Scope of Load Line Survey

Weather Tight Doors: Check overall conditions to ensure no excessive corrosion has taken place, specially
the gasket retaining channels (door lips) and no distortion has taken place. Check hinges and doorframe
for proper closing. Check conditions of rubber gasket : too hard or too soft, worn out, etc. shall be rejected
and rubber packing shall not protrude out side the channel. Dogs/Clips/Toggles should be checked for seizure
and open-close markings. In case of doubts, passage of light test (Surveyor shall stand inside the
compartment and check that no day light passes through the door & edges with the door fully closed) or
chalk test on doorframe & rubber gasket may be carried out.

Scuttles & Windows: Check for broken glass, perished or missing dead lights and proper closure. Chalk test
or hose test may be carried out, if required by Surveyor.

Access Hatches: Check condition of coaming, especially lower portion adjacent to deck (hammer testing
may be carried out). Check rubber gaskets for wear and loose fitting. Check cover for wastage, for seizure &
operate the toggles from inside and out side and check effectiveness of pins for retaining in open position.
Passage of light test or chalk test may be carried out, if required by Surveyor.

Man Holes: Check covers for wastage, missing or worn out packing, bolts and nuts.

Air and sounding pipes: Check pipes for wastage, specially the lower portion near stub pieces. Check for
missing protective cover for air pipes in holds. Check for missing caps/ keep chains for sounding pipes.
Check condition of air pipe hood for wastage and missing wire gauze diaphragm for oil tank vents. Check
condition of float and sealing washer for automatic air vents by dismantling and examining at least 10
percent of the air pipes. Floatability test for floats may be carried out, if required by Surveyor (particularly
if repairs/renewals have been carried out to floats). Ensure that vents for oil fuel tanks are fitted with flameproof
wire mesh of correct size.

Ventilators: Check for corrosion of coaming/casing, proper closure of flaps, missing butterfly nuts & packing
and open-shut markings. Operating handle or spindle should be checked for free movement. Check support
stays & brackets for wastage/detachment.

Bulwarks, Guardrails and life lines: Check for missing, damaged or broken railing and stanchions.
Wasted/detached stays and cap rails should be repaired. Check for missing lifeline stanchions & wasted shoes
and worn lifelines.

Scuppers & Discharges: Check for clogged deck scuppers, missing spindles/hand wheels, pipes for wastage
and overboard valves for wastage/leaks. Operation of local and remote controls must be verified.

Skylights, Casings & Funnel flaps to be checked for broken glass, wasted covers, worn or loose gaskets and missing
butterfly nuts or toggles.

Freeing ports should be examined for proper operation of flaps/shutters and for obstructions. Examine grills
for wastage/damage.
Spurling pipe of Chain locker: Check for missing or wasted cover.

Derust and paint the deck line, loadline marks, load line and the draught marks.

DOCUMENTATION
CHECK

ITEM

NOTES

CERTIFICATE
OF
REGISTRY
STABILITY BOOK OR
STABILITY STATEMENT

Check that the information on the certificate is correct.

LOAD LINE CERTIFICATE

Vessels over 100 gt are to have an approved stability book aboard.

Any special operating instructions must be posted in the wheelhouse and in the engine
room, if appropriate.
The enclosed volume must be clearly defined in the vessels approved stability book
A Load Line Certificate is issued after an initial Load Line survey.
The Load Line Certificate is valid for 5 years however it must be endorsed annually
following an intermediate load line survey.

VESSEL MARKING
LOAD LINES
(LL Regs 9 to 16)

DRAUGHT MARKS
(Regist Reg 8)

The Load Line Marks must be permanently marked and plainly visible.
The position of the Load Line(s) and Deck Line must be as per the vessels Load Line
Certificate
The vessels draught marks must be clearly marked on both sides of the stem and stern.
Vessels of more than 25 meters length must also be marked within 300 mm of amidships

CONDITIONS OF ASSIGNMENT
DOORS AND HATCHES
ACCESSING
THE
ENCLOSED VOLUME
(LL Regs 21&27)

HATCHES
(LL Regs 23,24&25)

MACHINERY
OPENINGS
(LL Reg 26)

SPACE

WATERTIGHT DOORS
(LL Reg 21)

VENTILATORS
(LL Reg 28)

AIR PIPES (BREATHERS)

(LL Reg 29)

OPENINGS BELOW THE

FREEBOARD DECK (e.
Cargo Ports) (LL Reg 30)

