International Convention on Load Lines 1966

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INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON LOAD LINES 1966

It has long been recognized that limitations on the draft to whichships may load make a signicant contribution to safety ofvessels. These limits are given in the form of freeboards whichconstitute, besides external weather tight integrity and watertightintegrity, the main objective of this onvention to establishuniform principles and rules with the respect to the limits to whichships on international voyages may be load having regard to theneed for safeguarding life and property at sea !"reamble to the

onvention#

The rst International onvention on $oad $ines, adopted in %&'(,was based on the principle of reserve buoyancy, although it wasrecognized even then that the freeboard should also ensureade)uate stability and avoid excessive stress on the ship*s hull asa result of overloading.

The present onvention is sponsored by I+ and was adopted in

$ondon in %&--. It came into force in %&-. This onventionconsists of '/ 0rticles of Intent and three annexes of regulations,explanations and specimen certicates.

It has the same 1tacit acceptance* principle in adoptingamendments as the 2$02 onvention and there are0mendments adopted for %&3%, %&34, %&3& and %&'.

The onvention applies to all ships registered in countries ofontracting 5overnments !0rt /# except

ships of war

new ships of less than 6/ metres in length

existing ships of less than %4( tons gross

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pleasure yachts not engaged in trade

shing vessels !0rt 4#

The regulations take into account the potential hazards present indi7erent geographical zones and during the di7erent seasons ofthe year !0nnex II#. There are also technical details of themeasures to be taken to provide additional safety with regard todoors in the hull and on the weather dock, freeing ports,hatchways and other items. !0nnex II# The main purpose of these

measures is to ensure the watertight integrity of the ship*s hullbelow the freeboard deck.

Surveys

2urveys to ensure that the vessel and its ttings fully comply withthe re)uirements of the onvention are carried out before andduring the operational life of the ship. The surveys should becarried out by o8cers of the 0dministration. They may, however,

entrust this work to surveyors nominated for the purpose or toorganizations recognized by it. !0rt %'#

Initial Survey

This survey is carried out before the vessel is put into service itwill include a complete inspection of the vessels structure ande)uipment covered by the onvention. The survey will be such asto ensure that the arrangements, materials and scantlings fullycomply with the re)uirements of the 9egulations !0rt %/.l.a#

Periodical Survey

nce the vessel has been surveyed and been found to be incompliance with the regulations it is issued with a $oad $ine. Thishas been ascertained from calculations of the vessel*s volume

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and her stability, the information of which is given to the ship. Thevessel is then 1marked* with the load line !0rt %'# and $oad $ineerticate !%&--# is issued. !0rt %-#

0fter the interval of ve years the vessel must once again besubjected to an extensive survey known as the "eriodical 2urveywhich shall ensure that the vessel, its structure, materials andscantlings still comply with the regulations. This survey isrepeated at ve yearly intervals. !0rt %/.l.b#

Annual Insections

:uring the period of the erticate the vessel is re)uired to have0nnual Inspections within three months either way of eachanniversary date of the certicate which shall ensure thatalterations have not been made to the hull or superstructurewhich would a7ect the calculations determining the position ofthe load line and so as to ensure the maintenance in an e7ectivecondition of ttings and appliances for

protection of openings

guardrails

freeing ports

means of access to crew*s )uarters !0rt %/.%.b#

Issue o! Certi"cates

0n International $oad $ine erticate !%&--# shall be issued toevery ship that has been surveyed and marked in accordancewith the present onvention and such certicates shall be issuedby the 0dministration or organization duly authorized by it. !0rt%-#

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;owever the 0dministration may re)uest another ontracting5overnment to cause the ship to be surveyed and issued with acerticate, the certicate will bear a note that this has been doneat the


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Control

2hips holding a certicate issued under these regulations aresubject, when in the ports of other ontracting 5overnments, tocontrol by o8cers duly authorized by such 5overnments.

These 5overnments shall ensure that such control is exercised asfar as is reasonable and practicable with a view to verifying thatthere is on board a valid certicate. If there is a valid certicate ofboard the ship, such control shall be limited to the purpose of

determining that the ship is not loaded beyond the limits allowed by the

certicate the position of the load line of the ship corresponds with the

certicate the ship has not been materially altered in respect of the

matters set out in the 9egulations

If such control is exercised, it shall only be exercised in so far as

may be necessary to ensure that the ship shall not sail until it canproceed to sea without danger to the passengers or the crew.

In the event of the control provided for in the 9egulations giving

rise to intervention of any kind, the o8cer carrying out the control

shall immediately inform in writing the onsul of the 2tate whose

>ag the ship is >ying of his decision and of all the circumstances

in which intervention was deemed necessary !0rt 6%#

S$##AR%The main features of the $oad $ine onventions are to

establish uniform principles and rules

prevent ship overloading

set standards to maintain watertight integrity

maintain these standards

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T&e Load Line Convention covers 0dministration of surveys

Issue of certicates

9egulations for determining load lines

0nnex on technical measures

2pecications of zones and seasonal areas

2pecimens of certicates

Load Line Rules

The wner of a ship applies to an 0ssigning 0uthority for theassignment of freeboards.

The 0ssigning 0uthority decides which load lines are to be markedon the ship*s side and their position, together with the position ofthe deck line and load line mark. The 9ules describe these marksas ?appropriate marks@.

