S.I. No. 238/1968 - Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) (Deck Cargo) Regulations, 1968.

S.I. No. 238 of 1968.

MERCHANT SHIPPING (LOAD LINES) (DECK CARGO) REGULATIONS, 1968.

I ERSKINE H. CHILDERS, Minister for Transport and Power, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 25 of the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) Act, 1968 (No. 17 of 1968), and having had regard in particular to the provisions of Chapter IV of the Convention of 1966, hereby make the following regulations :—

PART I.General.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) (Deck Cargo) Regulations, 1968, and shall come into operation on the 28th day of November, 1968.

2. In these Regulations—

"deck cargo" means cargo carried in any uncovered space on the deck of a ship to which the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) Act, 1968 (No. 17 of 1968), applies;

"the General Rules" means the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) Rules, 1968 ( S.I. No. 205 of 1968 );

"load line" means a load line mentioned in Rule 18 or 19 of the General Rules;

"standard height" in relation to a superstructure means the height ascertained in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule to the General Rules;

"superstructure" has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of the Fourth Schedule to the General Rules;

"timber deck cargo" means deck cargo consisting of timber;

"timber load line" means a timber load line described in Rule 19 of the General Rules;

"watertight" means capable of preventing the passage of water in any direction;

"weather deck" means the uppermost complete deck exposed to weather and sea, a deck which is stepped being taken to consist for this purpose of the lowest line of the deck and the continuation of that line parallel to the upper part of the deck;

"weathertight" has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of the Fourth Schedule to the General Rules.

PART II.General Requirements Applicable to all Deck Cargo.

3. The requirements of this Part shall, except as otherwise provided in Part III of these Regulations, apply in respect of all deck cargo.

4. Deck cargo shall be distributed and stowed on a ship so—

(a) as to avoid excessive loading having regard to the strength of the deck and integral supporting structure of the ship;

(b) as to ensure that the ship will retain adequate stability at all stages of a voyage having regard in particular to—

(i) the vertical distribution of the deck cargo,

(ii) wind moments which may normally be expected on the voyage,

(iii) losses of weight in the ship, including in particular those due to the consumption of fuel and stores, and

(iv) possible increases of weight of the ship or deck cargo, including in particular those due to the absorption of water or to icing;

(c) as not to impair the weathertight or watertight integrity of any part of the ship or its fittings or appliances, and as to ensure the proper protection of ventilators and air pipes;

(d) that its height above the deck or any other part of the ship on which it stands will not interfere with the navigation or working of the ship;

(e) that it will neither interfere with nor obstruct access to the ship's steering arrangements, including emergency steering arrangements;

(f) that it will neither interfere with nor obstruct safe and efficient access by the crew to or between their quarters and any machinery space or other part of the ship used in the working of the ship, and will not in particular obstruct any opening giving access to those parts of the ship nor impede its being readily secured weathertight.

5. Deck cargo shall be secured so as to ensure, as far as practicable, that there will be no movement of such cargo relative to a ship in the worst sea and weather conditions which may normally be expected on the particular voyage, and for that purpose the lashings and all fittings used for their attachment shall be of adequate strength.

6. (1) Except where access for the crew between their quarters and the machinery spaces and other parts of a ship used in the working of the ship is provided by means of a passage suitable for the purpose and situated on or under the deck carrying the deck cargo, such access shall be provided by means of a walkway which complies with the requirements of the following paragraph.

(2) The walkway mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be not less than 1 metre in width, and shall be fitted over the deck cargo and effectively secured so as to provide safe and efficient access for the crew between the parts of a ship mentioned in the said paragraph. It shall be fitted on each side with a set of efficient guard rails or guard wires not less than 1 metre in height and consisting of not less than three courses of rails or wires supported by stanchions securely fitted to the walkway at intervals not exceeding 1.5 metres. No opening in the guard rails or guard wires below the lowest course shall exceed 230 millimetres in height and no opening above that course shall exceed 380 millimetres in height.

PART III.Additional Requirements Applicable to Timber Deck Cargo.

7. The requirements set out in Sections A and B of this Part shall apply in respect of timber deck cargo in the circumstances specified in the said Sections respectively; and the requirements set out in Part II of these Regulations shall also apply in respect of such cargo except in so far as compliance therewith would be inconsistent with compliance with the requirements of the said Sections.

SECTION A.

8. The requirements of this Section shall apply in respect of timber deck cargo carried by a ship which—

(a) is not marked with timber load lines; or

(b) is so marked, but is loaded to a depth being less than that indicated by the load line which, if timber load lines were not marked, would be appropriate in the circumstances.

