LOAD LINE

History
Historically, ships have always been marked with various
signs of ‘protection’, some more for superstitious reasons
than for practical safety.

It was not until the 19th century that attempts were made to
force ships to carry safety loading marks; the lead being
taken by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping in 1835.

However, the load line regulations that we know of today

started with a man called Samuel Plimsoll.
Samuel Plimsoll
 Samuel Plimsoll
Samuel Plimsoll, the M.P. for Derby, was particularly
concerned with the negligence of some ship owners and the
indifference of the government to the issue of marine
safety.
In 1876 he managed to persuade Parliament to amend the
Merchant Shipping Act to provide for the marking of a line
on a ship's sides which would disappear below the water if
the ship was overloaded and therefore un-seaworthy.
 Load Line Regulations
The standard position of the load line marking was not fixed
until the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 and applied only to
British registered vessels.
By 1906 foreign vessels were also required to carry load
line markings within British waters.
The present Merchant Shipping Act 1995 and the Merchant
Shipping (Load Line)Regulations 1998 requires all U.K.
registered vessels (unless exempt) to be surveyed, marked
with load lines and issued with a certificate.
 Load Line Rule Exemptions
Automatic exemptions apply to:-
 Ships of war.
 Ships solely engaged in fishing.
 Pleasure yachts not engaged in trade.
Certain other exemptions may be applied e.g.
 Ships under 80 n.t.engaged solely in the coasting trade or
in sheltered trade between U.K.ports and the near
Continent.
 Unusually designed vessels.
 International Load Line Convention
The first International Load Lines Convention, was
adopted in 1930 and was based on the principle of
maintaining a vessel’s reserve of buoyancy by limiting the
weight of cargo that could be carried.
Note was also taken at the time that load distribution could
also affect the stability and structural integrity of a vessel.
 1966 Load Line Convention
In addition to the requirements of the 1930 Convention,
the 1966 regulations also took into account:-
 The potential hazards present in different zones of the
world and at different seasons.
 Safety measures concerning weather deck penetrations
such as access doors, freeing ports, hatchways etc.
The weather deck line and all assigned load lines must be
clearly and indelibly marked amidships on each side of the
vessel.
 1966 Load Line Convention
All vessels, regardless of their nationality or trading
pattern, are required to comply with the requirements of the
Load Line Convention and must hold a valid International
Load Line Certificate, unless:-
 they were built before 1966 and are under 150 g.t.
 they were built after 1966 and are under 24 m in length.
A U.K. ship of under 24 m length, unless exempt, will be
issued with a United Kingdom Load Line Certificate.
 Load Line Certificates
The M.C.A., acting on behalf of the Government, is
responsible for carrying out surveys and issuing Load Line
Certificates to British registered vessels.
The M.C.A. will normally authorise certain Classification
Societies to carry out surveys and issue certificates on its
behalf.
A Load Line Certificate is valid for 5 years from the date of
issue, subject to an annual inspection being carried out
within three months either side of the issuing date.
 Load Line Surveys
Before issuing or endorsing a certificate, the surveyor
will satisfy himself regarding the following:-
 The conditions of assignment for freeboard have been
maintained and correctly marked on the hull.*
 The continuing structural integrity of the vessel.
 That all penetrations through the ships hull can be
secured in a watertight condition.
 The vessel carries an approved means of calculating
stability under all expected conditions of loading.
* The conditions of assignment are recorded in a booklet
which must be kept on board and made available.
 Freeboard
Freeboard is the distance measured vertically downwards
amidships from the upper edge of the freeboard deck line
to the upper edge of the load line inscribed on the vessel’s
hull.
The freeboard deck is the uppermost continuous deck
exposed to weather and sea. All openings both through the
deck and through the hull below the deck must be capable
of being made watertight.
A lower deck may be designated the freeboard deck
e.g. a deck in a car ferry.
 Freeboard
Several different freeboard measurements may be assigned
to a particular vessel depending on the trading pattern,
these include:-
 Tropical fresh
 Fresh
 Tropical
 Summer
 Winter
 Winter North Atlantic
The markings must be permanently marked
(chisel cut or weld bead) into both sides of the hull at
midships.
 Freeboard
Freeboard Deck Line

DISTANCE
TO DECK
LINE Tropical fresh

Fresh
Tropical

L R
Summer

Winter
L – R = Assigning authority e.g.Lloyds Register Winter North Atlantic
 Stability
All stability information, including computer based
programs must be Flag State and Class approved before a
Load Line Certificate can be issued.
Computer based stability software will include various test
programs and these may be run and witnessed by a
surveyor during a load line inspection.
 Load Line Offences
A U.K. registered ship must not be loaded so that the
appropriate load line on both sides of the vessel is
submerged.
A U.K. registered ship must not proceed to sea if:-
 it has not been surveyed.
 it is without a load line certificate.
 it does not comply with the conditions of assignment.
 it is not marked with a deck and load line.
 stability information is not available.
Before sailing, a notice must be displayed on board showing
the draft marks and these details entered in the Official Log
Book.