1.   These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 1987 and shall come into force on 1st January 1988.

2.-(1)  The Merchant Shipping (Application of Construction and Survey Regulations to other ships) Regulations 1985((2)) shall be amended as follows:-

(a)regulation 2 shall be omitted;

(b)in regulation 4, for "Notwithstanding regulations 2 and 3 of these Regulations, neither the Passenger Ship Regulations nor the Cargo Ship Regulations 1984" there shall be substituted "Notwithstanding regulation 3 of these Regulations, the Cargo Ship Regulations 1984 shall not".

(2)  Regulation 3(2) of the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 1985((3)) is hereby revoked.

3.   The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations 1984((4)) shall be further amended as follows:-

(1)  In regulation 1(2) after the definition of "Ro/ro cargo spaces" there shall be inserted the following definition:

""Ro/ro passenger ship" means a passenger ship provided with cargo or vehicle spaces in which vehicles or cargo can be loaded or unloaded in a horizontal direction;".

(2)  Regulation 1(3) shall be replaced by the following:-

"(3)  These Regulations apply:-

(i)to new United Kingdom passenger ships wherever they may be,

(ii)subject to the exceptions mentioned below in this paragraph, to other new passenger ships while they are within the United Kingdom or the territorial waters thereof, and

(iii)to the extent that the Secretary of State deems reasonable and practical, to any major repairs, alterations or modifications to existing United Kingdom passenger ships

except that

(a)regulations 16, 17 and 20 shall not apply to other new passenger ships; but such ships shall comply instead with regulations 16, 17 and 19 of the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1980((5))

(b)Part VIA shall not apply to non-United Kingdom ro/ro passenger ships.".

(3)  After regulation 80A the following new regulations shall be inserted:-

"PART VIAMISCELLANEOUS: SHIPS WITH SPECIAL CATEGORY OR RO/RO CARGO SPACES

Application of Part VIA

• 80B  Subject to regulation 1(3)(b), this Part of these Regulations applies to every ro/ro passenger ship to which these Regulations apply.

Access opening indicator lights

• 80C  Indicators shall be provided for all shell doors, loading doors and other closing appliances fitted to openings which if left open or not properly secured could lead to major flooding of a special category space or ro/ro cargo space. The indicator system shall be a panel at the navigating bridge consisting of a green indicator light and a red indicator light for each access opening connected to suitable switches at the opening so that the green light will be illuminated on the panel for a particular opening only when the door or other closing appliance is both closed and secured. All switches or relays shall be connected so that if the door or appliance is not fully closed or properly secured the red light on the panel will illuminate. The power supply for the indicator system shall be independent of the power supply for operating and securing the doors or closing appliances.

Supplementary emergency lighting

80D  From 31st July 1988,

(i)in addition to the emergency lighting required by Part IV of these Regulations, all passenger public spaces and alleyways shall be provided with supplementary electric lighting that can operate independently of the main and emergency and transitional sources of electric power for at least three hours when the ship is listed up to 90 degrees. The illumination provided shall be such that the approach to the means of escape from the space can be seen. The source of electric power for the lighting shall be accumulator batteries located within the lighting unit that are continuously charged, where practicable, from the emergency switchboard whilst the ship is in service. The lighting shall be of the maintained type so that any failure of the lamp will be immediately apparent. The accumulator batteries shall be replaced in accordance with the service life established by the manufacturer having regard to the ambient temperature to which they are subject in service.

(ii)a portable rechargeable battery operated hand lamp shall be provided in every crew space alleyway, recreational space and every working space which is normally occupied unless supplementary emergency lighting as required by sub-paragraph (i) of this regulation is provided.

Television Surveillance

• 80E  A television system shall be installed which shall be capable of transmitting reliable information to the navigating bridge on the condition (including position) of bow doors, stern doors or any other cargo or vehicle loading doors which if left open or not properly secured could lead to major flooding of a special category space or ro/ro cargo space. Special category spaces and ro/ro cargo spaces shall be continuously patrolled or shall be monitored by a television surveillance system during any voyage so that movement of vehicles in adverse weather or unauthorised entry by passengers can be observed. The system monitors shall be placed at a location that is continuously manned whilst the ship is underway.".

