EXTRACT FROM THE GAZETTE OF INDIA, PART II, SEC. 3,SUB-SEC.  (i) 

Appearing on page No.1536 to 1598 Date 7.6.79 

MINISTRY OF SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT
(Transport Wing)

NOTIFICATION

(MERCHANT SHIPPING)

New Delhi, the 15^th May, 1979 

            G.S.R.  797-Whereas a draft of the certain rules further to amend Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Rules 1977, was published, as required by section 311 read with section 436, of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958) at pages 690 to 718 of the Gazette of India, Part II Section 3 Sub-Section (i), dated the 25^th March, 1978 with the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Shipping and Transport, (Transport Wing), No. G.S.R. 423, dated the 25^th October, 1977 inviting objections and suggestions from all person likely to be affected thereby till the expiry of sixty days from the date of publication of the said notification in the Official Gazette; 

            And whereas the copies of the said Gazette were made available to the public on the 27^th March, 1978 ; 

            And whereas no objection or suggestions have been received from the public on the said draft ; 

            Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 311, read with section 436 of the said Act, and in Supersession of the Indian Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) Rules 1934, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely :-
 

PART 1
 Preliminary

1.         Short title, commencement and application :- (1) These rules may be called the Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Rules, 1979. 

            (2)        They shall come into force at once.

            (3)        They shall apply to-- 

(a)        every Indian ship, other than a ship of war, a fishing vessel, a pleasure yacht or a sailing vessel, wherever it is ;

(b)        every ship other than an Indian ship, not being a ship of war, a fishing vessel, a pleasure yacht or a sailing vessel while it is at a port or place in India or within the territorial waters of India, which is-- 

                        (i)         an existing ship of 150 tons gross or more;or

                        (ii)         a new ship of 24 metres of more in length : 

            Provided that these rules shall not apply to any ship other than Indian ship by reason of its being at a port or place in India or within the territorial waters of India if it would not have been at any such port or place but for the strees of weather or any other circumstances that neither the master nor the owner or character, if any, of the ship could have prevented or forestalled. 

2.         Definition:- In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-           

(1)        "Act" means the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958); 

(2)        "amidship" means at the middle of the length (L); 

(3)        "approved" means approved by the Central Government or by any other officer appointed by it in this behalf; 

(4)        "Assigning Authority" means the Director General or any other person appointed by the Central Government to be the assigning authority for the purposes of these rules by a notification in the Official Gazette; 

(5)        "block co-efficient" or the symbol (cb) means block co-efficient obtained by the formula

                             Δ    

            CB = -----------

                           B.L_pl                       

where, is volume of the modulded displacement of the ship, excluding bossing, in a ship with metal shell or, as the case may be, the volume of displacement to the outer surface of the hull in a ship with a shell of any other material, both taken at a moulded draught of d₁ ; d₁ is 85 per cent of the least modulded depth; 

(6)        "breadth" or the symbol (B) means the maximum breadth of the ship, measured amidships to the moulded line of the frame in a ship with a metal shell, or as the case may be, to the outer surface of the hull in a ship with a shell of any other material; 

                        (7)        "depth for freeboard" or the symbol (D) - 

(a)        in relation to a ship other than these referred to in sub-clause (b) means the moulded depth of the ship amidships plus   the   thickness   of   the    free board deck stringer   plate,   where  fitted,  plus    the  value of the expression  

T  (L – S)  if the exposed freeboard deck is

        L

completely sheathed between superstructures, when "T" means thickness of the exposed sheathing clear of deck opening; and 'S' means the total length of super structures; and       

(b)        in relation to a ship having a rounded gunwale with a redius greater than four per cent of the breadth of the ship (B), or in relation to a ship having topsides of unusual form means – the depth fo freeboard of a ship having midship section with vertical topsides and with the same round of beam and area of top side section equal to that provided by the actual midship section; 

(8)                    "enclosed superstructure" means a superstructure with enclosing bulk heads of efficient construction, access openings in such bulkheads being fitted with ails and watertight doors and all other openings in sides and ends of such superstructures being fitted with efficient watertight means of closing but does not include a bridge or a poor fulfilling these requirements unless access is provided by which the crew can reach machinery and other working spaces within the bridge or poop by alternative means which are available for the purpose at all times when access openings in the bulkheads of the bridge or poop are closed;

(9)                    "existing ship" or "existing sailing vessel" means a ship or sailing vessel the keep of which was laid before the 21^st day of July, 1968 ; 

(10)                   "flush deck ship" means a ship which has no superstructures on a free board deck; 

(11)                   "freeboard" means the distance measured vertically downwards amidships from the upper edge of the deckline described in rule 15 of these rules to the position at which the upper edge of the appropriate load line mark lies; 

(12)                   "freeboard deck" means the deck from which the freeboard is assigned being either--                        

(a)        the uppermost complete deck exposed to whether and sea, which has permanent means of closing all openings in the weather part thereof and below which all openings in the sides of the ship are fitted with permanent means of watertight closing.   In a ship having a discontinuous freeboard deck, the lowest line of the exposed deck and the continuation of that line parallel to the upper part of the deck is taken as the freeboard deck; or                                   

(b)        on the application of the owner and subject to the approval of the Director General, a deck lower than that described in paragraph (a), provided it is a complete and permanent deck continuous in the fore and aft direction at least between the machinery space and peak bulkheads and continuous athwartships.  When this lower deck is stepped the lowest line of the deck and the continuation of that line parallel to the upper part of the deck is taken as the freeboard deck.                     

