The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction: Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations 1998

Inclining and stability information

31.—(1) Every subdivided ship on completion shall be inclined and the elements of her stability determined and every other ship shall undergo the heeling test or buoyancy test specified in Sections 3 and 4 of Schedule 2 in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1699(M) respectively. The master shall be supplied by the owner with approved information relating to the stability of the ship in accordance with the following provisions of this regulation.

(2) (i) In each period of five years every subdivided ship shall have a lightweight survey, to verify any changes in lightship displacement and longitudinal centre of gravity; and every other ship shall undergo the heeling test or buoyancy tests specified in Sections 3 and 4 of Schedule 2 in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1699(M) respectively, to verify any changes in the heeling or buoyancy characteristics.

(ii) Such periods shall commence on the date of issue of either a Passenger Certificate or from a previous inclining or lightweight survey, whichever date is earliest.

(iii) The ship shall be re-inclined whenever, in comparison with the ship’s approved stability information derived from the previous inclining experiment, a deviation from the lightship displacement exceeding 2 per cent or a deviation of the longitudinal centre of gravity exceeding 1 per cent of the ship’s length is found or anticipated.

(iv) Every inclining or lightweight survey or tests made for this purpose or for the purpose of this regulation shall be carried out in the presence of a nominated surveyor.

(v) The interval between the lightweight surveys or tests of any such ship may be extended for a period of not more than one year if, on the production of relevant information about the ship, it can be shown that the lightweight survey or test is not necessary at the required interval.

(3) An approved report of each inclining or lightweight survey or test carried out in accordance with this regulation and of the calculation therefrom of the lightship condition, or heeling or buoyancy particulars, as applicable, shall be placed on board for the use of the master.

(4) Where elements of a ship’s stability have been found to have changed following any inclining or lightweight survey or test carried out in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (3), the master shall be supplied with amended approved stability information.

(5) Where any alterations are made to a ship so as materially to affect the stability information supplied to the master amended stability information shall be provided and the ship shall be re-inclined.

(6) For subdivided ships stability information provided pursuant to paragraphs (1), (3), (4) and (5) shall be furnished in the form of a book (the stability information book) which shall be kept on board the ship at all times in the custody of the master. The information shall include particulars appropriate to the ship and shall be in a form acceptable to the certifying authority.

(7) Ships required to comply with the heeling test or buoyancy test specified in Sections 3 and 4 of Schedule 2 in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1699(M) shall be furnished with stability information in the form of a written record setting out the principal particulars.