Section 1 Scope

1.1.1 The Chapters in this Part of the Rules define the requirements for the design and service life of safety equipment and arrangements. The Chapters are provided for the purpose of assessing that the levels of safety (of crew and embarked personnel) and pollution prevention on board a naval ship are to a standard which is acceptable to the Naval Administration and Lloyd’s Register (hereinafter referred to as LR). The Rules provide a standard that can be considered to be as far as reasonably practicable in accord with the applicable IMO International Conventions but take due cognisance of military application. They also provide a methodology for assessing the suitability of designs that deviate from generally accepted practice.

1.1.2 In general, a Class Notation contained in this Part of the Rules will only be assigned where the vessel has been assigned an LMC notation, see Vol 1, Pt 1, Ch 2 Classification Regulations. However where a Certificate of Compliance is sough,t it may be demonstrated that an equivalent provision of equipment and arrangements is provided on board the vessel. In addition, the equipment and arrangements are also to be in compliance with the applicable Sections of Vol 1 Ship Structures and Vol 2 Machinery and Engineering Systems of these Rules. Other acceptable standards such as Naval Defence Standards or ANEP-77 NATO Naval Ship Code (NSC) may be used subject to satisfactory review by LR.

1.1.3 These Rules are applicable only to ships carrying crew and embarked personnel. The carriage of passengers is considered novel for most naval ships and will generally only be undertaken during emergency situations or where specially agreed by the Owner. The carriage of passengers is therefore outside the scope of these Rules. Special consideration will be given to arrangements where passengers are carried.

1.1.4 The interpretation of the Rules is the sole responsibility, and at the sole discretion, of LR.

1.1.5 Where SOLAS - International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requirements have been identified as a route to satisfying goals associated with objectives, these are for guidance purposes. Where there is no specific SOLAS - International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea guidance provided in the Rules, the designer can propose solutions to LR that embrace the recognised practices that are consistent with the overall SOLAS - International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea philosophy.

1.2.1 These Rules provide a framework and methodology for demonstrating that levels of safety and pollution prevention are to a standard acceptable to the Naval Administration and LR. The application of these Rules is not to compromise the levels of safety afforded to naval ships through the application of current regulatory regimes and military practices. The Rules recognise military design, construction, installation, testing, trials and through life operation and take due account of the military function of naval ships. The Rules provide a series of optional class notations that can be assigned to designs complying with relevant Parts of the Rules.

1.2.2 This Part of the Rules has been developed from the relevant requirements of:

• SOLAS - International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea; and
• SOLAS - International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea; and
• ANEP-77 NATO Naval Ship Code (NSC),

taking due consideration of military philosophy.

1.2.3 Military philosophy addresses ship survivability and system degradation that are two key areas that commonly affect the application of merchant ship statutory requirements and these have been recognised in the Chapters applicable to different Class notations.

1.2.4 Modern naval ships are commonly required to have multi-purpose roles and extensive operational capabilities and it is necessary to ensure that the equipment and arrangements on board do not compromise the roles within which the ship may be required to operate.

1.2.5 The assessment of the accceptability of equipment and arrangements required by these Rules is to ensure that a single failure of equipment will not render the system inoperable. Where this cannot be achieved, there is to be sufficient engineering evidence that the likelihood of failure occurring is extremely remote.

1.2.6 Levels of manning, personnel training and qualifications are not within the scope of these Rules; however, these will be given consideration when an alternative design approval is sought.

1.3.1 For the purposes of demonstrating compliance with these Rules, two alternatives are available:

1. Certificate of Compliance, which provides evidence that the arrangements on board meet the requirements in the relevant Section of the Rules. This will be confirmed by appropriate design appraisal followed by inspection and testing at survey. Designs other than those prescribed by the Rules will be recorded for information purposes by way of an addition to the certificate as an Annex. Where a defect, blemish or anomaly is noted at survey, and is not considered to require remedial attention at that time, an Annex will be added to the certificate for information purposes.

2. Class Notation, which indicates that the arrangements on board meet the requirements in the relevant Sections of the Rules and that a periodic survey regime of the equipment and systems has been established for the lifetime of the ship. When at any survey it is found that any damage, defect or breakdown is of such a nature that it does not require immediate permanent repair, but is sufficiently serious to require rectification by a prescribed date in order to maintain class, a suitable Condition of Class is imposed. The condition of class will be assigned with a date by which the repair is to be completed. Deviations from design standards will be recorded for information purposes as an Annex in the classification records. Likewise, where a defect, blemish or anomaly is noted at survey, and is not considered to require remedial attention at that time, an Annex will be included in the classification records for information purposes.

1.3.2 These Rules are not intended to apply to ships under construction or upkeep where additional personnel and equipment may be present on board the ship. In general the Rules are only intended to apply where the ship is under naval command.

1.4.1  EER (Escape, emergency access, evacuation and rescue). This notation will be assigned to naval ships which demonstrate that the arrangements are in accordance with the requirements of these Rules or are to a standard which meets the Objectives specified in these Rules. For a ship to be eligible for EER notation, it is to be demonstrated that it is fully compliant with the requirements of Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 2 Fire Protection, Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 3 Escape and Emergency Access and Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 4 Life-Saving and Evacuation Arrangements of this Part of the Rules, i.e. FIRE, ESC and LSAE notations are to be capable of being assigned to the vessel. System integration is to be in accordance with Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 1, 4 Integration for EER notation of this Chapter.

1.4.2  FIRE – Fire Protection. This notation will be assigned to naval ships which demonstrate that the provision of fire protection equipment and arrangements on board a vessel comply with the requirements of Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 2 Fire Protection of this Part of the Rules.

1.4.3  ESC – Escape and Emergency Access. This notation will be assigned to naval ships which demonstrate that the escape arrangements and emergency access on board comply with the requirements of Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 3 Escape and Emergency Access of this Part of the Rules. Where the requirements of the NSC are to be applied for an ESC★★ notation, the LSAE★★ notation must also be applied.

1.4.4  LSAE – Life Saving and Evacuation Arrangements. This notation will be assigned to naval ships which demonstrate that the life saving, evacuation and rescue arrangements on board comply with the requirements of Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 4 Life-Saving and Evacuation Arrangements of this Part of the Rules. Where the requirements of the NSC are to be applied for an LSAE★★ notation, the ESC★★ notation must also be applied.

1.4.5  SNC – Safety of Navigation and Communication. This notation will be assigned to naval ships which demonstrate that the navigation and communication equipment on board comply with the requirements of Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 5 Safety of Navigation and Communication of this Part of the Rules.

1.4.6  POL – Pollution Prevention. This notation will be assigned to naval ships which demonstrate that the pollution prevention measures on board comply with the requirements of Vol 3, Pt 3, Ch 1 Pollution Prevention of this Part of the Rules.

1.4.7  Star Endorsements(★). All Class Notations that are available in this Part of the Rules will be eligible for a ‘Star’ endorsement where the arrangements on board are in accordance with stated National Administration requirements. This does not necessarily denote automatic endorsement by the National Administration.

1.4.8  Double Star Endorsements (★★). All Class Notations that are available in Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 2 Fire Protection, Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 3 Escape and Emergency Access and Vol 3, Pt 2, Ch 4 Life-Saving and Evacuation Arrangements of this Part of the Rules will be eligible for a ‘Double Star’ endorsement where the arrangements on board are in accordance with the requirements of ANEP-77 NATO Naval Ship Code (NSC) plus any Naval Administration requirements as specified.