(13)                   "height of superstructure" means the least vertical height measured at side from the top of the superstructure deck beams to the top of the freeboard deck beams; 

(14)                   "length" or the symbol (L) means ninety-six per cent of the total length on a water line at eighty-five per cent of the least moulded depth measured from top of the keel, or the length from the force side of the stem to the axis of the rudder stock on the water line if that be greater; 

(15)                   "length of a superstructure" means length of the part of the superstructure which lies within the length (L) 

(16)                   "moulded depth" in relation to a ship means the vertical distance measured form the top of the keel to the top of the freeboard deck beam a side: 

                                                Provided that--- 

(a)        in the case of awood or composite ship, it shall be measured from the lower edge of keel rabeet.  Where the form at the  lower part of the midship section is of a hollow character, or where thick garboards are fitted, the distance is measured from the point where the line of the flat of the bottom continued inwards cuts the side of the keel; 

(b)        in ships having rounded gunwale, it shall be measured to the point of intersection of the moulded lines of the deck and side plating, the lines extending as though the gunwale were of angular design; 

(c)        in ships where the freeboard deck is stepped and the raised part of the deck extends over the point at which the moulded depth is to be determined, the moulded depth shall be measured to a line of reference extending from the lower part of the deck long a line parallel with the raised part of the deck. 

(17)       "new ship" or "new sailing vessel" means a ship or sailing vessel the keel of which was laid on or after the 21^st day of Juluy, 1968; 

(18)       "perpendiculars" means the forward and after perpendicular taken at the forward and the after end of the length.(L); 

(19)       "principal officer" means the Principal Officer of the Mercantile marine Department of the district concerned;           

(20)       "sailing vessel" includes all ships provided with sufficient sail area for navigation under sails along whether or not fitted with mechanical means of propulsion; 

(21)       "Schedule" means a Schedule appended to these rules ; 

(22)       "superstructure" means a decked structure on the freeboard deck, extending from side to side plating not being in board of the shell plating more than four per cent of the breadth (B), and includes a raised quarter deck; 

(23)       "timber deck cargo" means a cargo of timber other than wood pulp or similar cargo carried on uncovered part of a freeboard or super-structure deck 

(24)       "type A ship" and "type B ship" means ships as interpreted in the First Schedule; 

(25)       "watertight" in relation to any part of ship below the freeboard deck means capable of preventing the passage in any direction of water under pressure or otherwise as the case may be having regard to the functional requirement of that part of the ship; 

(26)       "weathertight" in relation to any part of ship above the freeboard deck means that water cannot penetrate through that part into the ship under any condition of sea and weather encountered at sea. 

PART II
 Surveys and Certificates 

3.         Application for Survey-Application for the survey of a ship for the purpose of assignment of freeboard and for the issue of a load line certificate to the ship shall be made to the Assigning Authority by or on behalf of the owner of the ship.  The applicant shall furnish to the Assigning Authority as described hereunder such plans, drawings specifications and other documents and information relating to the design and construction of the ship as the Assigning Authority may require--

(a)        the Principal Officer on behalf of the Director General; and

(b)        any other person appointed by the Central Government to be an Assigning Authority for the purposes of these rules by a notification published in the Official Gazette.  

4.         Load Line Surveys – (1)  After receipt of the application and the documents together with other relevant information required by rule 3, the Assigning Authority shall cause the ship to be surveyed by a surveyor with a view to ascertaining- 

(a)        whether the ship complies with such of the requirements of Part IV of these rules and the First Schedule; and 

            (b)        such other data as may be necessary-- 

(i)         for the assignment of freeboard to the ship in accordance with Part V of these rules and the Second Schedule; and 

(ii)         to enable the stability information to be supplied to the master of the ship pursuant to Part VI of these rules and the Third Schedule. 

                        (2)        In the course of survey of a ship pursuant to the provisions of sub-rule (1), the ship and any of its fittings shall be submitted to such tests as may, in the opinion of the Assigning Authority, be necessary to ascertain that the ship complies with the requirements of sub-rule (1).  Any test pertaining to stability of a ship shall be subject to the requirements of rule 31. 