9. Timber deck cargo carried by a ship within any area specified in column I of the Schedule to these Regulations as a Winter Seasonal Area in relation to that ship, during the period specified in relation to that area in column 2 of that Schedule as the Winter period for the ship, shall be stowed so that the height of the timber deck cargo above the level of the weather deck at side does not at any point throughout its length exceed one third of the extreme breadth of the ship.

10. Where the timber deck cargo occupies the whole or substantially the whole of the uncovered space on the deck of a ship, means of access for the crew between their quarters and the machinery spaces and other parts of the ship used in the working of the ship shall be provided in the form of a walkway fitted over the timber deck cargo and such walkway shall comply with the requirements specified in Regulation 6 (2) of these Regulations. Such walkway shall be provided notwithstanding that a passage on or under the deck as described in Regulation 6 (1) of these Regulations is also provided.

11. Timber deck cargo shall be compactly stowed and secured throughout its length by a system of overall lashings of adequate strength to ensure that, as far as practicable, there will be no movement of such cargo relative to a ship in the worst sea and weather conditions which may normally be expected on a particular voyage. Efficient arrangements for the release of such lashings and of other fittings used in conjunction therewith shall be provided and be situated so as to be readily accessible at all times.

12. If the nature of the timber is such that uprights are necessary in order to comply with the requirements of the preceding Regulation, uprights shall be fitted which are of sufficient strength. They shall be secured in position by suitable angles or metal sockets or by other suitable means and shall be spaced so as to provide efficient support taking into account the nature and length of the timber: provided that the space between any two uprights fore and aft shall not exceed 3 metres.

SECTION B

13. The requirements of this Section shall apply in respect of timber deck cargo carried by a ship which is marked with timber load lines and is loaded to a depth being greater than that indicated by the load line which, if timber load lines were not marked, would be appropriate in the circumstances. The requirements of Section A of this Part shall also apply in such a case except insofar as compliance therewith would be inconsistent with compliance with the requirements of this Section.

14. (1) Timber deck cargo stowed in any well between superstructures shall, so far as is practicable in the particular circumstances, be stowed so as to extend solidly over the entire available length of the well to a height of not less than the standard height of a superstructure other than a raised quarter deck.

(2) Timber deck cargo stowed in a position having a limiting superstructure at the forward end but no such superstructure at the after end shall be stowed so as to extend over the entire available length between such superstructure and the after end of the after most hatchway, in the manner and to the height specified in paragraph (1) of this Regulation.

15. (1) Subject to paragraph (3) of this Regulation, timber deck cargo shall be efficiently secured throughout its length by independent overall lashings spaced not more than 3 metres apart. Eye plates for such lashings shall be efficiently attached to the sheer strake or to the deck stringer plate at intervals of not more than 3 metres. The distance from an end bulk-head of a superstructure to the first eye plate shall be not more than 2 metres. Where there is no bulkhead, eye plates and lashings shall be provided at distances of 0.6 metres and 1.5 metres respectively from each end of the timber deck cargo.

(2) Lashings mentioned in paragraph (1) of this Regulation shall be of not less than 19 millimetres close link chain or of flexible wire rope of equivalent strength, fitted with sliphooks and turnbuckles position so as to be accessible at all times. Any such lashings which are made of wire rope shall have a length of long link chain sufficient to permit the length of the lashings to be regulated.

(3) When timber in a timber deck cargo is in lengths less than 3.6 metres either the spacing of the lashings mentioned in paragraph (1) of this Regulation shall be reduced or suitable provision shall be made to suit the length of the timber.

SCHEDULE

Regulation 9.

