The regulations in this part contain requirements for the design and construction of main and auxiliary machinery installed on vessels.

The applicable standards established by the ABS Marine Vessel Rules (incorporated by reference, see § 58.03-1), may be used as the standard for the design, construction, and testing of main and auxiliary machinery except as modified in this subchapter.

(a) The following limits apply to the use of oil as fuel:

(1) Except as otherwise permitted by this section, no fuel oil with a flashpoint of less than 60 °C (140 °F) may be used.

(2) Except as otherwise permitted by § 58.50-1(b), fuel oil with a flashpoint of not less than 43 °C (110 °F) may be used in emergency generators.

(3) Subject to such further precautions as the Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Center, considers necessary, and provided that the ambient temperature of the space in which such fuel oil is stored or used does not rise to within 18 °F (10 °C) below the flashpoint of the fuel oil, fuel oil having a flashpoint of less than 140 °F (60 °C) but not less than 110 °F (43 °C) may be used.

(4) In a cargo vessel, fuel having a lower flashpoint than otherwise specified in this section—for example, crude oil—may be used provided that such fuel is not stored in any machinery space and that the Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Center, approves the complete installation.

(b) The flashpoint of oil must be determined by the Pensky-Martens Closed Tester, ASTM D93 (incorporated by reference, see § 58.03-1).

Gears, couplings, flywheels, and all rotating machinery capable of injuring personnel must be provided with adequate covers or guards.

Machinery driving forced-draft and induced-draft fans, fuel-oil transfer pumps, fuel-oil unit and service pumps, and similar fuel-oil pumps must be fitted with remote controls from a readily accessible position outside the space concerned so that the fans or pumps may be stopped in case of fire in the compartment in which they are located. The controls must be suitably protected against accidental operation and against tampering and must be suitably marked.

The operation of main and auxiliary engines, boilers, steering gear, and auxiliaries must be observed on the trial trip of each new vessel and all deficiencies which affect the safety of the vessel must be corrected to the satisfaction of the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

Auxiliary machinery vital to the main propulsion system must be provided in duplicate unless the system served is provided in independent duplicate, or otherwise provides continued or restored propulsion capability in the event of a failure or malfunction of any single auxiliary component.

(a) Propulsion machinery and all auxiliary machinery essential to the propulsion and safety of the vessel must be designed to operate when the vessel is upright, when the vessel is inclined under static conditions at any angle of list up to and including 15°, and when the vessel is inclined under dynamic conditions (rolling) at any angle of list up to and including 22.5° and, simultaneously, at any angle of trim (pitching) up to and including 7.5° by bow or stern.

(b) Deviations from these angles of inclination may be permitted by the Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Center, considering the type, size, and service of the vessel.

Each machinery space must be ventilated to ensure that, when machinery or boilers are operating at full power in all weather including heavy weather, an adequate supply of air is maintained for the operation of the machinery and for the safety, efficiency, and comfort of the crew.

Each machinery space must be designed to minimize the exposure of personnel to noise in accordance with IMO Resolution MSC.337(91) (incorporated by reference, see § 58.03-1).

(a) For the purposes of this section, a machinery space of category A is a space that contains any of the following:

(1) Internal-combustion machinery used for main propulsion.

(2) Internal-combustion machinery used for other than main propulsion, whose power output is equal to or greater than 500 HP (375 kw).

(3) Any oil-fired boiler.

(4) Any equipment used to prepare fuel oil for delivery to an oil-fired boiler, or equipment used to prepare heated oil for delivery to an internal-combustion engine, including any oil-pressure pumps, filters, and heaters dealing with oil pressures above 26 psi.

(b) As far as practicable, each fuel-oil tank must be part of the vessel's structure and be located outside a machinery space of category A.

(c) If a fuel-oil tank, other than a double-bottom tank, must be located adjacent to or within a machinery space of category A—

(1) At least one of its vertical sides must be contiguous to the boundary of the machinery space;

(2) The tank must have a common boundary with the double-bottom tanks; and

(3) The area of the tank boundary common with the machinery spaces must be kept as small as practicable.

(d) If a fuel-oil tank must be located within a machinery space of category A, it must not contain fuel oil with a flashpoint of less than 60 °C (140 °F).

(e) In general, no freestanding fuel-oil tank is permitted in any machinery space of Category A on a passenger vessel. A freestanding fuel-oil tank is permitted in other spaces only if authorized by the Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Center. If so authorized, each freestanding fuel-oil tank must—

(1) Comply with subpart 58.50; and

(2) Be placed in an oil-tight spill tray with a drain pipe leading to a spill-oil tank.

(f) No fuel-oil tank may be located where spillage or leakage from it can constitute a hazard by falling on heated surfaces. The design must also prevent any oil that may escape under pressure from any pump, filter, or heater from coming into contact with heated surfaces.