21.B Accommodation and Recreational Facilities (MLC compliant over 200GT – less than 500GT)
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Statutory Documents - MCA Publications - The Workboat Code Edition 2 - 21.B Accommodation and Recreational Facilities (MLC compliant over 200GT – less than 500GT)

21.B Accommodation and Recreational Facilities (MLC compliant over 200GT – less than 500GT)

 The purpose of this section is to implement the UK’s substantially equivalent arrangements to the crew accommodation requirements of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, to new vessels built after the UK’s Merchant Shipping (Crew Accommodation) (Maritime Labour Convention) Regulations 2014 came into force 7th August 2014.

21B.1 General Requirement

21B.1.1 All workboats of 200GT to less than 500GT shall comply with the seafarer accommodation requirements of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, transposed in the UK as The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Crew Accommodation) Regulations 2013, except as permitted below.

21B.2 Substantially equivalent standard

21B.2.1 Sleeping rooms may be provided below the reference load line if it can be shown that compliance with Standard A3.1, paragraph 6(c) of the MLC would compromise the functionality, safety or stability of the ship.

21B.2.2 The floor of the sleeping room may be up to 2000 mm below the reference load line provided that:

  • .1 Adequate continuous climate control is provided, partly aimed at controlling of condensation and moisture related odours;
  • .2 At least two adequate escape routes are present;
  • .3 A bilge alarm which has its audible alarm in the watertight compartment of the sleeping room is available;
  • .4 Adequate, adjustable lighting is provided; the lack of daylight shall be compensated according to the needs of the seafarer;
  • .5 Appropriate materials and colours for wall and floor coverings are applied, which provide improved space perception;
  • .6 A minimum of 203 cm headroom in the accommodation must be provided.

  • Further notes:

  • The reference load line is defined as follows:-
  • For ships to which an International Load Line Certificate is issued: the minimum assignable summer freeboard as defined in the Load Line Convention, Annex I, Regulation 6.2.a.
  • For ships to which no International Load Line Certificate is issued: a line parallel to the designed load waterline located at a distance of 20% of the depth of the ship, as defined in the International Load Line Convention Annex I, Regulation 3(5), with a maximum of 1000 mm below the freeboard deck as defined in the International Load Line Convention, Annex I, Regulation 3(9).
Parent topic: The Workboat Code Edition 2
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