58. This Part applies to Safety Convention passenger ships, carrying more than 36 passengers, the keels of which were laid before November 19, 1952 and to hotel ships.

59. The hull, superstructure, structural bulkheads, decks and deckhouses of every ship shall be constructed of steel, but the Board may exempt any ship wholly or partly from the requirements of this section if it is satisfied that these parts are constructed of material equally resistant to fire.

• 60. (1) The hull, superstructure and deck houses shall be subdivided by “A” Class divisions into main vertical zones, the mean length of which, above the bulkhead deck, shall not in general exceed 40 m and, where steps are necessary, they shall be of “A” Class divisions.

• (2) As far as practicable the portions of the “A” Class divisions above the bulkhead deck shall be in line with watertight subdivision bulkheads situated immediately below the bulkhead deck and shall extend from deck to deck and to the shell or other boundaries.

• (3) On ships designed for special purposes, such as automobile or railroad car ferries, where installation of “A” Class divisions would defeat the purpose for which the ship is intended, equivalent means for controlling and limiting a fire shall be substituted and specifically approved by the Board.

• 61. (1) If any “A” Class division is pierced for the passage of electric cables, pipes, trunkways, girders or beams, or for other purposes, the arrangements shall be such that the effectiveness of the division in resisting fire is not thereby impaired.

• (2) Where a trunkway passes through an “A” Class division,

  • (a) an automatic-closing fusible link fire damper shall be fitted adjacent to the division, the fusible link being located within the trunkway;

  • (b) the damper shall be capable of being manually operated from both sides of the division and the operating positions shall be readily accessible and permanently marked in red;

  • (c) indicators shall be fitted to show whether the damper is open or shut; and

  • (d) the trunkway between the damper and the division shall be as effective as the division in resisting fire.

• (3) Any opening in a division shall be provided with means of closure permanently attached to the division and the means of closure shall be as effective as the division in resisting fire.

• (4) Any door in “A” Class division shall be of an approved type and shall be so constructed that it can be opened and closed by one person from either side of the division and the door and the means of keeping it closed shall be as effective as the division in resisting fire, except that a watertight door shall not be required to be insulated.

62. The boundary bulkheads and decks separating accommodation spaces from machinery, cargo and service spaces shall be constructed as “A” Class divisions, and these bulkheads and decks shall have an insulation value to the satisfaction of the Board having regard to the nature of the adjacent spaces.