NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 190

"The Act" means the Shipping and Seamen Act 1952.

"Certified" means certified by a certificate issued under section 219 of the Act or accepted by a surveyor as equivalent to such certificate for the purposes of this Schedule.

"Free-fall launching" means that method of launching a survival craft whereby the craft with its complement of persons and equipment on board is released and allowed to fall into the sea without any restraining apparatus.

"Immersion suit" means a protective suit which reduces the body heat-loss of a person wearing it in cold water.

"New Ship" means a ship the keel of which is laid, or in respect of which a similar stage of construction is reached,

(a) in the case of a ship of Class VII or Class VIIA: the 1st day of July 1986; or

(b) in the case of a ship of Class VIII: the date of commencement of this Notice

and for the purposes of this definition, "similar stage of construction" means the stage at which construction identifiable with the ship commences at least 50 tonnes or 1 per cent of the estimated mass of the structural material of the completed ship, whichever is the less. A cargo ship, whenever built, which is converted to a passenger ship shall be treated as a passenger ship constructed on the date on which such a conversion commences.

"Thermal protective aid" means a bag or suit made of waterproof material with low thermal conductivity.

Other expressions defined in the Act have the meaning so defined.

2. Lifeboats, rescue boats, inflated boats and liferafts—

(1) Every ship of Classes VII, VIIA or VIII to which this Code of Practice applies shall carry—

(a) on each side of the ship 1 or more totally enclosed lifeboats of sufficient aggregate capacity to accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry; and

(b) a liferaft or liferafts, capable of being launched on either side of the ship and of such aggregate capacity as will accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry. If the liferaft or liferafts cannot be readily transferred for launching on either side of the ship, additional liferafts shall be provided so that the total capacity available on each side will accommodate 150 per cent of the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry.

Provided that a ship of Class VIII (other than an oil tanker, chemical tanker, or gas carrier) may carry self righting partially enclosed lifeboats and a ship of Class VII or VIIA (other than an oil tanker, chemical tanker or gas carrier) normally engaged on voyages between the parallels of Latitude of 20° North and South may carry self righting partially enclosed lifeboats in lieu of totally enclosed lifeboats.

(2) In lieu of meeting the requirements of subclause (1) of this clause a ship to which this Code of Practice applies may carry—

(a) 1 or more totally enclosed lifeboats, capable of being free fall launched over the stern of the ship of such aggregate capacity as will accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry; and

(b) in addition, 1 or more liferafts on each side of the ship, of such aggregate capacity as will accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry. The liferafts on at least 1 side of the ship shall be served by launching appliances.

(3) In lieu of meeting the requirements of subclause (1) or (2) of this clause, a ship to which this Code of Practice applies, of less than 85m in length (other than an oil tanker, chemical tanker or gas carrier) may comply with the following:

(a) It shall carry on each side of the ship, 1 or more liferafts of such aggregate capacity as will accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry.

(b) If the rescue boat required by subclause (8) of this clause is also a partially enclosed or self righting partially enclosed lifeboat it may be included in the aggregate capacity required by subclause (3)(a) of this clause provided that the total capacity available on either side of the ship is at least 150 per cent of the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry.

(c) In the event of any 1 survival craft being lost or rendered unserviceable, there shall be sufficient survival craft available for use on each side to accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry.

(4) A ship to which this Code of Practice applies where the survival craft are stowed in a position which is more than 100m from the stem or stern shall carry, in addition to the liferafts required by subclause (1)(b) and (2)(b) of this clause, a liferaft stowed as far forward of aft, or one as far forward and another as far aft, as is reasonable and practicable. Such liferaft or liferafts may be securely fastened so as to permit manual release and need not be of the type which can be launched from an approved launching device.

(5) With the exception of the liferafts not served by launching appliances all survival craft required to provide for abandonment by the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry shall be capable of being launched with their full complement of persons and equipment within a period of 10 minutes from the time the abandon ship signal is given.

(6) The lifeboats carried on chemical tankers and on gas carriers carrying cargoes which may emit toxic vapours or gases shall be lifeboats with self contained air systems.

(7) The lifeboats carried on oil tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers carrying cargoes having a flashpoint not exceeding 60°C (closed cup test) shall be fire protected lifeboats.

(8) Every ship of 500 gross tonnage or over shall carry at least 1 rescue boat, and every ship of less than 500 gross tonnage shall carry a rescue boat or inflated boat fitted with an engine. A lifeboat may be accepted as a rescue boat, provided that it also complies with the requirements for a rescue boat.

3. Lifebuoys—

(1) Every ship to which this Code of Practice applies shall carry not less than the number of lifebuoys prescribed in the following table.

(2) At least 1 lifebuoy on each side of the ship shall be fitted with a buoyant lifeline. Not less than 50 percent of the total number of lifebuoys shall be provided with self-igniting lights and not less than 2 of the lifebuoys provided with such lights shall also be provided with self-activating smoke signals and be capable of quick release from the navigating bridge.

4. Lifejackets—

(1) Every ship to which this Code of Practice applies shall carry a lifejacket for each person the ship is certified to carry and in addition, unless those lifejackets can be adapted for use by children, 1 children’s lifejacket for each child for whom space is provided on the ship.

(2) In addition to the lifejackets carried pursuant to sub-clause (1) of this clause there shall be carried sufficient lifejackets for persons on watch and for use at remotely located survival craft embarkation stations.