3306

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 77

REGULATION XVI.

Fire-resisting Bulkheads.

Ships shall be fitted above the bulkhead deck with fire-resisting bulkheads which shall be continuous from side to side of the ship and arranged to the satisfaction of the Administration.

They shall be constructed of metal or other fire-resisting material, effective to prevent for one hour, under the conditions for which the bulkheads are to be fitted in the ship, the spread of fire generating a temperature of 1,500° F. (815° C.) at the bulkhead.

Steps and recesses and the means for closing all openings in these bulkheads shall be fire-resisting and flametight.

The mean distance between any two adjacent fire-resisting bulkheads in any superstructure shall in general not exceed 131 feet (40 metres).

REGULATION XVII.

Side and other Openings, &c., above the Margin Line.

(1) Sidescuttles, gangway, cargo, and coaling ports, and other means for closing openings in the ship’s sides 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 loadline.

(2) The bulkhead deck or a deck above it shall be weathertight in the sense that in ordinary sea conditions water will not penetrate in a downward direction. 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.

(3) Freeing ports and/or scuppers shall be fitted as necessary for rapidly clearing the weather deck of water under all weather conditions.

REGULATION XVIII.

Exits from Watertight Compartments.

(1) In passenger and crew spaces, practicable means of exit to the open deck shall be provided for the occupants from each watertight compartment.

(2) Practicable means of escape for the crew shall be provided from each engine room, shaft tunnel, stokehold compartment, and other working spaces, independent of watertight doors.

REGULATION XIX.

Pumping Arrangements.

Steamships.

(1) Ships shall be provided with an efficient pumping plant capable of pumping from and draining any watertight compartment under all practicable conditions after a casualty whether the ship is upright or listed. For this purpose wing suctions will generally be necessary except in narrow compartments at the ends of the ship. Where close ceiling is fitted over the bilges, arrangements shall be made whereby water in the compartment may find its way to the suction pipes. Efficient means shall be provided for draining water from insulated holds.

(2) In addition to the ordinary bilge pump, worked by the main engines, or its equivalent engine-room pump, two independent power bilge pumps shall be provided, except that in ships less than 300 feet (91·5 metres) in length, having a criterion numeral less than 30, either two efficient hand pumps of the crank type fitted one forward and one aft, or a portable power pump, may be substituted for one of the additional independent power bilge pumps.

In all cases an additional independent power pump shall be fitted when the criterion number exceeds 30.

Sanitary, ballast, and general service pumps may be accepted as independent power bilge pumps if fitted with the necessary connections to the bilge pumping system.

(3) Where two or more independent power pumps are required, the arrangement shall be such that at least one power pump will be available for use in all ordinary circumstances in which a vessel may be flooded at sea. One of the power pumps shall, therefore, be an emergency pump of a reliable submersible type. A source of power situated above the bulkhead deck shall be available for this pump in any case of emergency.

This modification was effected on 17th January, 1933, pursuant to Article 61 of the Convention.