2.1 General
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.981 – Guidelines for the Design, Construction and Operation of Passenger Submersible Craft – (29 January 2001)Amended by MSC/Circ.1125 - Annex - Guidelines for the Design, Construction and Operation of Passenger Submersible Craft - Chapter 2 - Design and Construction - 2.1 General

2.1 General

  2.1.1 Passenger submersible craft should be designed, constructed and maintained in compliance with the requirements of a recognized organization as defined in paragraph 1.2.15 or with applicable standards recognized by the flag State Administration, and, in both cases, the State(s) in whose waters the passenger submersible craft will be operating, which provide an equivalent level of safety.

  2.1.2 The basic requirement for the passenger submersible craft design is that, as far as practicable, in the event of any single failure the craft can return to the surface without external assistance. Appropriate backup systems and equipment should be incorporated to meet this general design requirement. The craft should be able to attain positive buoyancy at any time.

  2.1.3 Passenger submersible craft should operate only in waters with a sea-bed depth not greater than the craft's rated depth. The Administration, however, may consider operation in areas with a greater sea-bed depth on the basis of safety evaluations demonstrating the adequacy of provisions and/or procedures.

  2.1.4 Adequate measures should be taken to prevent passengers from interfering with the operation of passenger submersible craft.

  2.1.5 The passenger submersible craft should be designed for and be capable of operating in the environmental conditions and temperature ranges envisaged both whilst on the surface and under water.

  2.1.6 The arrangement of occupied spaces should provide for easy evacuation.


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