Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Line Conventions) Act 1932

RULE XXXV Depth for Freeboard (D).

The depth used with the Freeboard Table is the moulded depth plus the thickness of stringer plate, or plus if that be greater, where—

• T is the mean thickness of the exposed deck clear of deck openings, and

• S is the total length of superstructures as defined in Rule XL.

Where the topsides are of unusual form, D is the depth of a midship section having vertical topsides, standard round of beam and area of topside section equal to that in the actual midship section. Where there is a step or break in the topsides (e.g., as in the Turret Deck ship) 70 per cent. of the area above the step or break is included in the area used to determine the equivalent section.

In a ship without an enclosed superstructure covering at least .6 L amidships, without a complete trunk or without a combination of intact partial superstructures and trunk extending all fore and aft, where D is less than , the depth used with the Table is not to be taken as less than .