Section 3 Drainage of compartments, other than machinery spaces
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Clasifications Register Rules and Regulations - Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships, July 2022 - Part 5 Main and Auxiliary Machinery - Chapter 13 Ship Piping Systems - Section 3 Drainage of compartments, other than machinery spaces

Section 3 Drainage of compartments, other than machinery spaces

3.1 General

3.1.1 All ships are to be provided with efficient pumping plant having the suctions and means for drainage so arranged that any water within any compartment of the ship, or any watertight section of any compartment, can be pumped out through at least one suction when the ship is on an even keel and is either upright or has a list of not more than 5°. For this purpose, wing suctions will generally be necessary, except in short, narrow compartments where one suction can provide effective drainage under the above conditions.

3.1.2 In passenger ships, the pumping plant is to be capable of draining any watertight compartment under all practicable conditions after a casualty, whether the ship is upright or listed.

3.1.3 In the case of dry compartments, the suctions required by Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.1 General 3.1.1 are, except where otherwise stated, to be branch bilge suctions, i.e. suctions connected to a main bilge line.

3.1.4 For drainage arrangements of non-self-propelled ships, see Pt 5, Ch 13, 10 Drainage arrangements for ships not fitted with propelling machinery.

3.1.5 For additional drainage arrangements on ferries and Roll on-Roll off ships, see Pt 4, Ch 2, 9.9 Watertightness and drainage.

3.1.6 For a normally inaccessible small void compartment such as an echo sounding compartment, which is accessed from within a normally inaccessible space such as a forepeak tank, alternative drainage arrangements to those required by Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.1 General 3.1.1 may be considered. For such arrangements, a warning notice is to be located in a prominent position specifying the precautions to be taken prior opening the manhole of the small void compartment. Means are to be provided to indicate flooding of the compartment without opening, such as fitting indicator plugs to the manhole. Drainage arrangements are to be submitted to LR for approval.

3.2 Cargo holds

3.2.1 In ships having only one hold, and this over 30 m in length, bilge suctions are to be fitted in suitable positions in the fore and after sections of the hold.

3.2.2 Where close ceiling or continuous gusset plates are fitted over the bilges, arrangements are to be made whereby water in a hold compartment may find its way to the suction pipes.

3.2.3 Where the inner bottom plating extends to the ship's side, the bilge suctions are to be led to wells placed at the wings. If the tank top plating has inverse camber, a well is also to be fitted at the centreline, but in the case of trawlers and fishing vessels, a single well fitted at the centre may be accepted. For capacity and construction of bilge wells, see Pt 5, Ch 13, 7.6 Bilge wells.

3.2.4 For drainage arrangements from refrigerated cargo spaces, see Pt 6, Ch 3, 4.19 Drainage from refrigerated spaces.

3.2.5 For cargo holds having non-weathertight hatch covers or where hatch covers have been omitted, drainage arrangements are to take into account the effects of additional water ingress into the hold(s). High level bilge alarms are to be provided in cargo holds having non-weathertight hatch covers or where hatch covers have been omitted, see also Pt 4, Ch 8, 11 Hatch covers.

3.2.6 Drainage arrangements of cargo holds intended for the carriage of flammable or toxic liquids are to be designed to prevent inadvertent drainage of such products through machinery space piping systems.

3.3 Holds and deep tanks for alternative carriage of liquid or dry cargo

3.3.1 Where holds and deep tanks are intended for the alternative carriage of liquid or dry cargo, the drainage arrangements are to be in accordance with the following:

  1. For dry cargoes, Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.1 General and Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.2 Cargo holds.

  2. For water ballast, fuel oil or cargo oil having a flash point of 60°C or above, Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.5 Tanks and cofferdams.

  3. For cargo oil having a flash point below 60°C, Pt 5, Ch 15 Piping Systems for Oil Tankers.

3.3.2 For blanking arrangements of filling and suction pipes, see Pt 5, Ch 13, 7.12 Blanking arrangements.

3.4 Ships where hatch covers are omitted

3.4.1 The requirements of this section apply to ships which have been assigned the class notation Hatch Covers omitted in Hold (No(s) ...).

