The Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Regulations 1997

PART II APPLICATION, ASCERTAINMENT OF TONNAGE AND CERTIFICATION FOR UNITED KINGDOM SHIPS OF 24 METRES IN LENGTH AND OVER

Application

3.  This Part applies to ships, being ships of 24 metres in length or over, registered or to be registered in the United Kingdom under Part II of the Act and for which the ascertainment of tonnage is required under Regulations made under section 10 of the Act.

Method of measurement

4.—(1) A ship shall be measured by a surveyor.

(2) The gross and net tonnages shall be determined in accordance with regulations 6 and 7 provided that in the case of novel types of craft with constructional features which render the application of the provisions of these Regulations unreasonable or impracticable, the gross and net tonnages shall be determined as required by the Secretary of State.

(3) All measurements used in the calculations of volumes shall be taken and expressed in metres to the nearest one hundredth of a metre.

(4) Gross and net tonnages shall be expressed as whole numbers, decimals being rounded off downwards.

Calculation of volumes

5.—(1) All volumes included in the calculation of gross and net tonnages shall be measured, irrespective of the fitting of insulation or the like, to the inner side of the shell or structural boundary plating in ships constructed of metal, and to the outer surface of the shell or to the inner side of the structural boundary surfaces in ships constructed of any other material.

(2) Volumes of appendages shall be included in the total volume.

(3) Volumes of spaces open to the sea shall be excluded from the total volume.

(4) The method and accuracy of the calculations shall be sufficiently detailed to facilitate checking.

Gross tonnage

6.  The gross tonnage (GT) of a ship shall be determined by the following formula—

GT = K₁V

where—

V

=

total volume of all enclosed spaces of the ship in cubic metres; and

K₁

=

0.2 + 0.02 log₁₀ V, as specified in Schedule 2;

Net tonnage

7.  The net tonnage (NT) of a ship shall be determined by the following formula—

where—

V_c

=

total volume of cargo spaces in cubic metres;

K₂

=

0.2 + 0.02 log₁₀ V_c , as specified in Schedule 2.

K₃

=

GT

=

gross tonnage calculated in accordance with regulation 6;

D

=

moulded depth amidships in metres;

d

=

moulded draught amidships in metres;

N₁

=

number of berths for passengers in cabins with not more than 8 berths; and

N₂

=

number of other passengers who may be accommodated on the ship;

provided that—

(a)

the factor—

shall not be taken as greater than unity;

(b)

the term—

shall not be taken as less than 0.25 GT;

(c)

N₁ and N₂ shall be taken as zero when N₁ + N₂ is less than 13; and

(d)

NT shall not be taken as less than 0.30 GT.

Segregated ballast oil tankers

8.  Where segregated ballast tanks complying with Regulation 13 of Annex 1 of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973(1), as modified by the Protocol of 1978(2) relating to that Convention, are provided in oil tankers, an entry may be made on the International Tonnage Certificate (1969) indicating the total tonnage of these tanks. The tonnage of such segregated ballast shall be calculated according to the following formula—

K₁ × V_b

where—

K₁

=

0.2 + 0.02 log₁₀ V, as specified in Schedule 2;

V

=

the total volume of all enclosed spaces of the ship in cubic metres; and

V_b

=

the total volume of segregated ballast tanks in cubic metres measured in accordance with regulation 5.

Issue of certificates

9.  If it is in order to do so, the Certifying Authority shall issue to the owner an International Tonnage Certificate (1969) in the form set out in the Convention certifying the tonnages of the ship and containing the particulars to be shown thereon. The official number of the ship shall be included as a distinctive number.

Cancellation of certificates

10.—(1) Where alterations are made in the arrangement, construction, capacity, use of spaces, total number of passengers the ship is permitted to carry under the terms of the ship’s passenger certificate, assigned load line, or permitted draught of the ship such as would cause an increase in the gross or net tonnage, the existing International Tonnage Certificate (1969) shall cease to be valid and shall be delivered up to and cancelled by the Certifying Authority.

(2) When a ship is transferred from the United Kingdom Register the International Tonnage Certificate (1969) shall cease to be valid except when the transfer is to the Administration of a state which is a Contracting Government, in which case the certificate may remain in force for a period not exceeding 3 months or until the new Administration issues another International Tonnage Certificate (1969), whichever is the earlier. The Certifying Authority shall transmit to the Administration of that Government as soon as possible after the transfer has taken place a copy of the certificate carried by the ship at the time of transfer and a copy of the relevant tonnage calculations.