All openings i.e. doors, hatches, etc., providing access to the enclosed volume must be
constructed of steel or equivalent material.
Openings must be framed, stiffened and fitted so that the whole structure is of equivalent
strength to the un-pierced structure and weather-tight when closed.
Doors and hatches must be permanently attached to the structure and operable from both
sides.
Sill/Coaming heights of doors/hatches must be at least 600 mm if located in position 1 and
380 mm if located in position 2.
Hatches must be of adequate construction
Coaming heights must be at least 600 mm if located in position 1 and 450 mm if located in
position 2.
If hatchways are secured by means of tarpaulins and battening devices, they must be of
adequate construction with efficient battening devices, at least two layers of tarpaulin and
efficient means of securing to ensure that the hatches can be closed weather-tight quickly
and efficiently.
If hatches are secured by means of steel or equivalent material hatch covers, they must be
of adequate construction and be able to be closed weather-tight.
Machinery space openings must be of adequate strength and be able to be closed weathertight.
Sill/Coaming heights must be at least 600 mm if located in position 1 and 380 mm if located
in position 2.
Other openings e.g. ventilators, funnels, etc. fitted in exposed positions on the freeboard or
superstructure decks must be located as high as is practicably possible and fitted with
means of closing watertight which is permanently attached.

Doors must be constructed of steel or equivalent material.

Openings must be framed, stiffened and fitted so that the whole structure is of equivalent
strength to the un-pierced structure and watertight when closed.
- Doors and hatches must be permanently attached to the structure and operable from both
sides.
- Ventilators in position 1 or 2 leading to the enclosed volume must be constructed of steel
or equivalent material and efficiently connected to the deck.
- Ventilator coamings which are higher than 900 mm must be specially supported.
- Ventilator coamings must be at least 900 mm high in position 1 and 762 mm high in
position 2.
- Ventilators must be provided with efficient means of closing weather-tight which is
permanently attached.
- Air pipes which extend beyond the freeboard or superstructure deck must be at least 762
mm high if in position 1 and 445 mm high if in position 2.
- Ventilators must be provided with efficient means of closing weather-tight which is
permanently attached.
Openings below the freeboard deck must be kept to a minimum compatible with the design and
operation of the vessel and fitted with doors so designed to ensure the water-tightness and
structural integrity of the vessel.
-

SCUPPERS, INLETS AND

DISCHARGES
(LL Reg 31)

SIDE SCUTTLES
(LL Reg 32)

FREEING PORTS
(LL Reg 33)
PROTECTION
CREW
(LL Reg 34)

OF

THE

Discharges led through the shell plating below the freeboard deck must normally be fitted
with an automatic non-return valve and means of closing from a position above the
freeboard deck.
Where the vertical distance from the Summer Load Line to the discharge exceeds
0.01L, two automatic non-return valves may be fitted without positive means of
closing.
Where the vertical distance exceeds 0.02L, one automatic non-return valve may be
fitted without positive means of closing.
In manned machinery spaces, main and auxiliary inlets and discharges in connection
with operating machinery may be controlled locally.
Scuppers and discharge pipes originating at a level and penetrating the shell either more
than 450 mm below the freeboard deck or less than 600 mm above the summer load line
must be provided with a non-return valve at the shell.
Valves must be fitted with open/closed indication.
Valves must be constructed of steel, bronze or other similar material. Valves constructed of
cast iron or other similar material are not acceptable.
Piping must be of steel or other equivalent material.
Side scuttles to spaces below the freeboard deck and other spaces within the enclosed
volume must be fitted with efficient hinged inside deadlights which can be closed and
secured watertight.
No side scuttle may be fitted in a position so that its sill is below a point 2.5% of the
breadth or 500 mm above the load waterline, whichever is the greatest distance.
Ample provision must be provided for rapidly freeing decks of water and draining them.
Freeing port areas may not be modified
Deckhouses used for crew accommodation must be of satisfactory construction.
Guard rails or bulwarks must be fitted on all exposed parts of the freeboard deck.
Minimum height of bulwarks/railings must be at least 1 meter.
The lowest course of a guard rail must not be higher than 230 mm from the deck and the
other courses must not be more than 380 mm.
Satisfactory means must be provided to allow the crew access to accommodation,
machinery spaces and all other parts used in the necessary work of the ship (This is
especially applicable for timber ships).