3.4.2 The bilge pumping system is to have a required capacity to pump:
  • the maximum hourly rate of green water shipped in seagoing conditions as established by the comprehensive model testing specified, see Pt 3, Ch 9, 10.2 Loading due to water ingress
  • an amount equal to rainfall of 100 mm/h regardless of the installation of rain covers;
  • the amount of shipped green water measured during the seakeeping model tests, see Pt 3, Ch 9, 10.2 Loading due to water ingress, for the dead ship condition in beam seas, multiplied by a safety factor of 2;
  • four-thirds of the amount of water required for fire-fighting purposes in the largest hold;
  • an amount equal to the capacity required for ships with closed cargo holds, see Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.2 Cargo holds;

whichever is the greater.

3.4.3 At least three bilge pumps are to be capable of pumping hold bilges.

3.4.4 At least one of these pumps is to have a capacity of not less than the required capacity as defined in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.4 Ships where hatch covers are omitted 3.4.2 and is to be dedicated to bilge and ballast service only. The pump shall be located in such a way that it will not be affected by a fire or other casualty in the space containing the pumps required in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.4 Ships where hatch covers are omitted 3.4.5 or the space containing the main source of power and shall be supplied from the emergency switchboard required by Pt 6, Ch 2, 3 Emergency source of electrical power.

3.4.5 The combined output of at least two further pumps is not to be less than the required capacity as defined in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.4 Ships where hatch covers are omitted 3.4.2. These pumps are to be supplied from the main source of electrical power required by Pt 6, Ch 2, 3 Emergency source of electrical power or any other source of power independent of the emergency switchboard required by Pt 6, Ch 2, 3 Emergency source of electrical power.

3.4.6 The bilge pumping system, including the piping system, is to incorporate sufficient redundancy features such that the system will be fully operational and capable of dewatering the hold spaces at the required capacity, see Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.4 Ships where hatch covers are omitted 3.4.2 in the event of failure of any one system component.

3.4.7 The bilge pumping system is to be arranged to be effective within the limiting angles of inclination required by Pt 6, Ch 2, 3 Emergency source of electrical power, and bilge wells are to be readily accessible for cleaning.

3.4.8 All open cargo holds are to be fitted with high bilge level alarms to alert the ship’s crew when there is any accumulation of water.

3.4.9 A separate alarm system is to be installed to alert the ship’s crew of water reaching two-thirds of the maximum level of water ingress in the cargo hold as defined in Pt 3, Ch 9, 10.2 Loading due to water ingress.

3.4.10 Risk assessment and remedial actions in the event of the alarm mentioned in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.4 Ships where hatch covers are omitted 3.4.8 being sounded are to be included in the ship’s safety management system and submitted for review.

3.4.11 If the loss of suction prevents the proper functioning of the bilge system, special measures to prevent this are to be considered, e.g. the installation of level indicators.

3.4.12 Open cargo hold drain wells are to be designed to ensure unobstructed discharge of water and easy access for cleaning under all conditions.

3.5 Tanks and cofferdams

3.5.1 All tanks (including double bottom tanks), whether used for water ballast, fuel oil or liquid cargoes, are to be provided with suction pipes, led to suitable power pumps, from the after end of each tank.

3.5.2 In general, the drainage arrangements are to be in accordance with Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.1 General. However, where the tanks are divided by longitudinal watertight bulkheads or girders into two or more tanks, a single suction pipe, led to the after end of each tank, will normally be acceptable.

3.5.3 Similar drainage arrangements are to be provided for cofferdams, except that the suctions may be led to the main bilge line.

3.5.4 The pumping arrangements for tanks that are intended to carry cargo oil having a flash point of 60°C or above, are also to comply with the requirements of Pt 5, Ch 14, 2 Fuel oil - General requirements, Pt 5, Ch 14, 3 Fuel oil burning arrangements and Pt 5, Ch 14, 4 Fuel oil pumps, pipes, fittings, tanks, etc., as far as they are applicable.

3.6 Fore and after peaks

3.6.1 Fuel oil, lubrication oil and other flammable liquids are not to be carried in forepeak tanks.

3.6.2 Where the peaks are used as tanks, a power pump suction is to be led to each tank, except in the case of small tanks used for the carriage of domestic fresh water, where hand pumps may be used.

