The Indian Merchant Shipping (Closing of Openings In Hulls And In Watertight Bulkheads) Rules, 1956

Published vide Notification Gazette in India, Extraordinary 1957, Part 2, Section 3, Page 297. Deemed to be in force by virtue of Section 236(2)(g) read with Section 461(3) of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958).

1896

S.R.O. 331, dated 12th January, 1957. - In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 145A of the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1923 (21 of 1923), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, the same having been previously published as required by sub-section (1) of the said section, namely :-

Short title, commencement and application.- (1) These rules may be called the Indian Merchant Shipping (Closing of Openings in Hulls and in Watertight Bulkheads) Rules, 1956.

(2) They shall come into force on the 1st February, 1957.

(3) The rules shall apply to every ship for which a certificate of survey is required under Part Ill of the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1923 (21 of 1923).

Definitions.- (1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires--

(a) "breadth of the ship" means the greatest moulded breadth at or below the ship's deepest sub-division load water line;

(b) "bulkhead deck" means the uppermost deck up to which transverse watertight bulkheads are carried;

(c) "margin line" means a line drawn at least three inches below the upper surface of the bulkhead deck at the side of a ship, and assumed for the purpose of determining the floodable length of the ship.

(2) For the purposes of these rules a ship shall be deemed to 'proceed to sea' when she leaves a mooring or anchorage at a port for that purpose and to be ht sea until she has been secured at a mooring or anchorage at a port.

Closing of contrivances.- -(1) In every ship to which these rules apply, the contrivances mentioned in sub-rule (2) shall immediately before the ship proceeds to sea, be securely closed, and shall be kept so closed while the ship is at sea.

(2) The contrivances referred to in sub-rule (1) are as follows :-

(a) hinged watertight doors below the margin line which are fitted in bulkheads required by the Indian Merchant Shipping (Construction and Survey of Passenger Steamers) Rules, 1956, to be watertight and which divide cargo between deck spaces;

(b) all sidescuttles which can be opened and which are situated in any between decks and below the margin line, if any of such sidescuttles have their sills below a line drawn parallel to the bulkhead deck at the side of the ship and having its lowest point 4½ ft. in addition to 2½ percent, of the breadth of the ship above the water when the ship is first afloat in sea water after proceeding to sea; Provided that in fair weather in tropical zones within the meaning of the Indian Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Rules, 1934 (including seasonal tropical zones in the appropriate seasons), this clause shall have effect as if the figures and word "3½ ft." were substituted for the figures and word "4½ ft.";

(c) sidescuttles below the margin line which will not be accessible while the ship is at sea, together with their deadlight;

(d) sidescuttles below the margin line situated in spaces appropriated alternatively for the carriage of cargo or passengers, together with their deadlights, when the space in which they are situated is used for the carriage of cargo;

(e) gangway, cargo and coaling ports below the margin line.

(3) For the purposes of this rule, a contrivance shall be deemed to be below the margin line if the sill of the contrivance is below that line Fund a sidescuttle shall not be deemed to be closed it is locked.

Closing of doors.- In every ship to which these rules apply, every watertight door, not being a door referred to in clause (a) of sub-rule (2) of rule 3, shall be kept closed while the ship is at sea except when it is required to be open for the working of the ship. When open, every such door shall be kept free from obstructions which might prevent its rapid closure.
Portable plates.- In every ship to which these rules apply, every portable plate closing an opening in any portion of the internal structure of the ship, which is required by the Indian Merchant Shipping (Construction and Survey of Passengers Steamers) Rules, 1956, to be watertight, being an opening which is wholly or partly below the margin line, shall be in place when the ship proceeds to sea and shall be kept in place while the ship is at sea, except in case of urgent necessity. In replacing any such plate all reasonable precautions shall be taken to ensure that the joints are watertight.
Contrivances not in use to be closed.- In every ship to which these rules apply the cover and valve of any ash-shoot, rubbish-shoot or other similar contrivance having its inboard opening below the margin line shall be kept securely closed when the device is not is use.
Drill.- (1) In every ship to which these rules apply, all watertight door and other contrivances referred to in rules 3, 4, and 6 shall be opened and closed for purposes of drill---

(a) at intervals of not more than seven days; and

(b) immediately before the ship proceeds to sea, if the ship is intended to remain at sea for a period of more than seven days:

Provided that nothing in this sub-rule shall be taken to authorise the opening, while the ship is at sea, of any watertight door or other contrivance which is required by rule 3 to be kept closed.

(2) In every ship to which these rules apply, all watertight doors fitted in transverse bulkheads required by the Indian Merchant Shipping (Construction and Survey of Passenger Steamers) Rules, 1956 to be watertight (not being doors required by these rules to be kept closed when the ship is at sea), shall be opened and closed for the purposes of drill once in every period of twenty-four hours when the ship is at sea, if such doors are both--

(a) hinged, or operated by power; and

(b) required to be open for the working of the ship at any time while the ship is at sea :

Provided that nothing in this sub-rule shall require any bunker door to be opened and closed during any voyage before it has been opened for the working of the ship during that voyage.

Inspection.- In every ship to which these rules apply-

(a) all watertight doors,

(b) all mechanisms, indicators and warning devices connected with such doors,

(d) all valves the operation of which is necessary for the efficient operation of damage-control cross-connections.

shall be inspected at intervals of not more than seven days by a person appointed for that purpose by the Master of the ship.

Entries in log-book.- In every ship to which these rules apply, entries shall be made in the official log-book recording the following :-

(a) the time of the last closing, before the ship proceeds to sea, of the watertight doors and other contrivances referred to in rule 3 and of the next subsequent opening of such doors and contrivances;

(b) the time of the closing and opening while the ship is at sea, of any watertight door which is fitted between bunkers in the between decks below the the bulkhead deck;

(c) whether the portable plates referred to in rule 5 are in place when the ship proceeds to sea, and the times, if any, of the removal and replacement of such plates when the ship is at sea; and

(d) the occasions on which drills are practised and inspections made in compliance with the foregoing provisions of these rules, and whether the contrivances to which such drills and inspections relate are in good working order.

Penalty.- Whoever does any act, in contravention of any of the provisions of these rules, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, and when the breach is a continuing breach with a further fine which may extend to twenty rupees for every day after the first during which the breach continues.