RULES FOR

CLASSIFICATION OF

SHIPS

NEWBUILDINGS

HULL AND EQUIPMENT

MAIN CLASS

PART 3 CHAPTER 5

LOAD LINE
JANUARY 2001

CONTENTS PAGE
Sec. 1 General Requirements ................................................................................................................ 5
Sec. 2 Conditions of Assignment of Freeboard ................................................................................. 10
Sec. 3 Freeboard .................................................................................................................................. 11
Sec. 4 Special Requirements for Ships Assigned Timber Freeboards ................................................ 25
Sec. 5 Zones, Areas and Seasonal Periods ......................................................................................... 27

DET NORSKE VERITAS

INTRODUCTION
The present edition of the rules is a reprint and it includes amend-
ments and additions decided by the board in June 2000 and supersedes
the January 1992 edition of the same chapter.
The most recent amendments to the rules came into force 3 February
2000.
This chapter is valid until superseded by a revised chapter. Suple-
ments will not be issued except for minor amendments and an updated
list of corrections will be presented in Pt.0 Ch.1 Sec.3. Pt.0 Ch.1 is
normally revised in January and July each year.
Revised chapters will be forwarded to all the subscribers of the rules.
Buyers of reprints are advised to check the updated list of rule chap-
ters printed in Pt.0 Ch.1 Sec.1. to ensure that the chapter is current.
Corrections and Clarifications
In addition to the above stated rule amendments, some detected errors
have been corrected, and some clarifications have been made in the
existing rule wording.