4.  The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1980 shall be further amended as follows:-

(1)  In regulation 1(2) after the definition of "Radiotelegraph room" there shall be inserted the following definitions:

""Ro/ro cargo spaces" means spaces not normally subdivided in any way and extending to either a substantial length or the entire length of the ship in which goods (packaged or in bulk, in or on rail or road cars, vehicles (including road or rail tankers), trailers, containers, pallets, demountable tanks or in or on similar stowage units or other receptacles) can be loaded and unloaded normally in a horizontal direction;.

"Ro/ro passenger ship" means a passenger ship provided with cargo or vehicle spaces in which vehicles or cargo can be loaded or unloaded in a horizontal direction;".

(2)  Regulation 1(3) shall be replaced by the following:

"(3) (a)  Subject to sub-paragraph (b) below these Regulations apply to United Kingdom passenger ships wherever they may be and to other passenger ships while they are within the United Kingdom or the territorial waters thereof except-

(i)ships the keels of which were laid, or which were at a similar stage of construction, on or after 1st September 1984;

(ii)ships which, although constructed before that date, were subsequently converted to passenger ships, such conversions having commenced on or after that date.

(b)Part VIIB shall not apply to non-United Kingdom ro/ro passenger ships.".

(3)  After regulation 131 the following new regulations shall be inserted:-

"PART VIIBMISCELLANEOUS: SHIPS WITH SPECIAL CATEGORY OR RO/RO CARGO SPACES

Application of Part VIIB

• 131A  Subject to regulation 1(3)(b), this Part of these regulations applies to every ro/ro passenger ship to which these Regulations apply. Access opening indicator lights

• 131B  Indicators shall be provided for all shell doors, loading doors and other closing appliances fitted to openings which if left open or not properly secured could lead to major flooding of a special category space or ro/ro cargo space. The indicator system shall be a panel at the navigating bridge consisting of a green indicator light and a red indicator light for each access opening connected to suitable switches at the opening so that the green light will be illuminated on the panel for a particular opening only when the door or other closing appliance is both closed and secured. All switches or relays shall be connected so that if the door or appliance is not fully closed or properly secured the red light on the panel will illuminate. The power supply for the indicator system shall be independent of the power supply for operating and securing the doors or closing appliances.

Supplementary emergency lighting

131C  From 31st July 1988,

(i)in addition to the emergency lighting required by Parts IV and IVA of these Regulations, all passenger public spaces and alleyways shall be provided with supplementary electric lighting that can operate independently of the main, emergency and transitional sources of electric power for at least three hours when the ship is listed up to 90 degrees. The illumination provided shall be such that the approach to the means of escape from the space can be seen. The source of electric power for the lighting shall be accumulator batteries located within the lighting unit that are continuously charged, where applicable, from the emergency switchboard whilst the ship is in service. The lighting shall be of the maintained type so that any failure of the lamp will be immediately apparent. The accumulator batteries shall be replaced in accordance with the service life established by the manufacturer having regard to the ambient temperature to which they are subject in service.

(ii)a portable rechargeable battery operated hand lamp shall be provided in every crew space alleyway, recreational space and every working space which is normally occupied unless supplementary emergency lighting as required by sub-paragraph (i) of this regulation is provided.

Television Surveillance

• 131D  A television system shall be installed which shall be capable of transmitting reliable information to the navigating bridge by television on the condition (including position) of bow doors, stern doors or any other cargo or vehicle loading doors which if left open or not properly secured could lead to major flooding of a special category space or ro/ro cargo space. Special category spaces and ro/ro cargo spaces shall be continuously patrolled or shall be monitored by a television surveillance system during any voyage so that movement of vehicles in adverse weather, or unauthorised entry by passengers can be observed. The system monitors shall be placed at a location that is continuously manned whilst the ship is underway.".

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations 1984 and the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1980.

The amendments introduce requirements for access door indicating systems, supplementary emergency lighting and television systems on all United Kingdom ro/ro passenger ships. The requirements for access door indicating systems and television systems or equivalent arrangements shall be in force by 1st January 1988 and the requirements for supplementary emergency lighting shall be in force by 31st July 1988.