The Merchant Shipping (Cargo Ship Construction) Regulations 1997

Machinery

28.—(1) The main and auxiliary machinery essential for the propulsion and safety of the ship shall be provided with effective means of control and means shall be provided such as starting batteries, compressed air or the emergency generator, to ensure that the machinery can be brought into operation from the dead ship condition without external aid.

(2) Where risk from over-speeding of machinery would otherwise exist, two independent means of control shall be provided to ensure that the safe speed is not exceeded; provided that the Certifying Authority may permit a single means of limiting the speed of machinery where it considers it safe so to do.

(3) Where main or auxiliary machinery or any parts of such machinery are subject to internal pressure, those parts shall, before being put into service for the first time, be subjected to a hydraulic test to a pressure suitably in excess of the working pressure having regard to—

(a) the design and the material of which they are constructed;

(b) the purpose for which they are intended to be used; and

(c) the working conditions under which they are intended to be used;

and such parts shall be maintained in an efficient condition.

Additional requirements for ships constructed on or after 1st September 1984

(4) The propulsion machinery systems shall be designed, constructed and installed so that undue stress due to vibration is not induced during normal operation.

(5) All gearing and every shaft and coupling used for transmission of power essential for the propulsion and safety of the ship or for the safety of persons on board shall be so designed and constructed that they will withstand the maximum working stresses which they will be subjected to in all service conditions taking into account the type of engines by which they are driven or of which they form part.

(6) Every internal combustion engine having a cylinder diameter of 200 millimetres or greater or a crankcase volume of 0.6 cubic metres or greater shall be provided with crankcase explosion relief valves of a suitable type having sufficient area to relieve abnormal pressure in the crankcase. The explosion relief valves shall be arranged or provided with means to ensure that any discharge from them is so directed as to minimize the possibility of injury to personnel.

(7) Every main propulsion turbine and, where applicable, main internal combustion propulsion machinery and auxiliary machinery shall be provided with automatic shut-off arrangements that will operate in the case of failures, such as a lubricating oil supply failure, which could lead rapidly to complete breakdown, serious damage or explosion. The Certifying Authority may permit arrangements that over-ride the automatic shut-off devices.