            (3)        The owner or any other person on his behalf applying for the survey of the ship under rule 3, shall afford all necessary facilities for such survey and shall, at the request of the Assigning Authority, furnish, for the Assitning Authority's use and retention if necessary, such further documents and information as the Assigning Authority may require. 

5.         Report of Survey :- (1) On completion of the survey, the Surveyor shall submit a report of survey to the Assigning Authority giving the results of the survey and his findings on the condition of the ship with reference to the requirements of rule 4.                

                         (2)        The report of survey shall be accompanied by the Record of Conditions of Assignment in the form set out in the Fourth Schedule complying with the requirements of tule 26 and the computations of freeboard complying with the requirement of Part V of these rules and the second Schedule. 

                        (3)        In the case of any ship which is required to comply with the requirements of Part I of the Third Schedule relating to stability the surveyor shall furnish to the Central Government such information as may be necessary to determine whether the ship complies with these requirements. 

6.         Assignment of freeboards L1) The Assigning Authority shall- 

(a)        if satisfied on scrutiny of report of survey that the ship complies with the applicable requirements of Part IV of these rules and the First schedule, and 

(b)        on receipt of an intimation from the Director General that it is statisfied that the ship complies with the requirements of Part VI of these rules and the Third Schedule relating to stability-

assign freeboard to the ship in accordance with Part V of these rules and second Schedule. 

            (2)        On assignment of freeboards, the Assigning Authority shall furnish to the owner of the ship- 

(a)                 particulars of freeboards so assigned;

(b)                 directions specifying- 

(i)         the load lines to be marked on the ship in accordance with the requirements of Part III of these rules;

(ii)                 the position in which those load lines, the deck line and the load line mark are to be so marked; and

(c)                 two copies of the Record of Conditions of Assignment. 

7.         Issue of Load Line Certificates and forms thereof – Subjectto the provisions of rule 12, the Assigning Authority shall, on being satisfied that the ship has been duly marked in accordance with the directions given to the owner of the ship under rule 6, issue either an International Load Line Certificate (1966) or an India Load Line Certificate as may be required by section 316 of the Act, in the form set out for such certificates in the Fifth Schedule. 

            8.         Duration of Certificate:-Every Load Line Certificate issued under these rules shall be valid until a date to be determined by the Assigning Authority not being a date more than five years after the date of completion of survey of the ship under rule 4.  Such date shall be specified by the Assigning Authority in every certificate issued by it failing which the certificate shall not be deemed to be a valid certificate. 

            9.         Extension of Load Line Certificate :- (1) Where any ship, in respect of which a Load Line Certificate is I force, has been surveyed following an application made by the owner to issue of the fresh certificate to take effect on the expiry of the current certificate, the Assigning Authority may - 

(i)         if satisfied on serutiny of survey that the ship complies with applicable requirements of Part V of these rules and of the First Schedule relating to conditions of assignment.                       

                        (ii)         On receipt of an intimation from the Central Government that the ship complies with the requirements of the Third Schedule relating to stability, extend the validity of the current certificates of the ship  by a period not exceeding five months, if he considers that it is not reasonably practicable to issue a fresh certificate.  In every such case, a fresh certificate shall be issued after the expiry of the extended date of validity of the current certificate. 

                        (2)        No such extension granted under sub-rule (1) shall have effect unless particulars of the date upto which the period of validity of the certificate is extended, together with particulars of place at and date on which extension was granted, are endorsed by the Assigning Authority on the current certificate. 

                        (3)        The period of validity of a fresh certiicate ultimately issued to a ship under sub-rule (1) shall not exceed five years from the date of completion of survey referred to in sub-rule (1). 

                        10.        Cancellation of Load Line Certificates :- (1) Where the Central Government is satisfied, whether by a report from an Assigning Authority or a Surveyor or otherwise, that --- 

(i)         the ship to which the certificate relates does not comply with the conditions of assignment, or 

(ii)         the structural strength of the ship is lowered to such an extent as to render the ship unsafe, or 

(iii)        information on the basis of which freeboards were assigned to the ship has proved to the incorrect in matters of material importance. 

                        (2)        Where it comes to the notice of the Central Government that --- 

(i)         the certificate of a ship is not endorsed as required by rule 11 ; or 

(ii)         a new certificate is issued in respect of the ship; or 

(iii)        the ship has ceased to be an Indian Ship within the meaning of the Act, it may, after giving the owner of the ship a reasonable opportunity of making his representation, cancel or cause to cancel any Load Line Certificate issued under these rules.                            

                        11.        Periodical Inspection of Ships :- (1) Every ship in respect of which a Load Line Certificate is in force shall be periodically inspected by a surveyor in accordance with the provisions of this rule in order to ensure that -- 

(a)        the fittings and appliances for the protection of openings, the guard rails, the freeing ports and the means of access to crew's quarters in the ship are in an effective condition; and 

(b)        no changes have been made or taken place in the hull or superstructures of the ship which may render inaccurate any date on the basis of which freeboards and been assigned to the ship. 

