No. S 287
Merchant Shipping Act
(Chapter 179)
Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 1999
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, with the approval of the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 and shall come into operation on 1st July 1999.
New Regulation 8-3 of Chapter II-1
2.  The Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations (Rg 11) (referred to in these Regulations as the principal Regulations) are amended by inserting, immediately after Regulation 8-2 of Chapter II-1, the following Regulation:
Regulation 8-3
Special Requirements for Passenger Ships, other than Ro/ro Passenger Ships, Carrying 400 persons or More
Notwithstanding the provisions of Regulation 8, passenger ships other than ro/ro passenger ships, certified to carry 400 persons or more and constructed on or after 1st July 2002 shall comply with the provisions of paragraphs (b)(iii) and (b)(iv) of Regulation 8, assuming the damage applied anywhere within the ship's length L.”.
Amendment of Regulation 19 of Chapter II-1
3.  Regulation 19 of Chapter II-1 of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “paragraph (b)” in paragraph (d) and substituting the words “paragraphs (b) and (c)”.
New Regulation 8-2 of Chapter V
4.  The principal Regulations are amended by inserting, immediately after Regulation 8-1 of Chapter V, the following Regulation:
Regulation 8-2
Vessel Traffic Service
(a)  Vessel traffic services (VTS) contribute to the safety of life at sea, safety and efficiency of navigation and the protection of the marine environment, adjacent shore areas, work sites and offshore installations from possible adverse effects of maritime traffic.
(b)  The master of a Singapore ship shall participate in and comply with the provisions of VTS, if any, while the ship is in the waters of a Contracting State.”.
New Chapter XII
5.  The principal Regulations are amended —
(a)by inserting, immediately after Chapter XI, the following Chapter:
Chapter XII
ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES FOR BULK CARRIERS
Regulation 1
Definitions
For the purpose of this Chapter, unless expressly provided otherwise —
“bulk carrier” means a bulk carrier as defined in Regulation 1 of Chapter IX;
“bulk carrier bulkhead and double bottom strength standards” means “Standards for the evaluation of scantlings of the transverse watertight vertically corrugated bulkhead between the two foremost cargo holds and for the evaluation of allowable hold loading of the foremost cargo hold” adopted by Resolution 4 of the Conference of Contracting Governments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 on 27th November 1997, as may be amended by the Organisation, provided that such amendments are adopted, brought into force and take effect in accordance with the provisions of article VIII of the present Convention concerning the amendment procedures applicable to the Annex other than Chapter I;
“bulk carrier of single side skin construction” means a bulk carrier in which a cargo hold is bounded by the side shell;
“length” of a bulk carrier means the length as defined in the International Convention on Load Lines in force;
“ships constructed” means ships constructed as defined in Regulation 1(a)(iii)(1) of Chapter II-1;
“solid bulk cargo” means any material, other than liquid or gas, consisting of a combination of particles, granules or any larger pieces of material, generally uniform in composition, which is loaded directly into the cargo spaces of a ship without any intermediate form of containment.
Regulation 2
Application
Bulk carriers shall comply with the requirements of this Chapter in addition to the applicable requirements of other Chapters.
Regulation 3
Implementation schedule
(This Regulation applies to bulk carriers constructed before 1st July 1999)
Bulk carriers to which Regulation 4 or 6 apply shall comply with the provisions of such regulations according to the following schedule, with reference to the enhanced programme of inspections required by Regulation 2 of Chapter XI:
(a)bulk carriers which are 20 years of age and over on 1st July 1999, by the date of the first intermediate survey or the first periodical survey after 1st July 1999, whichever comes first;
(b)bulk carriers which are 15 years of age and over but less than 20 years of age on 1st July 1999, by the date of the first periodical survey after 1st July 1999, but not later than 1st July 2002; and
(c)bulk carriers which are less than 15 years of age on 1st July 1999, by the date of the first periodical survey after the date on which the ship reaches 15 years of age, but not later than the date on which the ship reaches 17 years of age.
