Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Council Directive 82/714/EEC (2006/87/EC) (repealed)

CHAPTER 3 SHIPBUILDING REQUIREMENTS

Article 3.01 Basic requirements

Vessels shall be built in accordance with good shipbuilding practice.

Article 3.02 Strength and stability

1. The hull shall be sufficiently strong to withstand all of the stresses to which it is normally subjected.

(a) In the case of newly built vessels or major conversions affecting vessel strength, adequate strength shall be demonstrated by presenting design calculation proof. That proof is not required where a classification certificate or a declaration from an approved classification society is submitted.

(b) Where there is an inspection as referred to in Article 2.09 the minimum thicknesses of the bottom, bilge and side plates shall be checked in accordance with the following conditions:

For vessels made from steel minimum thickness t_min is given by the highest of the values resulting from the following formulae:

1.

for vessels that are longer than 40 m: t_min = f · b · c (2,3 + 0,04 L) (mm);

for vessels not more than 40 m in length: t_min = f · b · c (1,5 + 0,06 L) (mm), however, not less than 3.00 mm

2.

where:

a

=

frame spacing (mm);

f

=

frame spacing factor:

f

=

1 for a ≤ 500 mm

f

=

1 + 0,0013 (a — 500) for a > 500 mm

b

=

factor for bottom, side or bilge plates

b

=

1,0 for bottom plates and side plates

b

=

1,25 for bilge plates.

f = 1 may be taken for the frame spacing when calculating the minimum thickness of the side plates. However, the minimum thickness of the bilge plates may in no case be less than that of the bottom plates and side plates.

c

=

factor for the type of structure:

c

=

0,95 for vessels with double bottom and wing void, where the partition between wing void and hold is located vertically in line with the coaming

c

=

1,0 for all other types of structure.

(c) In longitudinally framed vessels with double bottom and wing voids, the minimum value calculated for the plate thickness in accordance with the formulae in paragraph (b) may be reduced to a calculated value certified by an approved classification society for sufficient hull strength (longitudinal, lateral and local strength).

Plates shall be renewed if bottom, bilge or side plates are below the permissible value laid down in this way.

The minimum values calculated in accordance with the method are limit values taking account of normal, uniform wear, and provided that shipbuilding steel is used and that the internal structural components such as frames, frame floor, main longitudinal and transverse structural members are in a good state and that the hull shows no indication of any overloading of the longitudinal strength.

As soon as these values are no longer achieved, the plates in question shall be repaired or replaced. However, lesser thicknesses, of not more than 10 % reduction from calculated values, are acceptable locally for small areas.

2. Where a material other than steel is used for the construction of the hull, it shall be proved by calculation that the hull strength (longitudinal, lateral and local strength) equals at least the strength that would result from the use of steel under the assumption of minimum thickness in accordance with paragraph1. If a certificate of class or a declaration issued by a recognised classification society is presented, a proof by calculation may be dispensed with.

3. The stability of vessels shall correspond to their intended use.

Article 3.03 Hull

1. Bulkheads rising up to the deck or, where there is no deck, up to the gunwale, shall be installed at the following points:

(a) A collision bulkhead at a suitable distance from the bow in such a way that the buoyancy of the laden vessel is ensured, with a residual safety clearance of 100 mm if water enters the watertight compartment ahead of the collision bulkhead.

As a general rule, the requirement referred to in paragraph 1 shall be considered to have been met if the collision bulkhead has been installed at a distance of between 0,04 L and 0,04 L + 2 m measured from the forward perpendicular in the plane of maximum draught.

If this distance exceeds 0,04 L + 2 m, the requirement set out in paragraph 1 shall be proved by calculation.

The distance may be reduced to 0,03 L. In that case the requirement referred to in paragraph 1 shall be proved by calculation on the assumption that the compartment ahead of the collision bulkhead and those adjacent have all been filled with water.

(b) An aft-peak bulkhead at a suitable distance from the stern where the vessel length L exceeds 25 m.

2. No accommodation or installations needed for vessel safety or operation may be located ahead of the plane of the collision bulkhead. This requirement shall not apply to anchor gear.

3. The accommodation, engine rooms and boiler rooms, and the workspaces forming part of these shall be separated from the holds by watertight transverse bulkheads that extend up to the deck.

4. The accommodation shall be separated from engine rooms, boiler rooms and holds in a gastight manner and shall be directly accessible from the deck. If no such access has been provided an emergency exit shall also lead directly to the deck.

5. The bulkheads specified in paragraphs 1 and 3 and the separation of areas specified in paragraph 4 shall not contain any openings.

However, doors in the aft-peak bulkhead and penetrations, in particular for shafts and pipework, shall be permitted where they are so designed that the effectiveness of those bulkheads and of the separation of areas is not impaired. Doors in the aft-peak bulkhead shall be permitted only if it can be determined by remote monitoring in the wheelhouse whether they are open or closed and shall bear the following readily legible instruction on both sides:

‘Door to be closed immediately after use’.

6. The water inlets and discharges, and the pipework connected to these, shall be such that no unintentional ingress of water into the vessel is possible.

7. The foresections of vessels shall be built in such a way that the anchors neither wholly nor partly protrude beyond the side plating.

Article 3.04 Engine and boiler rooms, bunkers

1. Engine or boiler rooms shall be arranged in such a way that the equipment therein can be operated, serviced and maintained easily and safely.

2. The liquid-fuel or lubricant bunkers and passenger areas and accommodation may not have any common surfaces which are under the static pressure of the liquid when in normal service.

3. Engine room, boiler room and bunker bulkheads, ceilings and doors shall be made of steel or another equivalent non-combustible material.

Insulation material used in engine rooms shall be protected against the intrusion of fuel and fuel vapours.

All openings in walls, ceilings, and doors of engine rooms, boiler rooms, and bunker rooms shall be such that they can be closed from outside the room. The locking devices shall be made from steel or an equivalently non-combustible material.

4. Engine and boiler rooms and other premises in which flammable or toxic gases are likely to escape shall be capable of being adequately ventilated.

5. Companionways and ladders providing access to engine and boiler rooms and bunkers shall be firmly attached and be made of steel or another shock-resistant and non-combustible material.

6. Engine and boiler rooms shall have two exits of which one may be an emergency exit.

The second exit may be dispensed with if:

(a) the total floor area (average length x average width at the level of the floor plating) of the engine or boiler room does not exceed 35 m²; and

(b) the path between each point where servicing or maintenance operations are to be carried out and the exit, or foot of the companionway near the exit providing access to the outside, is not longer than 5 m; and

(c) a fire extinguisher is located at the servicing point that is furthest removed from the exit door and also, by way of derogation from Article 10.03(1)(e), where the installed power of the engines does not exceed 100 kW.

7. The maximum permissible sound pressure level in the engine rooms shall be 110 dB(A). The measuring points shall be selected as a function of the maintenance work needed during normal operation of the plant located therein.