NEW CLASS B, C AND D AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS:

All reasonable and practicable measures shall be taken to limit the entry and spread of water above the bulkhead deck. Such measures may include partial bulkheads or webs. When partial watertight bulkheads and webs are fitted on the bulkhead deck, above or in the immediate vicinity of main subdivision bulkheads, they shall have watertight shell and bulkhead deck connections so as to restrict the flow of water along the deck when the ship is in a heeled damaged condition. Where the partial watertight bulkhead does not line up with the bulkhead below, the bulkhead deck between shall be made effectively watertight. The bulkhead deck or a deck above it shall be weathertight. All openings in the exposed weather deck shall have coamings of ample height and strength and shall be provided with efficient means for expeditiously closing them weathertight. Freeing ports, open rails and scuppers shall be fitted as necessary for rapidly clearing the weather deck of water under all weather conditions. In existing class B ships, the open end of air pipes terminating within a superstructure shall be at least 1 metre above the waterline when the ship heels to an angle of 15, or the maximum angle of heel during intermediate stages of flooding, as determined by direct calculation, whichever is the greater. Alternatively, air pipes from tanks other than oil tanks may discharge through the side of the superstructure. The provisions of this paragraph are without prejudice to the provisions of the International Convention on Load Lines in force. Sidescuttles, gangway, cargo ports and the other means for closing openings in the shell plating above the margin line shall be of efficient design and construction and of sufficient strength having regard to the spaces in which they are fitted and their positions relative to the deepest subdivision load line. Efficient inside deadlights, so arranged that they can be easily and effectively closed and secured watertight, shall be provided for all sidescuttles to spaces below the first deck above the bulkhead deck.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-10 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.