Change of net tonnage necessitating issue of certificate

11.—(1) When alterations in the values of V, V_c, d, N₁ or N₂ as defined in regulations 6 and 7 result in an increase in the net tonnage a new International Tonnage Certificate (1969) incorporating the increased net tonnage shall be issued.

(2) In the case of a passenger ship assigned subdivision load lines in accordance with the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1980 or the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1984 and load lines in accordance with the Load Line Rules only one net tonnage shall be applied. Where the draught corresponding to the Summer load line differs from that corresponding to the deepest subdivision load line the net tonnage shall, subject to paragraph (3)(a), be that determined in accordance with regulation 7 by applying the draught corresponding to the appropriate assigned load line for the trade in which the ship is engaged.

(3) (a) Subject to subparagraph (b) below, where alterations in the values of V, V_c, d, N₁ or N₂, as defined in regulations 6 and 7, or changes in the position of the load lines result in a decrease in the net tonnage, a new International Tonnage Certificate (1969) incorporating the decreased net tonnage shall not be issued until 12 months have elapsed from the date on which the current certificate was issued.

(b) A new International Tonnage Certificate (1969) may be issued forthwith when—

(i) a ship which was registered outside the United Kingdom is re-registered in the United Kingdom;

(ii) a ship undergoes alterations or modifications of a major character such as the removal of a superstructure, which requires an alteration of the assigned load line; or

(iii) the ship is a passenger ship employed in special trades for carriage of large numbers of special trade passengers, such as the pilgrim trade.

Use of gross tonnage ascertained under previous Regulations

12.—(1) In the case of a ship—

(a) which is a ship the keel of which was laid or which was at a similar stage of construction before 18th July 1982; or

(b) which is a ship the keel of which was laid or which was at a similar stage of construction not later than 31st December 1985, not being a ship referred to in subparagraph (a); or

(c) which is a cargo ship of less than 1600 tons gross tonnage when ascertained in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 5 and Appendices 1 to 4 thereto of the Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Regulations 1982, the keel of which was laid or which was at a similar stage of construction before 18th July 1994, not being a ship referred to in subparagraph (a);

the Secretary of State may permit the continuing use of a gross tonnage additionally ascertained in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 5 and Appendices 1 to 4 thereto of the Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Regulations 1982 for the purpose of the application of the provisions of regulations implementing the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974(3), the Protocol of 1978 relating to that Convention(4), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, the Protocol of 1978 relating to that Convention and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers, 1978(5), as amended on 7th July 1995.

(2) An International Tonnage Certificate (1969) may be annotated, under “Remarks”, by the Certifying Authority—

(a) in the case of ship to which paragraph (1)(a) refers, with the duly completed and signed entry—

• “The ship is remeasured according to article 3(2)(d) of the 1969 Tonnage Convention.

• The GROSS TONNAGE according to the measurement system previously in force to the measurement system of the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969, is: ... ... ... ... RT, according to the regulations ... ... ... ...”; and

(b) in the case of a ship to which paragraph (1)(b) or (c) refers, with the duly completed and signed entry—

• “The ship is additionally measured according to resolution A. 494(XII).

• The GROSS TONNAGE according to the measurement system previously in force to the measurement system of the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969, is: ... ... ... ... RT, according to the regulations ... ... ... ...”.

(3) Where such an entry has been made on an International Tonnage Certificate (1969) and the ship undergoes alterations or modifications which affect its tonnage the old tonnage referred to in paragraph (1) shall be deleted.

(4) Where a gross tonnage has been ascertained and is to be used in accordance with paragraph (1), then any certificate issued for the purposes of the conventions and protocols referred to shall record only that gross tonnage together with an appropriate footnote—

• “The above gross tonnage has been determined by a Certifying Authority (a tonnage authority) of the United Kingdom in accordance with the national tonnage rules which were in force prior to the coming into force of the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969.”; or

• “See REMARKS column of the valid International Tonnage Certificate (1969)”.

(1)

Cmnd. 5748.

(2)

Cmnd. 7347.

(3)

Cmnd. 7814.

(4)

Cmnd. 7346.

(5)

Cmnd. 9266.