By Foluke Akinmoladun
The history of the need and use of loadlines can be traced to when Lloyd’s Register of Shipping made recommendations concerning safe loading draught in 1835. In 1876 the Merchant Shipping Act in England made loadlines compulsory as a result of a campaign promoted by a member of Parliament called Samuel Plimsoll following the loss of several ships because of overloading. As a result, loadlines are often referred to as ’Plimsoll lines’. The requirement was recognised internationally in 1930 by the International Load Line Convention. A new Load Lines Convention was agreed in 1966 and this has been revised as ship design and technology has changed, most recently in 2003. All ships trading internationally are now required to have loadlines marked or painted midships on both sides of the ship, together with the deck line. These indicate how deep a ship may be loaded in various conditions.
The original “Plimsoll Mark” was a circle with a horizontal line through it to show the maximum draft of a ship. Additional marks have been added over the years, allowing for different water densities and expected sea conditions. Letters may also appear to the sides of the mark indicating the classification society that has surveyed the vessel’s load line.
The letters shown on the diagram of the Plimsoll mark represent the following:
TF: Tropical Fresh
FW: Fresh Water
T: Tropical Water
S: Summer
W: Winter
WNA: Winter North Atlantic
LR: Lloyds Register
LTF: Lumber Tropical Fresh
LF: Lumber Fresh
LT: Lumber Tropical
LS: Lumber Summer
LW: Lumber Winter
LWNA: Lumber Winter North Atlantic
The original “Plimsoll Mark” was a circle with a horizontal line through it to show the maximum draft of a ship. Additional marks have been added over the years, allowing for different water densities and expected sea conditions. Letters may also appear to the sides of the mark indicating the classification society that has surveyed the vessel’s load line.
There are two types of Load line markings: –
Standard Load Line marking – This is applicable to all types of vessels.
Timber Load Line Markings – This is applicable to vessels carrying timber cargo.
These marks shall be punched on the surface of the hull, making it visible even if the ship side paint fades out. The marks shall again be painted with white or yellow colour on a dark background / black on a light background. The complete Load line markings consist of 3 vital parts.
Deck Line – It is a horizontal line measuring 300mm by 25mm. It passes through the upper surface of the freeboard.
Load Line Disc – It is the 300mm diameter and 25mm thick round shaped disc. It is intersected by a horizontal line. The upper edge of the horizontal line marks the ‘Summer salt water line’ also known as ‘Plimsol Line’.
Load Lines – Load lines are horizontal lines extending forward and aft from a vertical line placed at a distance of 540mm from the centre of the disc. They measure 230mm by 23mm. The upper surfaces of the load lines indicate the maximum depths to which the ships maybe submerged in different seasons and circumstances.
S – Summer: – It is the basic freeboard line at the same level as the Plimsol Line. Other load lines are marked based on this summer freeboard line.
T – Tropical: – It is 1/48th of summer draft marked above the summer load line.
W – Winter: – It is 1/48th of summer draft marked below the summer load line.
WNA – Winter North Atlantic: – It is marked 50mm below the Winter load line. It applies to voyages in North Atlantic (above 36 degrees of latitude) during winter months.
F – Fresh Water: – It is the summer fresh water load line. The distance between S and F is the Fresh Water Allowance (FWA).
TF – Tropical Fresh Water: – It is the fresh water load line in Tropical. It is marked above the T at an amount equal to FWA.
Timber Load Line Markings
Ships engaged in the timber deck cargo trade are required to have a special set of Load lines known as the Timber Load Lines. Such vessels shall comply with the Code of Safe Practices for Ships Carrying Timber Deck Cargo in construction and other requirements obtaining greater reserve buoyancy and lesser summer freeboard.
Timber cargo vessels will have a second set of Load Lines marked similar to the standard load lines positioned 540mm abaft the centre load line disc.
The letter marking of the timber loadline are different and are prefixed by ‘L’ meaning ‘Lumber’.
LS – Lumber Summer: – Its upper edge marks the summer salt water timber loadline. It is situated at a specified level above the Plimsol line.
LW – Lumber Winter: – It is 1/36th of the lumber summer draft below LS.
LT – Lumber Tropical: – It is 1/48th of the lumber summer draft above LS.
LWNA – Lumber Winter North Atlantic: – It is at the same level as WNA.
LF – Lumber Fresh water: – It is situated above the LS by an amount equal FWA.
LTF – Lumber Tropical Fresh Water: – It is positioned above LT by an amount equal to FWA.
International Loadline Certification
Every ship that has been surveyed and marked in accordance with the present Load line convention are issued by the authorized administration, an International Load Line Certificate. The certificate will have a validity of not more than 5 years and will contain all vital information that includes the assigned freeboard and fresh water allowance.
It is to be noted that, after completion of a load line survey and issuance of the certificate; no changes shall be made to the super structure, markings, equipment or arrangements that has been covered under the survey. If such changes need to be made, the authorized authority conducting the survey must be contacted.
Foluke Akinmoladun is the Managing Solicitor of Trizon Law Chambers Nigeria. She is a lawyer, accountant, mediator and arbitrator. She is also a Chartered Secretary and Business Rescue & Insolvency Practitioner.
She belongs to the panel of neutrals of numerous arbitral institutions.She was a onetime Director General of the African Ship owners Association of Nigeria and is a member of the Presidential National Action Committee on Nigeria’s Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) (Transportation stream). She is the secretary of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI) Maritime Sector. She can be reached at: Foluke.A@trizonlawchambers.com
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