessible.

Means of Operating Sliding Watertight Doors

• 16 (1) Where in a ship not required by section 9 of Schedule I to have a factor of subdivision of 0.5 or less, any sliding watertight door in a bulkhead, other than a door at the entrance to a tunnel, is in a position that may require it to be opened at sea and the sill thereof is below the deepest subdivision load water line, the following provisions apply:

  • (a) if the number of such doors exceeds five, all such doors and all tunnel doors shall be operated by power and shall be capable of being simultaneously closed from a central control situated on the bridge; and

  • (b) if the number of such doors does not exceed five,

    • (i) if the criterion numeral of the ship does not exceed 30, such doors and tunnel doors shall not be required to be operated by power, and

    • (ii) if the criterion numeral of the ship exceeds 30, all such doors and all tunnel doors shall be operated by power and shall be capable of being simultaneously closed from a central control situated on the bridge, provided that, if there is only one such door and one tunnel door in the ship, both of which are in the machinery space, they shall not be required to be operated by power.

• (2) In every ship, other than ships of Class I, required by section 9 of Schedule I to have a factor of subdivision not over 0.5, all sliding watertight doors shall be operated by power and shall be capable of being simultaneously closed from a central control situated on the bridge, provided that, if there is only one such door and it is in the machinery space, it shall not be required to be operated by power.

• (3) Where a sliding watertight door that may be opened at sea for the purpose of trimming coal is fitted between bunkers in the between decks below the bulkhead deck, such door shall be operated by power.

• (4) Where a trunkway that is part of a refrigeration, ventilation or forced draught system, is carried through more than one transverse watertight bulkhead and the sill of the opening of such trunkway is less than 2.13 m above the deepest subdivision load water line, the sliding watertight door at the opening shall be operated by power.

• (5) Where a sliding watertight door is required to be operated by power from a central control, the power system shall be so arranged that the door can also be operated by power at the door itself; the arrangement shall be such that the door will close automatically if opened at the door itself after being closed from the central control, and will be capable of being kept closed at the door itself notwithstanding that an attempt may be made to open it from the central control; handles for controlling the power system shall be provided at both sides of the bulkhead in which the door is situated and shall be so arranged that any person passing through the doorway will be able to hold both handles in the open position simultaneously.

• (6) Where these Regulations require that the opening and closing of the sliding watertight doors of a ship be operated by power,

  • (a) there shall be at least two sources of power for opening and closing all such doors simultaneously;

  • (b) an indicator shall be fitted at the central control site for such doors, to show whether there is any disruption in the power available to operate them;

  • (c) any fluid used for the purpose of operating such doors shall be incapable of freezing at the temperatures likely to be encountered on the voyages the ship makes;

  • (d) there shall, in the case of an electro-hydraulic operating system, be two sources of hydraulic power fitted, consisting of two pumps or their equivalent, in addition to the main and emergency sources of power.

• (7) Every sliding watertight door that is operated by power shall be provided with efficient hand-operating gear that can be operated both at the door itself and at an accessible position above the bulkhead deck; at the position above the bulkhead deck the hand-operating gear shall be operated with an all-round crank motion.

• (8) Where a sliding watertight door is not required to be operated by power, it shall be provided with efficient hand-operating gear with an all-round crank motion, both at the door itself and at an accessible position above the bulkhead deck.

• (9) The hand-operating gear for operating the sliding watertight door in the machinery space from above the bulkhead deck shall be placed outside the machinery space unless such a position is inconsistent with the efficient arrangement of the necessary gearing.

• (10) The master and persons in charge of the navigation and engine room watches shall ensure that all sliding watertight doors are kept closed during navigation except when necessarily opened for the working of the ship, in which case such doors shall always be ready to be immediately closed and the master shall ensure that notices to this effect are posted in the Chart Room and at the doors on each side of the bulkhead.

Watertight Doors — Signals and Communications

• 17 (1) Every sliding watertight door shall be connected with an indicator at each position from which the door may be closed, other than at the door itself, showing whether the door is open or closed.

• (2) There shall be provided in connection with every watertight door that is operated by power a means of giving an audible warning at the door itself when the door is about to be closed; the arrangement shall be such that one movement at the position from which the door is about to be closed will be sufficient to sound the signal and to close the door, the signal to precede the movement of the door by an interval sufficient to allow the movement of persons and articles away from the door.

