The Merchant Shipping (Cargo Ship Construction) Regulations 1997

Air pressure systems

33.—(1) In every ship in which machinery essential for the propulsion and safety of the ship or of persons on board is required to be started, operated or controlled solely by compressed air, there shall be provided an efficient air system which shall include a sufficient number of air compressors and compressed air storage vessels to ensure that an adequate supply of compressed air is available under all conditions likely to be met in service.

(2) Every part of a compressed air system subjected to air pressure shall be designed and constructed to withstand, with an adequate factor of safety, the maximum working stresses to which they may be subjected. Every air pressure pipe or fitting in such a system, other than a pneumatic control system, shall, before being put into service for the first time, be subject to a hydraulic test suitably in excess of the maximum working pressure to which it may be subjected and be maintained in an efficient condition.

(3) Means shall be provided to prevent overpressure in any part of any such compressed air system and, where water jackets or casings of air compressors and coolers might otherwise be subjected to dangerous overpressure due to leakage into them from air pressure parts, suitable pressure relief arrangements shall be provided.

(4) Provision shall be made to reduce to a minimum entry of oil into any such compressed air system and to drain the system. Provision shall also be made to protect the system from the effects of internal explosion.

(5) All discharge pipes from starting air compressors shall lead directly to the starting air receivers, and all starting air pipes from the air receivers to main or auxiliary engines shall be entirely separate from the compressor discharge pipe system.