The Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Regulations 1998

PART VI INFORMATION FOR THE MASTER

Information as to stability of ships

32.—(1) The owner of every ship to which these Regulations apply shall provide, for the guidance of the master, information relating to the stability of the ship in accordance with this regulation. The information shall be in the form of a book which shall be kept on the ship at all times in the custody of the master.

(2) In the case of a United Kingdom ship this information shall include all matters specified in Schedule 6 in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1701(M), and be in the form required by that Schedule. This information shall also be in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (3), (4) and (5).

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), this information shall be based on the determination of stability taken from an inclining test carried out in the presence of a surveyor appointed by the Secretary of State or, for ships listed in paragraph (5), by the Assigning Authority. This information shall be amended whenever any alterations are made to the ship or changes occur to it which will materially affect this information and, if necessary, the ship shall be re-inclined.

(4) The inclining test may be dispensed with if—

(a) in the case of any ship basic stability data is available from the inclining test of a sister ship and it is known that reliable stability information can be obtained from such data; and

(b) in the case of

(i) a ship specially designed for the carriage of liquids or ore in bulk, or

(ii) of any class of such ships,

the information available in respect of similar ships shows that the ship’s proportions and arrangements will ensure more than sufficient stability in all probable loading conditions.

(5) Before this information is issued to the master—

(a) if it relates to a ship which is—

(i) an oil tanker over 100 metres in length;

(ii) a bulk carrier, or an ore carrier, over 150 metres in length;

(iii) a single deck bulk carrier over 100 metres in length but not exceeding 150 metres in length;

(iv) a single deck dry cargo ship over 100 metres in length;

(v) a purpose built container ship over 125 metres in length;

(vi) a column stabilised mobile offshore drilling unit; or

(vii) a column stabilised mobile offshore support unit,

it shall be approved either by the Secretary of State or the Assigning Authority which assigned freeboards to the ship; and

(b) if it relates to any other ship, it shall be approved by the Secretary of State.

Information as to loading and ballasting of ships

33.—(1) The owner of any ship of more than 150 metres in length specially designed for the carriage of liquids or ore in bulk shall provide, for the guidance of the master, information relating to the loading and ballasting of the ship.

(2) This information shall indicate the maximum stresses permissible for the ship and specify the manner in which the ship is to be loaded and ballasted to avoid the creation of unacceptable stresses in its structure.

(3) In the case of a United Kingdom ship the provisions of regulation 32(5) shall have effect in respect of information required under this regulation, and the information so approved shall be included in the book referred in regulation 32(1).