ASHGABAT: Turkmenistan has officially become a party to the 1988 Protocol of the International Convention on Load Lines of 1966.
The Convention outlines vital international standards regarding the minimum permissible freeboard—or the distance between the waterline and the upper deck—on sea-going vessels. These regulations are designed to enhance maritime safety through provisions addressing ship compartmentalization and damage stability. However, certain vessels such as warships, boats under 150 gross tons, fishing vessels, and private yachts are exempt from these rules.
Under the protocol, all participating countries are required to submit any new national legislation related to cargo load marking standards to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretariat.
Significant amendments made in 2003 to Annex B of the Protocol introduced updated safety and design standards for ships in undamaged conditions. These revisions covered various structural elements of ships, including superstructures, bulkheads, access points, hatches, engine room openings, raised decks, portholes, crew protection systems, and personnel access pathways.
