Hull Construction Regulations — 14
14 (1) In every ship the number of openings in bulkheads and other structures required to be watertight shall be the minimum compatible with the design and proper working of the ship. (2) So far as practicable, trunks installed in connection with ventilation, forced draught or refrigeration systems in any ship shall not pierce such bulkheads or structures. (3) Every tunnel above the double bottom, if any, in a ship, whether for access from the crew space to the machinery space, for piping or for any other purpose, which passes through a bulkhead, shall be watertight; the means of access to at least one end of such tunnel, if it may be used as a passage at sea, shall be through a trunkway extending watertight to a height sufficient to permit access above the margin line; the means of access to the other end of the tunnel shall be through a watertight door; no tunnel shall extend through the first subdivision bulkhead abaft the collision bulkhead. (4) Not more than one doorway, other than a bunker or tunnel doorway, shall pierce a watertight bulkhead in the machinery space in any ship; if any such bulkhead is pierced by a doorway the doorway shall be placed so as to have the sill as high as possible in the ship. (5) Doorways, manholes and access openings shall not be fitted in the collision bulkhead below the margin line of any ship or in any other bulkhead that is required to be watertight and divides a cargo space from another cargo space or from a permanent or reserve bunker; the Board may permit any such ship to be fitted with doorways in bulkheads dividing two between deck cargo spaces if it is satisfied that (a) the doorways are necessary for the proper working of the ship; (b) the number of such doorways is the minimum compatible with the design and proper working of the ship, and the doorways are fitted at the highest practicable level; and (c) the outboard vertical edges of such doorways are situated at a distance from the ship’s shell plating which is not less than one fifth of the breadth of the ship, such distance being measured at right angles to the centre line of the ship at the level of the deepest subdivision load water line. (6) In every ship (a) bulkheads outside the machinery space that are required to be watertight shall not be pierced by openings that are capable of being closed only by portable bolted plates; and (b) where portable bolted plates are permitted in machinery space bulkheads, the master and persons in charge of the navigation and engine room watches shall ensure that such plates are in place before the ship leaves port and are not removed during navigation except in the case of urgent necessity, and the master shall ensure that notices to this effect are posted in the Chart Room and at the openings on each side of the bulkhead. (7) In every ship (a) valves and cocks not forming part of a pipe system shall not be fitted in any bulkhead required to be watertight; (b) where a watertight bulkhead is pierced by pipes, scuppers, electric cables or other similar fittings, provision shall be made that will ensure that the watertightness of the bulkhead is not thereby impaired; and (c) the collision bulkhead shall not be pierced below the margin line by more than one pipe, provided that if the forepeak is divided to hold two different kinds of liquids the collision bulkhead may be pierced below the margin line by not more than two pipes; any pipe which pierces the collision bulkhead shall be fitted with a screwdown valve capable of being operated from above the bulkhead deck, the valve chest being secured to the forward side of the collision bulkhead. SOR/79-44, s. 1