0 ship is to be loaded so that, in salt water, or on entry into saltwater, with no list, the appropriate loadline is not submerged.

The appropriate load line is the load line related to the zone orarea in which the ship is located or the season of the year beingexperienced.


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loading is allowed, account must be taken at the loading port sothat she arrives at the zone or area no deeper than theappropriate load line.

0dditional restrictions are applied to vessels of %(( metres or lessin the Borth 0tlantic Ainter 2easonal 0rea, and also in the Caltic2ea, north western +editerranean 2ea, northern half of the Clack2ea, part of the coast of Dorea, and a portion of the easternseaboard of the Enited 2tates of 0merica. Aith the exception ofthe Borth 0tlantic Ainter 2easonal 0rea, these areas are

permanent summer to vessels over %(( metres in length.

The overloading of a ship is an o7ence for which the wner or+aster are liable, on conviction on indictment, to a ne or, onsummary conviction to a maximum ne of F%,(((, and anadditional ne, which the court thinks t, re>ecting the increasedearning capacity brought about by the o7ence. The additional neis not to exceed F%,((( for each centimetre by which theappropriate load line is submerged.

If the +aster takes the ship to sea when she is overloaded, or anyother person sends, or is party to sending her to sea overloaded,then he is guilty of an o7ence and liable, on conviction onindictment, to a ne or, on summary conviction, to a maximumne of F%,(((, without prejudice to the ne for overloading.

It is a defence to prove that overloading wad due solely todeviation or delay, caused solely by stress of weather orcircumstances which could not have been prevented or

forestalled.

0ny overloaded ship can be detained until she ceases to beoverloaded. It is possible, under the +.2.0., for the +aster to bened a maximum of F4(,(((, on summary conviction, for

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overloading, or improper loading to such an extent that the ship isnot safe to go to sea without danger to herself or those onboard.


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- +anholes, in exposed positions on the freeboard orsuperstructure deck, are to be tted with a substantial coverto secure them watertight.

3 entilators are to have means of closing and securingweather tight.

0ir pipes are to have means of closing them weather tight.

& argo ports and similar openings are to be tted with doors,

designed to ensure water tightness and structural integrityof the shell.

%( 2cuppers, inlets and discharges, which pass through the hull, areto be tted with automatic nonJreturn valves.

%% "ortholes, below the freeboard deck, and in enclosedsuperstructures, are to be tted with a hinged deadlight, whichcan be closed and secures watertight.

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Ahere the survey to assign freeboards is for an existing ship, thesurveyor will consider the amount of corrosion present, andassess how this may a7ect the e8ciency of the structure, or thesafety of the crew.

There must be information onboard relating to the stability of theship. The information is based upon an inclining test and is givenin the form of a book, which is to be kept onboard in the +aster*scustody.

Ahen the 0ssigning 0uthority is satised that the ship has beensurveyed and marked as directed, the appropriate certicate isissued on application from the wner. This is an International$oad $ine erticate !%&&-# in the case of an existing ship of notless than %4( 5T and new ships of not less than 6/ metres inlengthL it is a Enited Dingdom $oad $ine erticate in the case ofany other ED registered ship.

Ahile the $oad $ine erticate is in force, the ship is periodically

inspected to ensure that the ttings and appliances are in ane7ective condition and no changes have been made to alter theassigned freeboards. The load line may also be reJmeasured, toensure that no unauthorized alteration has taken place. It will bethe responsibility of the ship to ensure the staging to be used forthe inspection is safely rigged.

0 certicate may be cancelled by the :.o.T.J

a if they are satised thatMJ

i the ship does not comply with the onditions of0ssignmentL or

ii the structural strength of the ship is so low the ship isunsafeL or

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iii the information on which the freeboards were assignedwas incorrect in a material particularL

b if the surveyor has not endorsed the certicate to show theship has been inspectedL

c if a new certicate is issuedL

d if the ship ceases to be ED registered.

The certicate is valid for a period not longer than 4 yrs, subjectto periodic inspections and provided no structural alterations havetaken place to change the onditions of 0ssignment. The intervalbetween inspections are to be not less than & months or morethan %4 months. "rovision is made for an extension to be grantedunder certain conditions. It is also provided for exemptions to begiven, in which case an =xemption erticate will be issued inconjunction with the $oad $ine erticate.

Two certicates are issuedL one to be framed and kept posted upin some conspicuous place onboard, while the other is kept withthe ship*s papers for conducting the ship*s business.

Cefore a ship proceeds to sea, the +aster must produce thecerticate to the 8cer of ustoms when clearance is re)uired.Entil the certicate is produced clearance will not be granted andthe ship may be detained.

If a ship proceeds, or attempts to proceed to sea without a valid$oad $ine erticate, the +aster is guilty of an o7ence and liable,on conviction on indictment, to a ne or, on summary conviction,to a maximum ne of F%,(((.

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If the ship proceeds, or attempts to proceed to sea without beingsurveyed, or without the appropriate marks, or without complyingwith the onditions of 0ssignment the wner or +aster is liable,on conviction on indictment, to a ne or, on summary conviction,to a maximum ne of F%,(((.

It is the responsibility of the wner or the +aster to ensure theship is kept correctly marked.

International Convention on Load Lines 1966

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