1.-(1) These Rules may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Load Line) (Amendment) Rules 1990 and shall come into force on 27th November 1990.

(2) The Merchant Shipping (Load Line) (Amendment) Rules 1980(3) are hereby revoked.

2. In the Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Rules 1968(4) ("the principal Rules") for paragraph (5) of Rule 30 (information as to the stability of ships) there shall be substituted the following paragraph:

"(5) The information, and any fresh information to replace the same pursuant to paragraph (3) of this Rule, shall before issue to the master:-

(a)if it relates to a ship which is -

(i)an oil tanker over 100 metres in length,

(ii)a bulk carrier, or an ore carrier, over 150 metres in length,

(iii)a single deck bulk carrier over 100 metres but not exceeding 150 metres in length,

(iv)a single deck dry cargo ship over 100 metres in length,

(v)a purpose built container ship over 125 metres in length,

(vi)a column stabilised mobile offshore drilling unit, or

(vii)a column stabilised mobile offshore support unit,

be submitted in duplicate by or on behalf of the owner of the ship either to the Secretary of State or to the Assigning Authority which assigned freeboards to the ship for approval; or

(b)if it relates to any other ship, be submitted in duplicate by or on behalf of the owner of the ship to the Secretary of State for approval.

The information shall incorporate such additions and amendments as the Secretary of State or the Assigning Authority to which it is submitted, as the case may be, may in any particular case specify for the purpose of ensuring that the information complies with the provisions of this Rule."

3. In Rule 33(1) of the principal Rules the following definitions shall be inserted in the appropriate alphabetical order:

• "column stabilised" means, in relation to a unit, constructed with the main deck of the unit connected to its underwater hull or footings by columns or caissons;

• "mobile offshore drilling unit" means a ship capable of engaging in drilling operations for the exploration or exploitation of resources beneath the sea bed such as liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, sulphur or salt;

• "mobile offshore support unit" means a ship used in connection with the offshore petroleum industry to provide ancillary services such, as accommodation, cranes or repair facilities.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Rules)

These Rules amend the Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Rules 1968. The types of ships for which stability information may be approved by an Assigning Authority, other than the Secretary of State, are extended to include ships which are mobile offshore units as defined in these Rules and in paragraph 1.3 of Chapter 1 of the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units adopted by the International Maritime Organisation, and ships which are mobile offshore support units including accommodation units, crane barges and other types of column stabilised units.

The Merchant Shipping (Load Line) (Amendment) Rules 1980, which are superseded by these Rules, are revoked.