Regulations for Safe Means of Access to Cargo and Other Spaces as per SOLAS

General Requirements:

• This regulation applies to Oil tankers of 500 gross tonnage and over and Bulk carriers of 20,000 gross tonnages and over, constructed on or after 1 January 2006.

• Each space shall be provided with means of access to enable, throughout the life of a ship, overall and close-up inspections and thickness measurements of the ship's structures to be carried out by the Administration, the company and the ship's personnel and others as necessary. 

• If a permanent means of access may be susceptible to damage during normal cargo loading and unloading operations or where it is impracticable to fit permanent means of access, the Administration may allow movable or portable means of access.

• The means of attaching, rigging, suspending or supporting the portable means of access should form a permanent part of the ship's structure.

• All portable equipment shall be capable of being readily erected or deployed by ship's personnel.

• The construction and materials of all means of access and their attachment to the ship's structure shall be to the satisfaction of the administration.

Safe access to Cargo holds, cargo tanks, ballast tanks and other spaces:

• Safe access to the cargo hold, cofferdams, ballast tanks, cargo tanks and other spaces in the cargo area shall be direct from the open deck and such as to ensure their complete inspection. 

• Safe access to double bottom spaces or to forward ballast tanks may be from a pump-room, deep cofferdam, pipe tunnel, cargo hold, double hull space or similar compartment not intended for the carriage of oil or hazardous cargoes.

• Tanks, and subdivisions of tanks, having a length of 35m or more, shall be fitted with at least two access hatchways and ladders, as far apart as practicable.

• Tanks less than 35m in length shall be served by at least one access hatchway and ladder.

• When a tank is subdivided by one or more swash bulkheads or similar obstructions which do not allow ready means of access to the other parts of the tank, at least two hatchways and ladders shall be fitted.

• Each cargo hold shall be provided with at least two means of access as far apart as practicable.

• In general, these accesses should be arranged diagonally, for example, one access near the forward bulkhead on the port side, the other one near the aft bulkhead on the starboard side.

General Technical Specifications:

• For access through the horizontal openings, hatches or manholes, the dimensions shall be sufficient to allow a person wearing self-contained air-breathing apparatus and protective equipment to ascend or descend any ladder without obstruction and also provide a clear opening to facilitate the hoisting of an injured person from the bottom of the space. 

• The minimum clear opening shall not be less than 600 mm X 600 mm.

• When access to a cargo hold is arranged through the cargo hatch, the top of the ladder shall be placed as close as possible to the hatch opening.

• Access hatch coamings with a height greater than 900 mm shall also have steps outside in conjunction with the ladder. 

• For access through the vertical openings, or manholes, in swash bulkheads, floors, girders and web frames providing passage through the length and breadth of the space, the minimum opening shall be not less than 600 mm X 800 mm at a height of not more than 600 mm from the bottom shell plating unless gratings or other footholds are provided.

• For oil tankers of less than 5,000 tonnes deadweight, in special circumstances, smaller dimensions for the openings are allowed if the ability to remove an injured person through such opening can be proved to the satisfaction of the Administration.

Swash Bulkhead:

        Longitudinal or transverse non-tight bulkhead fitted in the tank to reduce the surge of the liquid when the ship rolls and pitches, and consequently to reduce the dynamic impact of the liquid on the surrounding structure. A plate used for this purpose but not extending to the bottom of the tank is called a swashplate.

Reference: IMO Publications & Documents - International Conventions - SOLAS - Ch-II-1