Commercial vessel standard ready for all-weather consultation

by NMSC on 3 Aug 2010 The National Marine Safety Committee (NMSC) this week released a draft standard for Watertight and Weathertight Integrity. The draft Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) will also be available for comment soon.

The new National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV ) C2 – Watertight and Weathertight Integrity will replace parts of the USL Code Subsections 5C and 5D and also Section 7 Load Lines.

Provisions in the draft standard include open boats; inlets and discharges; coaming and sill heights for hatches, doors, ventilators and air pipes; requirements for side scuttles and windows; minimum bow height; freeboard marks; and drainage of wells and cockpits.

The review also addresses a number of issues identified with the current standards including the use of polycarbonate windows, glued window frames and the tension between door sill heights and trip hazards.
Principal Technical Adviser Mori Flapan said the draft acknowledges and rewards vessels having excess freeboard by introducing the concept of Zones (as shown in the illustration 1. below)

'Standards for fishing vessels are aligned with those for Class 2 non-passenger vessels', he said, and 'the draft RIS that will accompany the draft standard explains the nature of changes and highlights the benefits and costs.'
NMSC’s CEO Margie O’Tarpey welcomes comments from as many stakeholders as possible.

'Your comments will be reviewed by a reference group comprising experienced industry and government representatives who will in turn make recommendations for alteration to the NMSC,' she said. 'This is your chance to influence the future direction of this important standard.'

Have your say:
To obtain a copy of (NSCV ) C2 – Watertight and Weathertight Integrity please contact the NMSC Secretariat on 02 9247 2124 or visit www.nmsc.gov.au, and click on ‘Have Your Say. The accompanying RIS will be posted on the web as soon as it’s available. Comments close on 30 September 2010.