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CONTENTS
SEC. 1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ........................... 5
A. Classification..........................................................................5
A 100 Application........................................................................5
B. Documentation ......................................................................5
B 100 Freeboard plan...................................................................5
C. Application.............................................................................5
C 100 Regulation 2 ......................................................................5
C 200 Freeboards greater than minimum ....................................5
D. Definitions of terms...............................................................6
D 100 Regulation 3 ......................................................................6
D 200 Discontinuous freeboard deck,
stepped freeboard deck .....................................................7
D 300 Thickness of sheathing......................................................7
D 400 Moonpools ........................................................................7
D 500 Lower freeboard deck .......................................................7
D 600 Bridge or poop ..................................................................7
E. Load Line Marking...............................................................8
E 100 Deck line (Regulation 4)...................................................8
E 200 Load line mark (Regulation 5) ..........................................8
E 300 Lines to be used with the load line mark.
(Regulation 6) ..................................................................8
E 400 Mark of assigning authority. (Regulation 7)....................9
E 500 Details of marking. (Regulation 8) ..................................9
E 600 Verification of marks. (Regulation 9)..............................9
E 700 Assigning, marking and recording of subdivision
load lines for passenger ships (SOLAS Reg. II-1/13).......9
SEC. 2 CONDITIONS OF ASSIGNMENT OF
FREEBOARD ..................................................... 10
A. Information to be Supplied to the Master .......................10
A 100 Information to be supplied to the master
(Regulation 10) ...............................................................10
B. Conditions concerning Strength and Arrangement.........10
B 100 General ............................................................................10
SEC. 3 FREEBOARD...................................................... 11
A. Types of Ships......................................................................11
A 100 Regulation 27 ..................................................................11
A 200 Hatch covers....................................................................13
A 300 Freeing ports for type B-60.............................................13
A 400 Deck cargo barges...........................................................13
A 500 Access openings on barges .............................................13
B. Freeboard Tables ................................................................13
B 100 Regulation 28 ..................................................................13
B 200 Ship length above 365 m.................................................18
C. Correction to the Freeboard for Ships under
100 m in length ....................................................................18
C 100 Regulation 29 ..................................................................18
C 200 Interpretation...................................................................19
D. Correction for Block Coefficient .......................................19
D 100 Regulation 30 ..................................................................19
E. Correction for Depth ..........................................................19
E 100 Regulation 31 ..................................................................19
E 200 Interpretation...................................................................19
F. Correction for Position of Deck Line ................................19
F 100 Regulation 32 ..................................................................19
G. Standard Height of Superstructure...................................19
G 100 Regulation 33 ..................................................................19
H. Length of Superstructure ..................................................19
H 100 Regulation 34 ..................................................................19
H 200 Superstructure recess and extension. ..............................19
H 300 Sloping end bulkheads ....................................................19
Rules for Ships, January 2001
Pt.3 Ch.5 Contents – Page 3
I. Effective Length of Superstructure .................................. 20
I 100 Regulation 35 .................................................................. 20
I 200 Interpretations .................................................................20
J. Trunks ................................................................................. 20
J 100 Regulation 36 .................................................................. 20
J 200 Freeing ports ...................................................................21
J 300 Trunk height.................................................................... 21
J 400 Continuous hatchways .................................................... 21
J 500 Openings in bulkheads.................................................... 21
K. Deduction for Superstructures and Trunks .................... 21
K 100 Regulation 37 .................................................................. 21
K 200 Interpretations .................................................................21
L. Sheer .................................................................................... 22
L 100 Regulation 38 .................................................................. 22
L 200 Superimposed and enclosed poop or forecastle .............. 22
L 300 Raised quarter deck......................................................... 23
L 400 Sloping ends.................................................................... 23
L 500 Height of superstructure..................................................23
L 600 Length of trunk ............................................................... 23
M. Minimum Bow Height ....................................................... 23
M 100 Regulation 39 .................................................................. 23
M 200 Interpretations .................................................................23
N. Minimum Freeboard.......................................................... 24
N 100 Regulation 40 .................................................................. 24
SEC. 4 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPS
ASSIGNED TIMBER FREEBOARDS ............. 25
A. Application.......................................................................... 25
A 100 Regulation 41 .................................................................. 25
B. Definitions ........................................................................... 25
B 100 Regulation 42 .................................................................. 25
C. Construction of Ship .......................................................... 25
C 100 Regulation 43 .................................................................. 25
D. Stowage................................................................................ 25
D 100 Regulation 44 .................................................................. 25
E. Computation of Freeboard................................................ 26
E 100 Regulation 45 .................................................................. 26
E 200 Interpretations .................................................................26
SEC. 5 ZONES, AREAS AND SEASONAL
PERIODS ............................................................ 27
A. Zones, Areas and Seasonal Periods .................................. 27
A 100 General ............................................................................27
B. Northern Winter Seasonal Zones and Area..................... 27
B 100 Regulation 46 .................................................................. 27
C. Southern Winter Seasonal Zone ....................................... 27
C 100 Regulation 47 .................................................................. 27
D. Tropical Zone ..................................................................... 27
D 100 Regulation 48 .................................................................. 27
E. Seasonal Tropical Areas .................................................... 28
E 100 Regulation 49 .................................................................. 28
F. Summer Zones .................................................................... 29
F 100 Regulation 50 .................................................................. 29
G. Enclosed Sea ....................................................................... 29
G 100 Regulation 51 .................................................................. 29
H. The Winter North Atlantic Load Line ............................. 29
H 100 Regulation 52 .................................................................. 29
Rules for Ships, January 2001
Pt.3 Ch.5 Contents – Page 4

I. Corrections to the chart ..................................................... 29

I 100 General ............................................................................29