Column 1	Column 2
WINTER SEASONAL ZONES OR AREAS FOR ALL SHIPS	WINTER PERIOD
1. North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone I	16th October to 15th April.
The area lying within the meridian of longitude 50°W from the coast of Greenland to latitude 45°N, thence the parallel of latitude 46°N to longitude 15°W, thence the meirdian of longitude 15°W to latitude 60°N, thence the parallel of latitude 60°N to the Greenwich Meridian, thence this meridian northwards.
2. North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II	1st November to 31st March.
The area lying within the meridian of longitude 68°30'W from the coast of the United States to latitude 40°N, thence the rhumb line to the point latitude 36°N longitude 73°W, thence the parallel of latitude 36°N to longitude 25°W and thence the rhumb line to Cape Toriana.
Excluded from this area are the areas numbered 1 and 3 and the Baltic Sea bounded by the parallel of latitude of the Skaw in the Skagerrak.
The Shetland Islands are to be considered as being on the boundary line between the area numbered 1 and this area.
3. North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Area
The area lying within the meridian of longitude 68°30'W from the coast of the United States to latitude 40°N, thence the rhumb line to the southernmost intersection of the meridian of longitude 61 °W with the coast of Canada and thence the east coasts of Canada and the United States.	For ships over 100 metres in length: 16th December to 15th February. For ships of 100 metres or less in length: 1st November to 31st March.
4. North Pacific Winter Seasonal Zone	16th October to 15th April.
The area having as its southern boundary the parallel of latitude 50°N from the east coast of the U.S.S.R. to the west coast of Sakhalin, thence the west coast of Sakhalin to the southern extremity of Cape Kril'on, thence the rhumb line to Wakkanai. Hokkaido, Japan, thence the cast and south coasts of Hokkaido to longitude 145°E thence the meridian of longitude 145°E to latitude 35°N, thence the parallel of latitude 35°N to longitude 150°W and thence the rhumb line to the southern extremity of Ball Island, Alaska.
5. Southern Winter Seasonal Zone	16th April to 15th October.
The area having as its northern boundary the rhumb line from the east coast of the American continent at Cape Tres Puntas to the point latitude 34°S, longitude 50°W, thence the parallel of latitude 34°S to longitude 17°E, thence the rhumb line to the point latitude 35°10'S, longitude 20°E, thence the rhumb line to latitude 34°S, longitude 28°E, thence the rhumb line to the point latitude 35°30'S, longitude 118°E, and thence the rhumb line to Cape Grim on the north-west coast of Tasmania; thence along the north and east coasts of Tasmania to the southernmost point of Bruny Island, thence the rhumb line to Black Rock Point on Stewart Island, thence the rhumb line to the point latitude 47°S, longitude 170°E, thence the rhumb line to the point latitude 33°S, longitude 170°W, and thence the parallel of latitude 33°S to the west coast of the American continent.
Valparaiso is to be considered as being on the boundary line of this area.
ADDITIONAL WINTER SEASONAL AREAS FOR SHIPS OF 100 METRES OR LESS IN LENGTH.
6. Baltic Sea	1st November to 31st March.
The Baltic Sea bounded by the parallel of latitude of the Skaw in the Skagerrak.
7. Area of Black Sea The area of the Black Sea lying north of latitude 44°N.	1st December to 28th/29th February.
8. Area of Mediterranean	16th December to 15th March.
The area of the Mediterranean bounded on the north and west by the coasts of France and Spain and the meridian of longitude 3°E from the coast of Spain to latitude 40°N; on the south by the parallel of latitude 40°N from longitude 3°E to the west coast of Sardinia; on the east by the west and north coasts of Sardinia from latitude 40°N to longitude 9°E, thence by the meridian of longitude 9°E to the south coast of Corsica, thence by the west and north coasts of Corsica to longitude 9°E and thence by the rhumb line to Cape Sicié.
9. Area of Sea of Japan	1st December to 28th/29th February.
The area of the Sea of Japan lying between the parallel of latitude 50°N and the rhumb line from east coast of Korea at latitude 38°N to the west coast of Hokkaido, Japan, at latitude 43°12'N.
10. Special Winter Seasonal Area in North Atlantic	1st November to 31st March.
The area bounded on the north and west by the east coast of the United States; on the east by the meridian of longitude 68°30'W from the coast of the United States to latitude 40°N and thence by the rhumb line to the point latitude 36°N, longitude 73°W; on the south by the parallel of latitude 36°N.

11. Ports on boundary lines

For the purposes of the application of the provisions of this Schedule—

(1) to a ship at a port which stands on, or is required under the foregoing provisions of this Schedule to be considered as being on, the boundary line between two zones or areas specified herein or between a zone and an area so specified, the port shall be deemed to be within the zone or area into which the ship is about to proceed or from which she has arrived, as the case may be.

(2) to a ship at a port which stands on, or is required as aforesaid to be considered as being on, the boundary line of a zone or area (not being a port falling within sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph) the port shall be deemed to be within that zone or area only if the ship is proceeding to or has arrived from that zone or area, as the case may be.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 20th day of November, 1968.

ERSKINE H. CHILDERS,

Minister for Transport and Power.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations, made pursuant to the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) Act, 1968 , prescribe the requirements to be complied with in respect of cargo carried in uncovered spaces on the deck of a ship.