            (2)        Application for the periodical inspection shall be made by or on behalf of the owner of the ship to an Assigning Authority, who shall appoint a surveyor ot carry out the inspection. 

            (3)        The surveyor may, in the course of any such inspection, require such tests to be carried as in his opinion, may be necessary to establish that the ship complies with the requirements of sub-rule (1). 

            (4)        Periodical inspections required by this rule shall be carried out annually within a period of nine to fifteen months commencing on the date three months before and concluding three months after each anniversary of the date of completion of the survey of the ship leading to the issue of its current Load Line Certificate : 

            Provided that the Central Government may, if it is satisfied that the circumstances so require permit the annual inspection to be carried out before or after the period specified therefore. 

            (5)        The surveyor, if satisfied after inspection that the ship complies with the requirements of sub-rule (1), shall, in the space provided for this purpose in the Load Line Certificates, endorse a record of such inspection and certify--- 

(a)        in the case of an International Load Line Certificate (1966), that the ship was found to comply with the relevant provisions of the Convention; and 

(b)        in the case of an India Load Line Certificate, that the ship was found to comply with the relevant provisions of these rules. 

            Every such endorsement shall be dated and signed by the surveyor carrying out the inspection, specifying the Assigning Authority on whose behalf the inspection was carried out. 

            12.        Exemption and Exemption Certificate :-- (1) Where the Central Government exempts any ship pursuant to the provisions of Section 316 of the Act, the Director General shall issue in respect of such ship an International Load Line Exemption Certificate in the form set out in the Fifth Schedule. 

            (2)        Save in so far as the nature and terms of any such exemption require to the contrary the provisions of rules 1 to 6 and of rules 8 to 11 shall apply to any ship so exempted and to any exemption certificate so issued to any such ship in the like manner as they apply to any other ship except that-- 

(i)         references in the aforesaid rules to Assigning Authority shall be deemed to be references to the Central Government ; and 

(ii)         sub-rule (5) of rule 11 shall be deemed to have been substituted by the following, namely :- 

"(5)       the surveyor, if satisfied after inspection that the ship continues of comply with the conditions subject to which the exemption was granted shall endorse the exemption certificate to that effect in the space provided and date and sign the endorsement." 

PART III
Load Lines and Marks 

13.        Appropriate Marks :- For the purposes of this part, the expression "appropriate marks" in relation to a ship means the load lines required to be marked on the ship under clause (b) of sub-rule (2) of rule 6 and the deck-line and load line mark. 

14.        Marking:- The owner of a ship, on receipt from the Assigning Authority of particulars and directions referred to in sub-rule (2) of rule 6, shall cause the appropriate marks to be marked on each side of the ship in accordance with the said directions and requirements of this part. 

15.        Deck-line:- (1) The deck-line shall consist of a horizontal line 300 millimetres in length and 25 millimetres in width.  It shall be marked amidships on each side of the ship in accordance with the provisions of this rule so as to indicate the position of the freeboard deck. 

(2)        Subject to the provisions of sub-rule (3), the deck-line shall be marked in such a position on the side of the ship that its upper edge passes through the point amidships where the continuation outward-- 

(a)        of the upper surface of the freeboard deck, or 

(b)        of any sheathing of the freeboard deck, intersects the outer surface of the shell of the ship as shown in figure 1. 

            (3)        Where, in the opinion of the Assigning Authority, the design of the ship or any other circumstance renders it impracticable to mark the deck-line in accordance with the provisions of sub-rule (2), the Assigning Authority may, in the directions given under sub-rule (2) of rule 6 include a direction that the deck-line may be marked by refernce to another point on the side of the ship which is as near as practicable to the position referred to in sub-rule (2). 

(16)                   Load line mark : The load line mark shall consist , as shown in Figure 2, of a ring 300 millimetres in outside diameter and 25 millimetres wide, intersected by a horizontal line 450 millimetres long and 25 millimetres wide the upper edge of which passes through the center of the ring.  The center of the ring shall be marked amidships vertically below the deck-line, so that except as otherwise provided in rule 29, the distance from the center of the ring to the upper edge of the deck-line is equal to the Summer freeboard assigned to the ship.

17.        Load lines :- (1) Load lines as described in sub-rule (2) and rule 18 shall be deemed to indicate the maximum depth to which a ship marked therewith may be loaded in the circumstances described in the sixth Schedule in relation to appropriate load lines, zones, areas and seasonal periods. 