3.6.3 Where the peaks are not used as tanks, and main bilge line suctions are not fitted, drainage of both peaks may be effected by hand pump suctions, provided that the suction lift is well within the capacity of the pumps and in no case exceeds 7,3 m. In the case of trawlers and fishing vessels, drainage of the after peak may be effected by means of a self-closing cock fitted in a well lighted and readily accessible position.

3.6.4 Except as permitted by Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.6 Fore and after peaks 3.6.5, the collision bulkhead may be pierced below the bulkhead deck of passenger ships and the freeboard deck of cargo ships by not more than one pipe for dealing with the contents of the fore peak. The pipe is to be provided with a screw-down valve capable of being operated from an accessible position above the bulkhead deck of passenger ships and the freeboard deck of cargo ships, the chest being secured to the bulkhead inside the fore peak. An indicator is to be provided to show whether the valve is open or closed. The valves may be fitted on the after side of the collision bulkhead, provided that the valve is readily accessible under all service conditions and the space in which it is located is not a cargo space. Alternatively, for cargo ships, the pipe may be fitted with a butterfly valve suitably supported by a seat or flanges and capable of being operated from above the freeboard deck.

3.6.5 Where the fore peak is divided into two compartments, the collision bulkhead may be pierced below the bulkhead deck of passenger ships and the freeboard deck of cargo ships by two pipes (i.e. one for each compartment) provided there is no practical alternative to the fitting of a second pipe. Each pipe is to be fitted and controlled as in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.6 Fore and after peaks 3.6.4.

3.7 Spaces above fore peaks, after peaks and machinery spaces

3.7.1 Provision is to be made for the drainage of the chain locker and watertight compartments above the fore peak tank by hand or power pump suctions.

3.7.2 Steering gear compartments or other small enclosed spaces situated above the after peak tank are to be provided with suitable means of drainage, either by hand or power pump bilge suctions.

3.7.3 Subject to special approval of any applicable subdivision requirements, compartments referred to in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.7 Spaces above fore peaks, after peaks and machinery spaces 3.7.2 that are adequately isolated from the adjacent 'tween decks, may be drained by scuppers of not less than 38 mm bore, discharging to the tunnel (or machinery space in the case of ships with machinery aft) and fitted with self-closing cocks situated in well lighted and visible positions.

3.7.4 In case of trawlers and fishing vessels, accommodation spaces which overhang the machinery space, may also be drained as in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.7 Spaces above fore peaks, after peaks and machinery spaces 3.7.3.

3.7.5 For drainage of the fore and after peaks, see Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.6 Fore and after peaks.

3.8 Maintenance of integrity of bulkheads

3.8.1 The intactness of the machinery space bulkheads, and of tunnel plating required to be of watertight construction, is not to be impaired by the fitting of scuppers discharging to machinery space or tunnels from adjacent compartments which are situated below the bulkhead deck. These scuppers may, however, be led into a strongly constructed scupper drain tank situated in the machinery space or tunnel, but closed to these spaces and drained by means of a suction of appropriate size led from the main bilge line through a screw-down non-return valve.

3.8.2 The scupper tank air pipe is to be led to above the bulkhead deck, and provision is to be made for ascertaining the level of water in the tank.

3.8.3 Where one tank is used for the drainage of several watertight compartments, the scupper pipes are to be provided with screw-down non-return valves.

3.8.4 No drain valve or cock is to be fitted to the collision bulkhead. Drain valves or cocks are not to be fitted to other watertight bulkheads if alternative means of drainage are practicable.

3.8.5 Where drain valves or cocks are fitted to bulkheads other than the collision bulkhead, as permitted by Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.8 Maintenance of integrity of bulkheads 3.8.4, the drain valves or cocks are to be at all times readily accessible and are to be capable of being shut off from positions above the bulkhead deck. Indicators are to be provided to show whether the drains are open or shut. These arrangements are not permissible in passenger ships.

3.8.6 Bilge drain valves or cocks may be used for draining accommodation spaces and the after dry peak of trawlers and fishing vessels as stated in Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.7 Spaces above fore peaks, after peaks and machinery spaces 3.7.4 and Pt 5, Ch 13, 3.6 Fore and after peaks 3.6.3.


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