1 Tankers, including oil tankers as defined in SOLAS regulation
II-1/2.12, chemical tankers as defined in regulation
VII/8.2 and gas carriers as defined in regulation
VII/11.2, should be provided with means to enable the crew to gain safe access
to the bow even in severe weather conditions. For tankers constructed on or after 1 July
1998, the access should be by means of either a walkway on the deck or a permanently
constructed gangway of substantial strength at or above the level of the superstructure
deck, or at the first tier of a deckhouse, which should:
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.1 be not less than 1 m in width, situated on or as
near as practicable to the centreline of the ship and located so as not to hinder
easy access across working areas of the deck;
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.2 be fitted at each side throughout its length with
a foot-stop and guard rails supported by stanchions. Such rails should consist of
no less than three courses, the lowest being not more than 230 mm and the
uppermost being at least 1 m above the gangway or walkway, and no intermediate
opening should be more than 380 mm in height. Stanchions should be at intervals of
not more than 1.5 m. A permanent walkway located at the freeboard deck level, on
or as near as practicable to the centreline of the ship, need not be fitted with
foot-stops;
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.3 be constructed of fire resistant and non-slip
material;
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.4 have openings, with ladders where appropriate, to
and from the deck. Openings should not be more than 40 m apart;
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.5 if the length of exposed deck to be traversed
exceeds 70 m, have shelters of substantial construction set in way of the gangways
or walkways at intervals not exceeding 45 m. Every such shelter should be capable
of accommodating at least one person and be so constructed as to afford weather
protection on the forward, port and starboard sides; and
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.6 if obstructed by pipes or other fittings of a
permanent nature, be provided with means of passage over such obstruction.
2 The Administration may accept alternative or modified
arrangements for tankers with space constraint, such as small tankers, or tankers with
large freeboard, such as gas carriers, provided that such alternative or modified
arrangements achieve an equivalent level of safety for access to the bow.
3 Arrangements already approved by the Administration for
tankers constructed before 1 July 1998 may be accepted, provided that such existing
arrangements achieve an equivalent level of safety for access to the bow.