(2)        Except as otherwise provided in rule 18 and rule 29, load lines shall consist as shown in Figure 2 of horizontal lines each 230 milimetres in length and 25 millimetres in width extending forward or abaft of a vertical line 25 millimetres in width marked 540 millimetres forward of the center of the ring of the load line mark and at right angles to that line.  The individual load lines shall be-- 

(i)         the summer load line, which shall extend forward of the aforesaid vertical line and the marked "S".  It shall correspond horizontally with the line passing through the center of the ring of the load line mark; 

(ii)         the Winter load line, which shall extend forward of the aforesaid vertical line and be marked "W". 

(iii)        the Winter North Atlantic load line, which shall extend forward of the aforesaid vertical line and be marked "WNA"; 

(iv)        the Tropical load line, which shall extend forward of the aforesaid vertical line and be marked "T" 

(v)         the fresh Water load line, which shall extend abaft the aforesaid vertical line and be marked "F"; 

(vi)        the Tropical fresh Water load line, which shall extend abaft the aforesaid vertical line and be marked "TF";

            (3)        The maximum depth of loading referred to in sub-rule (1) shall be the depth indicated by the upper edge of the appropriate load line described in sub-rule (2). 

            18.        Timber load lines :- (1) Timber load lines, as shown in figure 3, shall consist of horizontal lines of the dimensions specified in respect of such lines in rule 17, extending abaft or forward of a vertical line of the dimensions specified in respect of such a line in that rule, marked 540 millimetres abaft the center of the ring of load line mark and at right angles of that line.  Individual timber Load Lines shall be as follows :-

(i)         the Summer timber load line, which shall extend abaft the said vertical line and be marked LS; 

(ii)         the Winter load line, which shall extend abaft the said vertical line and be marked LW; 

(iii)        the Winter north atlantic timber load line which shall extend abaft the said vertical line and be marked LWNA; 

(iv)        the Tropical timber load line, which shall extend abaft the said vertical line and be marked LT ; 

(v)         the Fresh water timber load line, which shall extend forward of the said vertical line and be marked LTF;           

(vi)        the Tropical Fresh water timber load line, which shall extend forward of the said vertical line and be marked LLF;           

(2) The maximum depth of loading referred to in sub-rule (1) of rule 17 shall be the depth indicated by the upper edge of the appropriate timber load line.

19.        Appropriate load line :- The appropriate load line in respect of a ship at any particular place and time shall be ascertained in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth Schedule. 

20.        Position of load lines :-Each load line required  to be marked on a ship shall be marked in such a position of each side of the shipl that the distance measured vertically downwards from the upper edge of the deckline to the upper edge of the load line is equal to the freeboard assigned to the ship which is appropriate to that load line. 

21.        Methods of marking L1) The appropriate marks shall be marked on each side of the ship in accordance with the requirements of sub-rules (2) and (3) in such a manner as to be plainly visible. 

(2)        If the sides of the ship are of metal, the appropriate marks shall be cut in, center punched or welded; if the sides of the ship are of wood, the marks shall be cut into the plaking to a depth of not less than 3 millimetres; if the sides are of other materials to which the foregoing method of marking cannot be effectively applied, the marks shall be permanently affixed to the sides of the ship by bonding or some other effective method. 

(3)        The appropriate marks shall be painted in white or yellow if the background is dark, and in black if the background is light. 

22.        Authorisation of removal etc.  of appropriate marks:- After the appropriate marks have been marked on a ship, such marks shall not be concealed, defaced or obliterated or they shall not be removed or altered except unde the authority of the Assigning Authority. 

23.        Mark of assigning authority:- (1) The mark of the Assigning Authority described in sub-rule (2) shall be marked on each side of the ship in a position alongside the load line mark either above the horizontal line forming part of that mark or above and below it. 

(2)        An Assigning Authority's mark shall consist of not more than four initials to identity the Authority's name, each measuring approximately 115 millimetres in height and 75 millimetres in width. 

PART IV
Conditions of Assignment 

24.        Assignment of freeboards :- (1) Except as otherwise provided in sub-rules (2) and (3), every ship to which freeboards are to be assigned under these rules shall comply with the requirements applicable to it under Part I of the First Schedule. 

(2)        Every ship, being a ship of Type 'A' to  which requirements of Part II of the First Schedule aply, every ship, being a ship of Type 'B' to which the requirements, of Part III of the First Schedule apply or every ship, being a ship to be assigned with timber freeboards, to which the requirements of part IV of the First Schedule apdshall

comply with the requirements of the respective part of the First Schedule any also the requirements of Part I of the said Schedule except in so far as the compliance or Part II, III or IV as the case may be, of the said Schedule may otherwise require. 

            (3)        Every existing ship, not being a ship to which freeboards are required to be assigned in accordance with clause (a) of rule 28 read with the proviso to clause (b) thereof, shall comply with such of the requirements relevant to the assignment of freeboards to ships as were applicable to it under the law in force immediately prior to the coming into force of these rules. 