SECTION 1
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
A. Classification
A 100 Application
101 The rules in this chapter apply to all ships above 24 m in
length, except for ships of war, pleasure yachts not engaged in
trade and fishing vessels.
102 The requirements are in compliance with the Protocol of
1988 relating to the International Convention on Load Lines
1966 (ICLL).
103 Text from the ICLL is printed in Italics.
104 Where any regulation refers to "the satisfaction of the
Administration", DNV's or IACS interpretations are given in
connection with the item in question.
105 If any parts of these rules are subject to discussion or
misunderstanding the ICLL text shall apply.
B. Documentation
B 100 Freeboard plan
101 A freeboard plan covering the arrangement and design
of the following items treated in this chapter are to be submit-
ted for approval:
— doors
— side scuttles and windows
— hatches
— ventilators
— air pipes
— scuppers, sanitary discharges and garbage chutes
— sea inlets and outlets in connection with unmanned ma-
chinery space
— freeing arrangements
— guard rails and bulwarks
— gangway, passageway, under deck passage and life line
— timber deck cargo fittings
— doors in side shell, bow and stern.
C. Application
C 100 Regulation 2
1) Ships with mechanical means of propulsion or lighters,
barges or other ships without independent means of pro-
pulsion, shall be assigned freeboards in accordance with
the provisions of Regulations 1-40 (Sec.1-3) inclusive of
this Annex.
2) Ships carrying timber deck cargoes may be assigned, in
addition to the freeboards prescribed in paragraph (1) of
this Regulation, timber freeboards in accordance with the
provisions of Regulations 41-45 (Sec.4) inclusive of this
Annex.
3) Ships designed to carry sail, whether as the sole means of
propulsion or as a supplementary means, and tugs, shall
be assigned freeboards in accordance with the provisions
of Regulations 1-40 (Sec.1 -3) inclusive of this Annex. Such
additional freeboard shall be required as determined by the
Administration (see C201).
4) Ships of wood or of composite construction, or of other ma-
terials the use of which the Administration has approved, or
Rules for Ships, January 2001
Pt.3 Ch.5 Sec.1 – Page 5
ships whose constructional features are such as to render
the application of the provisions of this Annex unreasona-
ble or impracticable shall be assigned freeboards as deter-
mined by the Administration (see C202).
5) Regulations 10-26 (Sec.2) inclusive of this Annex shall ap-
ply to every ship to which a minimum freeboard is as-
signed. Relaxations from these requirements may be
granted to a ship to which a greater than minimum free-
board is assigned on condition that the Administration is
satisfied with the safety conditions provided (see C201).
(6) Regulation 22(2) (Ch.1 Sec.11 K101 or Ch.2 Sec.11 K101 as
appropriate) and regulation 27 (Sec.3 A100) shall apply only
to ships the keels of which are laid or which are at a similar
stage of construction on or after the date on which the Pro-
tocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention on
Load Lines, 1966 enters into force.
Guidance note:
The Protocol is in force from 3 February 2000.
---e-n-d---of---G-u-i-d-a-n-c-e---n-o-t-e---
(7) New ships, other than those specified in paragraph (6),
shall comply either with regulation 27 (Sec.3 A100) of the
present Convention (as amended) or with regulation 27
(Rules for Classification of Ships Pt.3 Ch.5 Sec.3 A100,
January 1992) of the International Convention on Load
Lines, 1966 (as adopted on 5 April 1966), as determined by
the Administration.
C 200 Freeboards greater than minimum
201 Where freeboards are required to be increased, because
of such consideration as strength (Regulation 1), location of
shell doors (Regulation 21) or side scuttles (Regulation 23) or
other reasons, then:
a) The height of:
doors sills (Regulation 12)
hatchway coamings (Regulation 15(1))
sills of machinery space openings (Regulation 17)
miscellaneous openings (Regulation 18)
ventilators (Regulations 19)
air pipes (Regulation 20)
b) the scantlings of hatch covers (Regulation 15 and 16)
c) freeing arrangements (Regulation 24) and means for pro-
tection of crew (Regulation 25)
(For all Regulations referred to above, see Ch.1 Sec.10 and
11)
d) windows and side scuttles.
on the actual freeboard deck may be as required for a super-
structure deck, provided the summer freeboard is such that the
resulting draught will not be greater than that corresponding to
the minimum freeboard calculated from an assumed freeboard
deck situated at a distance equal to a standard superstructure
height below the actual freeboard deck. Similar considerations
may be given in cases of draught limitation on account of bow
height (Regulation 39 Sec.3 M100).
(IACS LL51 to Reg. 2.5)
202 Freeboards for sailing vessels and wooden vessels will
be assigned in each case.