Bulletin No.: 03/2000


Date (Y-M-D): 2000-03-30
 

Subject: Load Line - Submersion Allowances

Following an incident that occurred last year, a ship owner was prosecuted and compelled to pay a substantial fine (in addition to the expense of having to discharge the ship's surplus of cargo), as a consequence from the submersion of the maximum permissible load line of the ship.

We would like to bring the following points to the attention of ship's masters, officers, ship owners and operators:

1. In accordance with the Load Lines Regulations (Sea), a ship shall not be so loaded as to submerge the appropriate load line beyond the limits of submergence that for the time being apply to the ship. Zones and seasonal periods for the Great Lakes and St-Lawrence river are as follows :

St. Lawrence River Seasonal Area :

The St. Lawrence River Seasonal Area consists of that part of the St. Lawrence River bounded by the Victoria Bridge in Montréal, a straight line drawn from Cap-des-Rosiers to West Point, Anticosti Island, and a line drawn along the meridian of longitude 63º W from Anticosti Island to the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.

Seasonal periods:

For a ship engaged in a voyage during the course of which it crosses the eastern boundary of the St.Lawrence River Seasonal Area:

Winter: 1 November to 31 March

Summer: 1 April to 31 October

For a ship engaged in a voyage wholly within the limits of the North American Great Lakes Zone and the St. Lawrence River Seasonal Area:

Winter: 1 November to 31 March

Summer: 1 April to 30 April, and 1 October to 31 October

Tropical: 1 May to 30 September

The North American Great Lakes Zone :

The North American Great Lakes Zone consists of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron (including Georgian Bay), Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, the waters connecting those lakes, the St.Lawrence Seaway and the St. Lawrence River west of the Victoria Bridge in Montréal.

Seasonal periods:

Winter: 1 November to 31 March

Summer: 1 April to 30 April, and 1 October to 31 October

Tropical: 1 May to 30 September

2. According to these Regulations, deeper loading of the ship corresponding to the weight of fuel and all other materials required for consumption between the point of departure and the sea shall not be permitted for a ship in the:

  1. North American Great Lakes Zone;
    or
  2. St. Lawrence River Seasonal Area if the ship is making a voyage wholly within the limits of the North American Great Lakes Zone and the St. Lawrence River Seasonal Area.

3. Fresh water allowance does not apply to a ship:

  1. that is in the North American Great Lakes Zone at any time if the freeboards of the ship are determined by regulations based on Annex I of the 1966 Convention;
    or
  2. that is in the North American Great Lakes Zone during the period from September 16th in any year to April 30th in the next year, if the freeboards of the ship are determined by regulations based on Annex I of the 1930 Convention

Keywords:                                  Questions concerning this bulletin should be addressed to:

1. Load lines
2. North American Great Lakes
3. St. Lawrence River Seasonal Area.
AMSEB
Jan Zwaan
613-991-3143
Transport Canada
Marine Safety
Tower C, Place de Ville
11th Floor, 330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N8
 
 

To add or change your address, contact us at: marinesafety@tc.gc.ca

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