Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Line Conventions) Act 1932

REGULATION IV Permissible Length of Compartments.

(1) Factor of Subdivision.—The maximum permissible length of a compartment having its centre at any point in the ship's length is obtained from the floodable length by multiplying the latter by an appropriate factor called the factor of subdivision.

The factor of subdivision shall depend on the length of the ship, and for a given length shall vary according to the nature of the service for which the ship is intended. It shall decrease in a regular and continuous manner—

(a) as the length of the ship increases, and

(b) from a factor A, applicable to ships primarily engaged in the carriage of cargo, to a factor B, applicable to ships primarily engaged in the carriage of passengers.

The variations of the factors A and B shall be expressed by the following formulae (i) and (ii), where L is the length of the ship as defined in Regulation I (2) :—

L in feet.

L in metres.

L in feet.

L in metres.

(2) Criterion of Service.—For a ship of given length the appropriate factor of subdivision shall be determined by the Criterion of Service Numeral (hereinafter called the Criterion Numeral) as given by the following formulae (iii) and (iv), where:—

C_s

=

the Criterion Numeral;

L

=

length of the ship, as defined in Regulation I (2);

M

=

the volume of the machinery space, as defined in Regulation I (8); with the addition thereto of the volume of any permanent oil fuel bunkers which may be situated above the inner bottom and before or abaft the machinery space;

P

=

the whole volume of the passenger spaces below the margin line, as defined in Regulation I (9);

V

=

the whole volume of the ship below the margin line;

P₂

=

KN, where :—

• N = number of passengers for which the ship is to be certified, and

• K has the following values:—

  	Value of K.
  Length in feet and volumes in cubic feet	.6L.
  Length in metres and volumes in cubic metres	.056 L.

Where the value of KN is greater than the sum of P and the whole volume of the actual passenger spaces above the margin line, the lower figure may be taken provided that the value of P₁ used is not less than ⅔ KN.

When P, is greater than P

and in other cases

For ships not having a continuous bulkhead deck the volumes are to be taken up to the actual margin lines used in determining the floodable lengths.

(3) Rules for Subdivision.—

(a) The subdivision abaft the fore peak of ships 430 feet (131 metres) in length and upwards having a criterion numeral of 23 or less shall be governed by the factor A given by formula (i); of those having a criterion numeral of 123 or more by the factor B given by formula (ii); and of those having a criterion numeral between 23 and 123 by the factor F obtained by linear interpolation between the factors A and B, using the formula :—

Where the factor F is less than .40 and it is shown to the satisfaction of the Administration to be impracticable to comply with the factor F in a machinery compartment of the ship, the subdivision of such compartment may be governed by an increased factor, which, however, shall not exceed .40.

(b) The subdivision abaft the fore peak of ships less than 430 feet (131 metres) but not less than 260 feet (79 metres) in length having a criterion numeral equal to S, where

shall be governed by the factor unity; of those having a criterion numeral of 123 or more by the factor B given by the formula (ii); of those having a criterion numeral between S and 123 by the factor F obtained by linear interpolation between unity and the factor B, using the formula:—

(c) The subdivision abaft the fore peak of ships less than 430 feet (131 metres) but not less than 260 feet (79 metres) in length and having a criterion numeral less than S, and of all ships less than 260 feet (79 metres) in length shall be governed by the factor unity, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Administration to be impracticable to comply with this factor in my part of the ship, in which case, the Administration may allow such relaxation as may appear to be justified, having regard to all the circumstances.

(c) The provisions of sub-paragraph (c) shall apply also to ships of whatever length, which are to be certified to carry a lumber of passengers exceeding 12 but not exceeding