### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Load Line) Regulations 《商船(安全)(載重線)規例》

1AB. Meaning of length

1B. Ships to which the regulations apply
(1) These regulations apply to all ships except— (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(a) ships of war;
(b) fishing vessels;
(c) pleasure vessels not engaged in trade; and (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(d) (Repealed 43 of 1999 s. 91)(e) local vessels. (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(2) In this regulation—
fishing vessel (漁船) means a ship that is used for catching fish, whales, seals, walrus or other living resources of the sea;
local vessel (本地船隻) means a local vessel as defined by section 2 of the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance (Cap. 548);
pleasure vessel (遊樂船隻) means a vessel primarily used for sport or recreation. (L.N. 47 of 2018)

2. Application to Assigning Authority for the assignment of freeboards and issue of load line certificates
(1) The Assigning Authority for the purposes of these regulations shall be the Director or any person authorised by the Director. (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(2) Application for the assignment of freeboards to a ship and for the issue of a load line certificate in respect of the ship shall be made to an Assigning Authority by or on behalf of the owner of the ship, who shall furnish to the Authority such plans, drawings, specifications and other documents and information relating to the design and construction of the ship as the Authority may require.

### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Load Line) Regulations 《商船(安全)(載重線)規例》

3. Load line survey
(1) After receipt of the application and the documents and information required by regulation 2 the Assigning Authority shall cause the ship to be surveyed by a Surveyor in order to ascertain— (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(a)  the following—
(i) for a pre-2005 ship—whether the ship complies with the requirements of regulation 23(3);
(ii) for a post-2005 ship—whether the ship complies with the requirements of regulation 23(3B); and (L.N. 47 of 2018)

(b) such other data as may be necessary—
(i) for the assignment of freeboards to the ship in accordance with Part IV; and (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(ii) to enable information to be supplied to the master of the ship pursuant to regulations 30 and 31.
(2) In the course of the survey to be carried out pursuant to subregulation (1) the ship and any of her fittings or equipment shall be submitted to such tests as may in the opinion of the Assigning Authority be necessary to ascertain the matters referred to in that subregulation. Tests carried out as to stability are— (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(a) for a pre-2005 ship—the tests referred to in regulation 30; or
(b) for a post-2005 ship—the tests referred to in regulation 30 and Regulation 10 of Annex I. (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(3) The owner of the ship shall afford all necessary facilities for such survey and shall at the request of the Assigning Authority furnish for the Authority’s use and retention if required such further documents or information relating to the ship as the Authority may require.

### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Load Line) Regulations 《商船(安全)(載重線)規例》

4. Surveyor’s report
(1) On completion of the survey the Surveyor shall furnish to the Assigning Authority a report giving the results of the survey and his findings in relation to the matters specified in regulation 3.
(2) There shall be appended to the report the record of particulars required for the purposes of section 102(1)(g) of the Ordinance and the requirements of regulation 25 shall apply in respect of that record.
(3) In the case of a ship which is required to comply with the requirements relating to stability as set out in subregulation (4), the Surveyor must furnish to the Assigning Authority information necessary to enable the Authority to determine whether the ship complies with those requirements. (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(4) For the purposes of subregulation (3)—
(a) a ship constructed before 1 July 2010 is required to comply with Schedule 4; and
(b) a ship constructed on or after 1 July 2010 is required to comply with Part A of 2008 IS Code. (L.N. 47 of 2018)

5. Assignment of freeboards
(1) The Assigning Authority must assign freeboards to a ship in accordance with Part IV, if the Authority is satisfied, based on a Surveyor’s report, that—
(a) for a pre-2005 ship—the ship complies with the requirements of regulation 23(3); or
(b) for a post-2005 ship—the ship complies with the requirements of regulation 23(3B). (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(2) On assigning freeboards the Assigning Authority shall furnish to the owner of the ship—
(a) particulars of the freeboards so assigned;
(b) directions specifying—
(i) which of the load lines described in Part II are to be marked on the sides of the ship in accordance with the requirements of that Part; and
(ii) the position in which those load lines, the deck-line and the load line mark are to be so marked; and
(c) a copy of the record of particulars relating to conditions of assignment.

### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Load Line) Regulations 《商船(安全)(載重線)規例》

5A. Initial, renewal and annual surveys
(1) After receipt of the application and the documents and information required by regulation 2 the Assigning Authority shall cause a Surveyor to carry out on a ship the following surveys— (L.N. 47 of 2018)
(a) an initial survey before the ship is put in service or before an International Load Line Certificate is issued in respect of the ship for the first time. The initial survey shall include a complete inspection of the structure and equipment of the ship to ensure that the structure, equipment, arrangements, materials and scantlings comply with the requirements of these regulations;
(b) a renewal survey at intervals specified by the Director which shall not exceed 5 years for the renewal of an International Load Line Certificate. The renewal survey shall include an inspection of the structure and equipment of the ship to ensure that the structure, equipment, arrangements, materials and scantlings comply with the requirements of these regulations;
(c) an annual survey within 3 months before or after each anniversary date of the International Load Line Certificate. The annual survey shall include a general inspection of the structure and equipment of the ship to ensure that—
(i) alterations have not been made to the hull or superstructures which would affect the calculations determining the position of the load line;
(ii) the fittings and appliances for the protection of openings, guard rails, freeing ports and means of access to crew’s quarters are maintained in an effective condition;
(iii) the freeboard marks are correctly and permanently indicated;
(iv) the information required by regulations 30 and 31 is supplied.
(2) The fact that the annual survey has been completed shall be endorsed by the Assigning Authority on the International Load Line Certificate issued in respect of the ship under regulation 6 or the International Load Line Exemption Certificate issued in respect of the ship under section 63 of the Ordinance.
(3) If an annual survey is completed before the period specified in subregulation (1)(c) then—
(a) a new date, which shall not be more than 3 months after the date on which the survey was completed, shall be endorsed by the Assigning Authority on the International Load Line Certificate to be the date for ascertaining subsequent anniversary dates;
(b) the subsequent annual survey required under subregulation (1)(c) shall be carried out at the intervals prescribed in that subregulation using the new date in paragraph (a) as the new anniversary date; and
(c) the date of expiry of the Certificate may remain unchanged provided one or more annual surveys are carried out so that the maximum intervals between the surveys prescribed in subregulation (1)(c) are not exceeded.
(L.N. 35 of 2000)