            25.        Compliance with conditions of assignment:- (1) Except as otherwise provided in sub-rule (2), a ship shall be deemed to be not complying with the conditions of assignment-- 

(a)        if at any time after the assignment of freeboards to it, there has been any alteration of the hull superstructures, fitting or appliances of the ship to such extent that either---           

(i)         any requirement applicable to the ship under rule 24 is not complied with by it; or 

(ii)         the record of conditions of assignment made in relation to the ship pursuant to rule 26 is rendered inaccurate in a material respect ; or 

(b)        if the record of conditions of assignment is not kept on board the ship in accordance with sub-rule (2) of rule 26. 

            (2)        Notwithstanding any alteration in the ship as described in clause (a) of sub-rule (1), a ship  shall be deemed to be complying with the conditions of assignment if either--

(a)        fresh freeboards appropriate to the conditions of ship after the alterations have been assigned to it and it has been marked with load line and a fresh certificate has been issued to its owner; or 

(b)        the alteration has been inspected by a surveyor on behalf of the Assigning Authority, and the assigning authority is satisfied that the alteration is not such as to require any change in the freeboards assigned to the ship and full particulars of the alteration together with date and place of inspection have been endorsed by the surveyor on the record of conditions of assignment. 

            26.        Record of conditions of assignment:-(1)The record of conditions of assignment in respect of the hull, superstructure fittings and appliances of a ship to which freeboard are assigned shall be in the form set out in the Fourth Schedule, or a form as near thereto as circumstances permit, and shall contain the particulars required by that form.  Such particulars may be furnished by attaching to the record a copy of report of survey and specifying in the record passages from that report in which the relevant particulars are given. 

            (2)        The record shall be completed by the surveyor carrying out the survey of the ship pursuant to rule 4 and shall be furnished by him to the assigning authority in accordance with the provisions of rule 5.  Two copies of the record shall be sent by the assigning authority to the owner of the ship together with the particulars and directions required to be so furnished by rule 6. 

            (3)        One copy of the record of conditions of assignment particulars and directions furnished by the assigning Authority to the owner of the ship shall, at all times be  kept on board the ship in the custody of the master of the ship. 

PART V
Free Boards 

27.        Types of freeboards :- The freeboards assignable to any ship under the rules shall be -- 

            (i)         Summer freeboard;

(ii)                 Tropical freeboard ;

(iii)                Winter freeboard;

(iv)                Winter North Atlantic freeboard;

(v)                  Fresh Water freeboard;

(vi)                Tropical Fresh Water freeboard;

(vii)               Summer Timber freeboard;

(viii)             Winter Timber freeboard;

(ix)               Winter North Atlantic Timber freeboard;

(x)                 Tropical Timber freeboard;

(xi)               Fresh Water Timber freeboard; and

(xii)              Tropical Fresh Water Timber freeboard. 

28.        Determination of freeboards :- Except as otherwise provided in rule 29, 

(a)        the freeboards to be assigned to a new ship shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Second Schedule; and 

(b)        the freeboards to be assigned to an existing ship shall be determined in accordance  with the provisions applicable in that behalf to the ship under the rules in force immediately prior to the coming into force of these rules : 

            Provided that if an existing ship has been so constructed or altered as to comply with the requirements of the First Schedule applicable to a new ship of its type, and an application is made in respect of such ship for the assignment of freeboards determined in accordance with the provisions of the Second Schedule, such freeboards may be assigned to the ship 

            29.        Exceptions regarding freeboards :- (1) Greater than minimum freeboard—Any ship may, on the application of the owner made in that behalf be assigned greater than the minimum freeboard determinable in accordance with rule 28, subject to the following conditions, namely :- 

(a)        On survey of the ship pursuant to rule4, the assigning authority is satisfied that the ship complies with the requirements of-- 

                                    (i)         Part IV of these rules ;

(ii)                 the First Schedule, other than those relating to stability;

(iii)                Part VI of these rules in so far as they relate to stability; and

(iv)                the Third Schedule in so far as they relate to stability. 

(b)        The ship is not assigned with timber freeboards. 

(c)        If the greater than minimum freeboard to be assigned to the ship is such that the position of load lines on the sides of the ship appropriate to that freeboard would correspond to, or be lower than, the position at which the lowest of the load lines appropriate to minimum freeboards for that ship would have been marked,-- 

(i)         load line appropriate to the greater than minimum freeboard and the fresh water freeboard should only be marked on the sides of the ship; 

(ii)         the load line appropriate to the greater than minimum freeboard shall be called the "All season load line" which shall consist of horizontal line interesting the load line mark and such mark shall be placed accordingly; 

(iii)        the vertical line described in sub-rule (2) of rule 17 shall be omitted; and 

(iv)        subject to the provisions of clause (iii), the fresh water load line shall be as described in sub-rule (2) of rule 17 and shall be maked accordingly.