• (3) Where any door required by these Regulations to be watertight is not capable of being operated from a central control, means of communication by telegraph, telephone or otherwise shall be provided whereby the officer of the watch may communicate with the person responsible for the closing of the door.

Construction of Watertight Doors

• 18 (1) Every door required by these Regulations to be watertight shall be of such design, material and construction as will maintain the integrity of the watertight bulkhead in which it is fitted; any such door giving direct access to any space that may contain bunker coal shall, together with its frame, be made of cast or mild steel; any such door in any other position shall, together with its frame, be made of cast or mild steel or cast iron.

• (2) Every sliding watertight door shall be fitted with rubbing faces of brass or similar material that may be fitted either on the door itself or on the door frame, and, if they are of less than 25 mm in width, shall be fitted in recesses.

• (3) Where screw gear is used for operating such a door, the screw shall work in a nut of suitable non-corrodible metal.

• (4) The frame of every vertically sliding watertight door shall have no grooves at the bottom thereof in which dirt may lodge; the bottom of such a frame, if it is of skeleton form, shall be so arranged that dirt cannot lodge therein; the bottom edge of every such door shall be tapered or bevelled.

• (5) Every vertically sliding watertight door that is operated by power shall be so designed and fitted that, if the power supply ceases, there will be no danger of the door dropping.

• (6) Every horizontally sliding watertight door shall be so installed as to prevent its moving if the ship rolls, and if necessary a clip or other suitable device shall be provided for that purpose; the device shall not interfere with the closing of the door when the door is required to be closed.

• (7) The frame of every watertight door shall be properly fitted to the bulkhead in which the door is situated, and the jointing material between the frame and the bulkhead shall be of a type that will not deteriorate or be injured by heat.

• (8) Every watertight coal-bunker door shall be provided with screens or other devices to prevent coal from interfering with its closing.

• (9) Every watertight door shall be tested at the maker’s plant by water pressure to a head taken from the bottom of the door to the margin line, but in no case shall the test pressure be less than 6.1 m head for sliding doors and 3 m head for hinged doors; where there are several doors of the same type to be fitted, one of the type may be so tested and, provided the test is satisfactory, the remainder may be accepted; after installation in the ship, each watertight door shall be hose tested at a minimum pressure of 207 kPa to ensure integrity of the watertight bulkhead.

Openings in the Shell Plating below the Margin Line

• 19 (1) In every ship the number of side scuttles, scuppers, sanitary discharges and other openings in the shell plating below the margin line shall be the minimum compatible with the design and proper working of the ship, and no side scuttles shall be fitted below the bulkhead deck in ships of less than 150 tons, gross tonnage.

• (2) The arrangements for closing each such opening below the margin line shall be consistent with its intended purpose and shall be such as will ensure watertightness.

• (3) In every ship of 150 tons, gross tonnage, or over,

  • (a) the number of side scuttles below the margin line that are capable of being opened shall be the minimum compatible with the requirements of the proper operation of the ship;

  • (b) where in a between decks of such a ship the sills of any side scuttles are below a line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at side and having its lowest point 2 1/2 per cent of the breadth of the ship above the deepest subdivision load water line, every side scuttle in that between decks shall be of a non-opening type;

  • (c) where in a between decks all the sills of the side scuttles are above the aforesaid line, every side scuttle in that between decks shall be either of a non-opening type or incapable of being opened except by a person authorized to do so by the master of the ship;

  • (d) where other than non-opening type side scuttles are fitted, a notice shall be posted in the Chart Room stating that such side scuttles are required to be closed before the ship proceeds to sea and shall be kept closed while the ship is at sea; and

  • (e) similar notices shall be posted in the spaces within which such side scuttles are situated.

• (4) In every ship of 150 tons, gross tonnage, or over, every side scuttle below the margin line shall be fitted with an efficient hinged deadlight of material other than ordinary cast iron, permanently attached, so that it can be readily and effectively closed and secured watertight, provided that abaft a point one-eighth of the length of the ship from the forward perpendicular and above a line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at side and having its lowest point at a height of 3.66 m plus 2 1/2 per cent of the breadth of the ship above the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line, deadlights may, for the purposes of these Regulations, be portable in crew spaces and in passenger spaces not appropriated for the use of steerage passengers.

