(Note – where a definition is not contained within this Code, guidance should be taken from meanings given within the International Conventions)

‘Administration’ with regard to this Code means the Government of the State whose flag the ship is entitled to fly.

‘Aiming Circle’ (Touchdown/positioning marking) The aiming point for a normal landing, so designed that the pilot’s seat can be placed directly above it in any direction with assured main and tail rotor clearances.

‘Approved’ in respect to materials or equipment means approved by the Administration or approved by an Administration or organisation which is formally recognised by the Administration.

‘Authorised surveyor’ means a surveyor who by reason of professional qualifications, practical experience and expertise is authorised by the Administration to carry out the survey required for the vessel.

‘Aviation Inspection Body’ Body delegated the responsibility of inspecting helicopter landing areas by the Administration. The verification process will include inspection, certification and, where necessary, the application of appropriate operational limitations.

‘Buoyant lifeline’ means a line complying with the requirements of the IMO International Life-Saving Appliances Code.

‘Cargo’ means an item(s) of value that is carried from one place and discharged at another place and for which either a charge or no charge is made and is not for use exclusively onboard the vessel.

‘Commercial vessel’ means a vessel which is not a pleasure vessel.

‘Control stations’ are those spaces in which the ship's radio or main navigating equipment or the emergency source of power are located or where the fire recording or fire control equipment is centralised.

‘Design Waterline’ Deepest loaded draught.

‘D-Value’ The largest overall dimension of the helicopter when rotors are turning. This dimension will normally be measured from the most forward position of the main rotor tip path plane to the most rearward position of the tail rotor tip path plane (or the most rearward extension of the fuselage in the case of Fenestron or Notar tails).

‘D-Circle’ A circle, usually imaginary unless the helicopter landing area itself is circular, the diameter of which is the D-Value of the largest helicopter the landing area is intended to serve. This will not be the case for landing areas of less than 1D width. For landing areas of less than 1D width, the edges of the imaginary D circle, may extend beyond the edge of the load bearing area by up to 0.085D on either side at the mid point.

‘Efficient’ in relation to a fitting, piece of equipment or material means that all reasonable and practicable measures have been taken to ensure that it is suitable for the purpose for which it is intended to be used.

‘Embarkation ladder’ means a ladder complying with the requirements of the IMO International Life-Saving Appliances Code.

‘Emergency source of electrical power’ is a source of electrical power, intended to supply the emergency switchboard in the event of failure of the supply from the main source of electrical power.

‘Emergency switchboard’ is a switchboard which in the event of failure of the main electrical power supply system is directly supplied by the emergency source of electrical power or the transitional source of emergency power and is intended to distribute electrical energy to the emergency services.

‘EPIRB’ means a satellite emergency position-indicating radio beacon, being an earth station in the mobile-satellite service, the emissions of which are intended to facilitate search and rescue operations, complying with performance standards adopted by the IMO contained in either Resolution A.810(19) or Resolution A.812(19) and Resolution A.662(16), or any Resolution amending or replacing these from time to time and which is considered by the Administration to be relevant, and is capable of:

(a) floating free and automatically activating if the ship sinks;

(b) being manually activated; and

(c) being carried by one person.

‘Existing vessel’ means any vessel, the keel of which was laid or was at a similar stage of construction prior to the 1st October 2013 or the date of entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 if that be sooner.

‘Float-free launching’ means that method of launching a liferaft whereby the liferaft is automatically released from a sinking ship and is ready for use, complying with the requirements of the IMO International Life-Saving Appliances Code.

‘FOD’ Foreign Object Debris.

‘Freeboard’ has the meaning given in annex I of ICLL. The freeboard assigned is the distance measured vertically downwards amidships from the upper edge of the deck line to the upper edge of the related load line.

‘Freeboard deck’ has the meaning given in annex I of ICLL. The freeboard deck is normally the uppermost complete deck exposed to the weather and sea, which has permanent means of closing all openings in the weather part thereof, and below which all openings in the sides of the ship are fitted with permanent means of watertight closing.

In a ship having a discontinuous freeboard deck, the lowest line of the exposed deck and the continuation of that line parallel to the upper part of the deck is taken as the freeboard deck.

At the option of the owner and subject to the approval of the Administration, a lower deck may be designated as the freeboard deck provided it is a complete and permanent deck continuous in a fore and aft direction at least between the machinery space and peak bulkheads and continuous athwart ships.

When a lower deck is designated as the freeboard deck, that part of the hull which extends above the freeboard deck is treated as a superstructure so far as concerns the application of the conditions of assignment and the calculation of freeboard. It is from this deck that the freeboard is calculated.

‘Garbage’ means all kinds of victual, domestic and operational waste excluding fresh fish and parts thereof, generated during the normal operation of the vessel and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically, except sewage originating from vessels.

‘Hazardous space’ means a space or compartment in which combustible or explosive gases or vapours are liable to accumulate in dangerous concentrations.

‘ICAO’ International Civil Aviation Organization.

‘ICLL’ means the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966, as amended.

‘IMO’ means the International Maritime Organization, a specialised agency of the United Nations devoted to maritime affairs.

‘Inflatable lifejacket’ means a lifejacket complying with the requirements of the IMO International Life-Saving Appliances Code.

‘Jet A1 Fuel’ also known as kerosene. It is used as a fuel for modern jet and turboprop engines. It consists primarily of hydrocarbon compounds, but other additives are present to increase safety. International regulations stipulate uniform standards for the quality and composition of kerosene.

‘Landing Area’ A generic term referring to any area primarily intended for the landing or take-off of aircraft.

‘Instructions for on-board maintenance’ means the instructions complying with the requirements of SOLAS III/Part B – Life Saving Appliances and Arrangements, Regulation 36.

‘Launching appliance’ means a provision complying with the requirements of the IMO International Life-Saving Appliances Code for safely transferring a lifeboat, rescue boat, or liferaft respectively, from its stowed position to the water and recovery where applicable.

‘Length’ means 96% of the total length on a waterline of a ship at 85% of the least moulded depth measured from the top of the keel, or the length from the fore-side of the stem to the axis of the rudder stock on that waterline, if that be greater. In ships designed with a rake of keel the waterline on which this is measured should be parallel to the designed waterline.