(2)        Lesser than minimum freeboard – On an application made in this behalf by the owner of a hppper type ship, which is engaged on voyages other than international voyages during the course of which it does not go farther than 20 miles from the nearest land at any time, the Director General of Shipping may, subject to the conditions set out in Part IV of the Second Schedule, assign such ship lesser than  minimum free, board reduced to--- 

(i)         five-eighth of the appropriate minimum freeboard determinable in accordance with the Table B set out in Part V of the Second Schedule ; or 

(ii)         one-held of the appropriate minimum freeboard determinable in accordance with clause (4) or clause (5) of paragraph 4 of the Second Schedule : 

Provided that such freeboard shall not in either case be less than 150 millimetres. 

            30.        Special position of deck-line and correction of free-board:- In any case in which the deck-line is to be marked on the sides of a ship in accordance with the provision of sub-rule (3)n of rule 15, the freeboards to be assigned to the ship shall be corrected to allow for the vertical distance by which the position of the deck-line is altered by virtue of the provisions of sub-rule (3) of rule 15. The location of the point by reference to which the deckline has been so marked and the identity of the deck which has been regarded as the freeboard deck shall be specified in the load line certificate issued in respect of such ship.

PART VI
Stability and loading 

31.        Information as to stability of ships – (1) The owner of every ship to which freeboards are assigned under these rules shall, for the guidance of the master of the ship, provide information relating to the stability of the ship in accordance with the provisions of this rule. 

            (2)        Such information shall include stability particulars appropriate to the ship in respect of all maters specified in Part II of the Third Schedule and the method of computation and the form of the particulars should be so far as practicable, in accordance  with Part III of that Schedule or equivalent thereto.  The stability characteristics shall comply with the criteria specified in Part I of the Third Schedule.  

            (3)        Subject to the provision of sub-rule (4), the information shall, when first supplied, be based on the determination of stability by means of an inclining test which shall, unless the Director General otherwise permits, be carried out in the presence of the Surveyor appointed by the Director General.  The information first supplied shall be replaced by fresh information whenever its accuracy is materially affected by alteration of the ship.  Such fresh information shall, if the Director General so requires be based on a further inclining test. 

(4)        The Director General may--- 

(a)        in the case of any ship, permit the information to be based on the determination of stability of sister ship by means of an inclining test. 

(b)        in the case of any ship specially designed for the carriage of liquids or ore inbulk dispense with the inclining test if from the information available in respect of similar ships, he is satisfied that the ships proportions and arrangements are such as to ensure more than sufficient stability in all  probable loading conditions. 

(5)        The information, and any fresh information to replace the same pursuant to the provisions of sub-rule (3), shall, before issue to the master, be submitted by or on behalf of the owner to the Director General for his approval, together with a copy thereof for his record, and shall incorporate such additions and amendments as the Director General may in any particular case required. 

(6)        Information provided pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this rule shall be furnished by the owner of the ship to the master in the form of a book which shall be kept on board the ship at all times in the custody of the master of the ship. 

32.        Information as to loading and ballasting of ships:-(1) The owner of any whip being a ship of more than 150 metres in length specially designed to carry liquids or are in bulk, to which freeboards are assigned under these rules shall, for the information of the master of the ship, provide information relating to the loading and ballasting of the ship in accordance with the provisions of sub-rules (2) and (3). 

            (2)        Such information shall consist of working instructions specifying in detail the manner in which the ship is to be loaded and; ballasted so as to avoid the creation of unacceptable stresses in its structure and shall indicate the maximum stresses permissible for the ship           

            (3)        The provisions of sub-rule (5) of rule 31 shall apply in the like manner to information required under sub-rule (1).  Information duly approved by the Director General shall be contained in the book to be furnished to the master of the ship pursuant to the provisions of sub-rule (6) of rule 31, so however, that information required by rule 31 and rule 32 is separately shown in the book under separate headings specifying the number and heading of each rule. 

THE FIRST SCHEDULE
 See rules 4, 6, , 24, 28 and 29 )

Conditions of Assignment

PART I
General 

1.         Interpretations – (1) Positions 1 and 2;  For the purpose of this schedule two positions of hatchways, doorways and ventilators are defined as follows :

            Position 1—Upon exposed freeboard and raised quarter decks, and upon exposed superstructure decks situated forward of a point located a quarter of the ship's length from the forward perpendicular. 

            (2)        Type 'A' ships. (i) A type 'A' ship is one which is designed to carry liquid cargoes in bulk, and in which cargo tanks have only small access openings closed by watertight gasketed covers of steel or equivalent material.  Such a ship necessarily has the following inherent features : 

                        (a)        high integrity of the exposed deck; and           

(b)        high degree of safety against flooding, resulting from low permeability of loaded cargo spaces and the degree of sub-division usually provided. 

