The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction: Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations 1998

Peak and machinery space bulkheads, shaft tunnels

9.—(1) Every subdivided ship shall be provided with a collision bulkhead which shall be watertight up to the bulkhead deck and shall be fitted at a distance from the ship’s forward perpendicular of not less than five per cent of the length of the ship and not more than three metres plus five per cent of such length. If the ship has a forward superstructure, the collision bulkhead shall be extended weathertight to the deck next above the bulkhead deck. The extension shall not be required to be fitted directly over the bulkhead below, provided that it is at least five per cent of the length of the ship from the forward perpendicular and the part of the bulkhead deck which forms the step is made effectively weathertight. A collision bulkhead need not be provided if the design of the ship, its service or its operation makes its fitting unnecessary.

(2) Every such ship shall be provided with a watertight afterpeak bulkhead and with watertight bulkheads, dividing the space appropriate to the main and auxiliary propelling machinery (and boilers if any) from other spaces. Such bulkheads shall be watertight up to the bulkhead deck provided that the afterpeak bulkhead may be stopped below the bulkhead deck if the safety of the ship as regards subdivision is not thereby impaired.

(3) The stern gland of every such ship shall be situated in a watertight shaft tunnel or other watertight space separate from the stern tube compartment and of such a volume that if the tunnel or space is flooded the margin line will not be submerged.

Additional requirements for ships constructed on or after 1st September 1984

(4) Where bow doors are fitted and a sloping loading ramp forms part of the extension of the collision bulkhead above the bulkhead deck, any part of the ramp structure which is more than 2.3 metres above the bulkhead deck may extend forward of the limit specified in paragraph (1). The ramp shall form a complete weathertight closure of the collision bulkhead extension above the bulkhead deck.