Regulation 4
Damage Stability Requirements applicable to Bulk Carriers
(a)  Bulk carriers of 150 metres in length and upwards of single side skin construction, designed to carry solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,000 kg/m3 and above, constructed on or after 1st July 1999 shall, when loaded to the summer load line, be able to withstand flooding of any one cargo hold in all loading conditions and remain afloat in a satisfactory condition of equilibrium, as specified in paragraph (c).
(b)  Bulk carriers of 150 metres in length and upwards of single side skin construction, carrying solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above, constructed before 1st July 1999 shall, when loaded to the summer load line, be able to withstand flooding of the foremost cargo hold in all loading conditions and remain afloat in a satisfactory condition of equilibrium, as specified in paragraph (c). This requirement shall be complied with in accordance with the implementation schedule specified in Regulation 3.
(c)  Subject to the provisions of paragraph (f), the condition of equilibrium after flooding shall satisfy the condition of equilibrium laid down in the annex to resolution A.320(IX) — Regulation equivalent to Regulation 27 of the International Convention on Load Lines 1966, as amended by resolution A.514(13). The assumed flooding need only take into account flooding of the cargo hold space. The permeability of a loaded hold shall be assumed as 0.9 and the permeability of an empty hold shall be assumed as 0.95, unless a permeability relevant to a particular cargo is assumed for the volume of a flooded hold occupied by cargo and a permeability of 0.95 is assumed for the remaining empty volume of the hold.
(d)  Bulk carriers constructed before 1st July 1999 which have been assigned a reduced freeboard in compliance with Regulation 27(7) of the International Convention on Load Lines 1966, as adopted on 5th April 1966, may be considered as complying with paragraph (b) of this Regulation.
(e)  Bulk carriers which have been assigned a reduced freeboard in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (8) of the Regulation equivalent to Regulation 27 of the International Convention on Load Lines 1966, adopted by Resolution A.320(IX), as amended by Resolution A.514(13), may be considered as complying with paragraphs (a) or (b), as appropriate.
(f)  On bulk carriers which have been assigned reduced freeboard in compliance with the provisions of Regulation 27(8) set out in Annex B of the Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention on Load Lines 1966, the condition of equilibrium after flooding shall satisfy the relevant provisions of that Protocol.
Regulation 5
Structural Strength of Bulk Carriers
(This Regulation applies to bulk carriers constructed on or after 1st July 1999)
Bulk carriers of 150 metres in length and upwards of single side skin construction, designed to carry solid bulk cargoes having density of 1,000 kg/m3 and above, shall have sufficient strength to withstand flooding of any one cargo hold in all loading and ballast conditions, taking into account dynamic effects resulting from the presence of water in the hold, and taking into account the recommendations adopted by the Organisation.1
1  Reference is made to the following requirements issued by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS):
S17 Longitudinal strength of hull girder in flooded condition for single side skin bulk carriers.
S18 Evaluation of scantlings of corrugated transverse watertight bulkheads for single side skin bulk carriers considering hold flooding.
S20 Evaluation of allowable hold loading for single side skin bulk carriers considering hold flooding.
Regulation 6
Structural and Other Requirements for Bulk Carriers
(This Regulation applies to bulk carriers constructed before 1st July 1999)
(a)  Bulk carriers of 150 metres in length and upwards of single side skin construction, carrying solid bulk cargoes having density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above, shall comply with the requirements of this Regulation in accordance with the implementation schedule specified in Regulation 3.
(b)  The transverse watertight bulkhead between the two foremost cargo holds and the double bottom of the foremost cargo hold shall have sufficient strength to withstand flooding of the foremost cargo hold, taking also into account dynamic effects resulting from the presence of water in the hold, in compliance with the Bulk carrier bulkhead and double bottom strength standards. For the purpose of this Regulation, the Bulk carrier bulkhead and double bottom strength standards shall be treated as mandatory.
(c)  In considering the need for, and the extent of, strengthening of the transverse watertight bulkhead or double bottom to meet the requirements of paragraph (b), the following restrictions may be taken into account:
(i)restrictions on the distribution of the total cargo weight between the cargo holds; and
(ii)restrictions on the maximum deadweight.