• (5) Side scuttles shall not be fitted below the margin line in any space that is appropriated solely to the carriage of cargo or coal; if side scuttles are fitted in spaces below the margin line that may be appropriated to the carriage of cargo or passengers, such side scuttles and their deadlights shall be so constructed as to be incapable of being opened except by a person authorized to do so by the master of the ship; where other than non-opening type side scuttles are fitted, a notice shall be posted in the Chart Room stating that such side scuttles are required to be closed before the ship proceeds to sea and shall be kept closed while the ship is at sea; similar notices shall be posted in the spaces within which such side scuttles are situated.

• (6) Automatic ventilating side scuttles shall not be fitted below the margin line in the shell plating of any such ship.

• (7) In every ship

  • (a) each inlet and discharge led through the shell plating below the margin line shall be fitted with efficient and readily accessible means for preventing the accidental admission of water into the ship;

  • (b) without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, each discharge led through the shell plating from spaces below the margin line, not being a discharge in connection with machinery, shall be provided with either

    • (i) one automatic non-return valve fitted with a positive means by which it can be closed from a readily accessible position above the ship’s bulkhead deck and with an indicator at the position from which the valve may be closed to show whether the valve is open or shut, or

    • (ii) two automatic non-return valves, the upper of which is so situated above the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line as to be always accessible for examination under service conditions and is of a horizontal balanced type that is normally closed;

  • (c) any valve fitted in compliance with the requirements of paragraph (b) that is a geared valve, or the lower of two non-geared valves, shall be secured to the ship’s shell plating;

  • (d) all cocks and valves attached to inlets or discharges, or bulkhead fittings within B/5 distance from the shell plating, other than inlets or discharges connected with machinery, being cocks or valves fitted below the margin line or the failure of which may affect the subdivision of the ship, shall be made of steel, bronze, or other equally efficient material;

  • (e) main and auxiliary inlets and discharges connected with machinery shall be fitted with readily accessible cocks or valves between the pipes and the ship’s shell plating or between the pipes and a fabricated box attached to the shell plating and such cocks or valves of more than 76 mm diameter attached to such inlets or discharges shall be made of steel, bronze, or other equally efficient material; if made of steel they shall be protected against corrosion;

  • (f) discharge pipes led through the shell plating below the margin line shall not be fitted in a direct line between the outboard opening and the connection with the deck, water closet or other similar fitting, but shall be arranged with bends or elbows of substantial metal other than cast iron or lead;

  • (g) all discharge pipes led through the shell plating below the margin line and the valves relating thereto shall be protected from damage;

  • (h) all bolts connecting cocks, valves, discharge pipes and other similar equipment to the shell plating below the margin line shall have their heads outside the shell plating, and shall be either countersunk or cup-headed;

  • (i) efficient means shall be provided for the drainage of all watertight decks below the margin line and any drainage pipes shall be so fitted with valves or otherwise arranged as to avoid the danger of water passing from a damaged to an undamaged compartment;

  • (j) the inboard opening of every ash chute, rubbish chute and other similar chute shall be fitted with an efficient watertight cover, and, if such opening is below the margin line, it shall also be fitted with an automatic non-return valve in the chute in a readily accessible position above the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line; the valve shall be of the horizontal balanced type, normally closed and provided with local means for securing it in a closed position; when chutes are not being used, the cover and valve shall be kept closed and secured, and a permanent notice to this effect shall be posted in close proximity to the chute hopper; the requirements of this paragraph shall not apply to ash ejectors and expellers the inboard openings of which are in the ship’s stokehold and necessarily below the deepest subdivision load water line; such ejectors and expellers shall be fitted with means that will prevent water from entering the ship; and

  • (k) any gangway port, cargo port or coaling port fitted below the margin line shall be of adequate strength and its lowest point shall not be below the ship’s deepest subdivision load water line; an appropriate notice shall be posted in the Chart Room stating that all such gangway ports, cargo ports or coaling ports shall be effectively closed and secured watertight before the ship leaves port and shall be kept closed during navigation.