            (ii)         A type 'A' ship, if over 150 metres in length, and designed to have empty compartments when loaded to her summer load line, shall be able to withstand the flooding of any one of these empty compartments at an assumed permeability of 0.95, and remain afloat in a satisfactory condition of equilibrium which unless otherwise required by the Director General of Shipping shall be in accordance with the following clause (iii) Provided that if the ship exceeds 225 metres in length, its machinery space shall also be treated as one of the floodable compartments mentioned above but with an assumed permeability of 0.85. 

            (iii)        The final condition of equilibrium of a flooded type.  A ship shall  atleast comply with the following:- 

(a)        The final waterline after flooding is below the lower edge of any opening through when progressive flooding may taken place ;    

(b)        the maximum angle of heal due to unsymmetrical flooding is of the order of 15⁰ ; 

(c)        the metacentric height in the flooded condition is at least 50mm when calculated by the constant displacement method;                       

(d)        the ship has adequate residual stability in the final flooded conditions. 

            (3)        Type 'B' Ships – All ships which do not come within the purview of type 'A' ships in sub-paragraph (2) above shall be considered as type 'B' ships. 

            2.         Equivalents and Exemptions 

            The assigning authority may with the approval of the Director General of Shipping-- 

(1)        allow any fitting, material, appliances or apparatus to be fitted in a ship, in place of any fitting, material, appliance, apparatus or provisions respectively which is required under any of the provisions of this Schedule, if satisfied by trial thereof or otherwise that it is at least as effective as that so required.                       

(2)        grant in any exceptional case exemptions from the requirements of any of the said provisions of this Schedule on condition that the freeboards to be assigned to the ship are increased to such an extent that the safety of the ship and protection afforded to the crew till be considered no less effective than would be the case if the ship fully complied with those requirements with the usual rule freeboard.

PART II
General conditions of Assignment for all ships 

3.         Strength of ship – The design and the condition of the ship shall be such that her general structural strength shall be sufficient for the freeboard assigned to her. 

4.         Stability of ship – The design and the construction of the ship shall be such as to ensure that her stability in all probable loading conditions will be sufficient for the freeboards to be assigned to her for the intended services in accordance with the criteria of stability and methods of calculations laid down in the Sixth Schedule. 

5.         Weathertight Doors—(i) All access openings in bulkheads at ends of enclosed superstructure or on any other bulkheads or sides and ends of casings where such weathertight doors are required to be fitted shall be fitted with doors of steel or other equivalent material, permanently and strongly attached to the bulkhead, and framed, stiffened and fitted so that the whole structure is of equivalent strength to the unpierced bulkhead and weathertight when closed.  The means for securing these doors weather tight shall consists of gaskets and clamping devices or other equivalent means and shall be permanently attached to the bulkhead or to the doors themselves and doors shall be so arranged that they can be operated from both sides of the bulkhead. 

            (ii)         Except as otherwise provide in this Schedule, the height of the silts of access openings in bulkheads at the ends of enclosed superstructure shall be at least 380 millimetres above the deck. 

            6.         Superstructure and bulkheads—Bulkheads at exposed ends of enclosed superstructures shall be of efficient construction.

            7.         General requirements of hatchways.—(1) The construction and the means for securing the weathertightness of cargo and other hatchways in positions 1 and 2 shall be at least equivalent to the requirements of paragraphs 8 and 9. 

            (2)        Covernings and hatchway covers to exposed hatchways on decks above the superstructure deck shall be of such construction and be fitted with such means for securing the weathertightness of the hatchway as are adequate having regard to its position. 

            8.         Hatchways closed by portable covers and secured weathertight by tarpaulins and battening devices—(1) Hatchways coamings : Every hatchway shall have a coaming of substantial construction.  The coaming shall be constructed of mild steel unless otherwise permitted.  The height of the coaming above the deck shall be at least-- 

            600 millimetres if the hatchway is in position 1. 

            450 millimietres if the hatchway is in Position 2. 

            (2)        Hatchway covers—(a) The width of each bearing surface for hatchway covers shall be at least 65 millimetres. 

            (b)        Where the covers are made of wood, the finished thickness shall be at least 60 millimetres in association with a span of not more than 1.5 metres and the thickness of cover for larger spans shall be increased in the ratio of 60 millitmeters to a span of 1.5 metres.  The ends of wooden covers shall be protected by galvanized steel bands efficiently secured. 

            (c)        Where the covers are made of mild steel the strength shall be calculated with assumed loads in accordance with the table below and the product of the maximum stress thus calculated and the factor 4.25 shall not exceed the minimum ultimate strength of the material.  Covers shall also be so designed as to limit the deflection to not more than 0.0028 times the span under these loads. 

Table of Loads
(per sq. metre)

Ship's Length(L) Hatchway in                  Hatchway in Position 1          Position 2

Over 24 meters but                   to be ascertained           by linear
less than 1