(d)  I For bulk carriers using either of, or both, the restrictions given in paragraphs (c)(i) and (c)(ii) above for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of paragraph (b), these restrictions shall be complied with whenever solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above are carried.
Regulation 7
Survey of the Cargo Hold Structure of Bulk Carriers
(This Regulation applies to bulk carriers constructed before 1st July 1999)
Bulk carriers of 150 metres in length and upwards of single side skin construction, of 10 years of age and over, shall not carry solid bulk cargoes having density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above unless it has satisfactorily undergone either:
(i)a periodical survey in accordance with the enhanced programme of inspections required by Regulation 2 of Chapter XI; or
(ii)a survey of all cargo holds to the same extent as required for periodical surveys in the enhanced survey programme of inspections required by Regulation 2 of Chapter XI.
(a)  The booklet required by Regulation 7(b) of Chapter VI shall be endorsed by the Director or an authorised organisation to indicate that Regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7 as appropriate, are complied with.
(b)  Any restrictions imposed on the carriage of solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 6 shall be identified and recorded in the booklet referred to in paragraph (a).
(c)  Bulk carriers to which paragraph (b) applies shall be permanently marked on the side shell at amidships, port and starboard, with a solid equilateral triangle having sides of 500 mm and its apex 300 mm below the deck line, and painted a contrasting colour to that of the hull.
Regulation 9
Requirements for Bulk Carriers not being capable of Complying with Regulation 4(b) due to the Design Configuration of their Cargo Hold
(This Regulation applies to bulk carriers constructed before 1st July 1999)
For bulk carriers being within the application limits of Regulation 4(b), which have been constructed with an insufficient number of transverse watertight bulkheads to satisfy that Regulation, the Director may allow relaxation from the application of Regulations 4 (b) and 6 on condition that they shall comply with the following requirements:
(i)for the foremost cargo hold, the inspections prescribed for the annual survey in the enhanced programme of inspections required by Regulation 2 of Chapter XI shall be replaced by the inspections prescribed therein for the intermediate survey of cargo holds;
(ii)are provided with bilge well high water level alarms in all cargo holds, or in cargo conveyor tunnels, as appropriate, giving an audible and visual alarm on the navigation bridge, as approved by the Director or an authorised organisation; and
(iii)are provided with detailed information on specific cargo hold flooding scenarios. This information shall be accompanied by detailed instructions on evacuation preparedness under the provisions of Section 8 of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code and be used as the basis for crew training and drills.
Regulation 10
Solid Bulk Cargo Density Declaration
(a)  Prior to loading bulk cargo on a bulk carrier, the shipper shall declare the density of the cargo, in addition to providing the cargo information required by Regulation 2 of Chapter VI.
(b)  For bulk carriers to which Regulation 6 applies, unless such bulk carriers comply with all the relevant requirements of this Chapter applicable to the carriage of solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above, any cargo declared to have a density within the range 1,250 kg/m3 to 1,780 kg/m3 shall have its density verified by an accredited testing organisation.
Regulation 11
Loading Instrument
(This Regulation applies to bulk carriers regardless of their date of construction)
(a)  Bulk carriers of 150 metres in length and upwards shall be fitted with a loading instrument capable of providing information on hull girder shear forces and bending moments, taking into account the recommendation adopted by the Organisation.2
2  Reference is made to Recommendation o. 48 on loading instruments adopted by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
(b)  Bulk carriers of 150 metres in length and upwards constructed before 1st July 1999 shall comply with the requirements of paragraph (a) not later than the date of the first intermediate or periodical survey of the ship to be carried out after 1st July 1999.
Part Regulation 8Part Information on Compliance with Requirements for Bulk Carriers”; and
(b)by renumbering the existing Chapter XII as Chapter XIII.
Made this 28th day of June 1999.
PETER HO HAK EAN
Chairman,
Maritime and Port Authority of
Singapore.
[SV 1.2.1(13): AG/LEG/SL/179/96/1 Vol. 5]