Merchant Shipping (Closing of Openings in Hulls and in Watertight Bulkheads) Rules, 1983.
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

num: 1
paragraphs: (1) These Rules may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Closing of Openings in Hulls and in Watertight Bulkheads) Rules, 1983 and shall come into operation on the 1st day of December, 1983.
(2) In these Rules—
"breadth of the ship", "bulkhead deck" and "margin line" have the same meanings as in the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Rules, 1983 ( S.I. No. 300 of 1983 ).
(3) For the purpose 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 at sea until she has been secured at a mooring or anchorage at a port.
(4) These Rules apply to passenger ships registered in the State.
(5) The Merchant Shipping (Closing of Openings in Hulls and in Watertight Bulkheads) Rules, 1967 ( S.I. No. 109 of 1967 ) are hereby revoked.
num: 2
paragraphs: (1) The master shall ensure that in every ship to which these Rules apply the contrivances to which this Rule relates 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 to which this rule relates are the following:—
( a ) watertight doors below the margin line which are fitted in bulkheads required by the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Rules, 1983 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 having its lowest point 1.37 metres in addition to 2½ per cent 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 Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Rules, 1968 ( S.I. No. 205 of 1968 ), (including seasonal tropical zones in the appropriate seasons), this sub-paragraph shall have effect as if "1.07 metres" were substituted for "1.37 metres";
( c ) sidescuttles below the margin line which will not be accessible while the ship is at sea, together with their deadlights;
( d ) sidescuttles below the margin line situated in spaces appropriated alternatively to 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 and a sidescuttle shall not be deemed to be closed unless it is locked.
num: 3
paragraphs: The master shall ensure that in every ship to which these Rules apply every watertight door, not being a door referred to in Rule 2 (2) (a) of these Rules, shall be kept closed while the ship is at sea except when it is required to be open for the working of the ship, and when open, every such door shall be kept free from obstructions which might prevent its rapid closure.
num: 4
paragraphs: The master shall ensure that 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 Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Rules, 1983 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.
num: 5
paragraphs: The master shall ensure that 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 in use.
num: 6
paragraphs: (1) The master shall ensure that in every ship to which these Rules apply all watertight doors and other contrivances referred to in Rules 2, 3 or 5 of these Rules 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 paragraph 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 2 of these Rules to be kept closed.
(2) In every ship to which these Rules apply all watertight doors fitted in transverse bulkheads required by the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Rules 1983 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 purpose of drill once in every period of 24 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 paragraph 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.
num: 7
paragraphs: The master shall ensure that in every ship to which these Rules apply:
( a ) all watertight doors;
( b ) all mechanisms, indicators and warning devices connected with such doors;
( c ) all valves, the closing of which is necessary to make watertight any compartment below the margin line; and
( 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.
num: 8
paragraphs: The master shall ensure that in every ship to which these Rules apply entries shall be made in the official log-book recording the following:—
( a ) the times of the last closing, before the ship proceeds to sea, of the watertight doors and other contrivances referred to in Rule 2 of these Rules and of the next subsequent opening of such doors and contrivances;
( b ) the times 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 bulkhead deck;
( c ) whether the portable plates referred to in Rule 4 of these Rules 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.