LOADLINES 1966
International Convention on Load Lines
Adoption: 5 April 1966
Entry into force: 21 July 1968
It has long been recognized that limitations on the draught to which a ship may be loaded make a
significant contribution to her safety. The popular Plimsoll line, was the first attempt to prevent loss of
ships due to overloading. Samuel Plimsoll, a British MP, was responsible for bringing this to public attention
and getting the United Kingdom Merchant Shipping Act 1876 passed. Although this Act made the load line
mark compulsory but positioning of the mark was fixed by law only in 1894.
These limits are given in the form of freeboards, which constitute, besides external weathertight and
watertight integrity, the main objective of the Convention.
The first International Convention on Load Lines, adopted in 1930, was based on the principle of reserve
buoyancy, although it was recognized then that the freeboard should also ensure adequate stability and
avoid excessive stress on the ship's hull as a result of overloading.
In the 1966 Load Lines convention, adopted by IMO, provisions are made for determining the freeboard of
ships by subdivision and damage stability calculations.
All assigned load lines must be marked amidships on each side of the ship, together with the deck line.
Ships intended for the carriage of timber deck cargo are assigned a smaller freeboard as the deck cargo
provides protection against the impact of waves.
Ships of 24 meters and over in length engaged in international voyages must comply with the load line
convention, with exceptions for ships of war, pleasure yachts not engaged in commercial activities, and
fishing vessels.
The Convention includes three annexes.
Annex I is divided into four Chapters:
• Chapter I - General;
• Chapter II - Conditions of assignment of freeboard;
• Chapter III - Freeboards;
• Chapter IV - Special requirements for ships assigned timber freeboards.
Annex II covers Zones, areas and seasonal periods.
Annex III contains certificates, including the International Load Line Certificate.
Various amendments were adopted in 1971, 1975, 1979, and 1983 but they required positive acceptance
by two-thirds of Parties and never came into force.
The 1988 Protocol, adopted in November 1988, entered into force on 3 February 2000. It was adopted to
harmonize the Convention's survey and certification requirement with those contained in SOLAS and
MARPOL 73/78. It also introduced the tacit amendment procedure so that amendments adopted will enter
into force six months after the deemed date of acceptance unless they are rejected by one-third of Parties.
Usually, the date from adoption to deemed acceptance is two years.
2003 Amendments (Adoption: June 2003 Entry into force: 1 January 2005) was a comprehensive revision of
the technical regulations of the original Load Lines Convention. It is applicable to those ships flying the flags
of States Party to the 1988 LL Protocol.
The Load Lines Convention sets the minimum permissible free board, according to the location of the ship
and season of the year. Limitations on the freeboard to which a ship can be loaded make a significant
contribution to her safety.
The technical annex contains several additional safety measures concerning doors, freeing ports, hatchways
and other items. The main purpose of these measures is to ensure the weather-tight and watertight
integrity of the ship. Each ship is issued a "Conditions of Assignment" by the certificate issuing authority,
which gives the details of the structure and equipment to be surveyed and maintained.
All assigned load lines must be marked amidships on each side of the ship, together with the deck line.
Related Statutory Certificates
• International Load Lines Certificate
Salient Points
• All ships for trading need to be surveyed and carry certificates as per load line rules.
• Ship should be marked with load line in accordance with the rule.
• She should comply with condition of assignment as per the rules.
• She should be provided with information regarding stability, loading & ballasting for master’s
guidance.
• Rules apply in port as well as sea, except when ship is proceeding down river to the sea and may
submerge her marks to allow for river passage and consumption of fuel and fresh water.
• LLC should be carried and exhibited in a prominent part of the ship and should be presented for
port clearance to the customs.
CANCELLATION OF LOAD LINE CERTIFICATE
• If ship does not comply with condition of assignment.
• If structural strength is lowered to an extent that the ship in unsafe.
• If information on which freeboard was assigned were incorrect.
• If certificate has not been endorsed to show that the ship has not been periodically inspected.
• When the ships' registry has been changed.
LOADLINE CERTIFICATE 1966
• Ships on international voyage have LLC on LL exemption certificate.
• Not required for war ships.
• Normally class issues loadline certificate
• Valid for 5 yrs. subject to annual inspection.
• Extended to maximum 5 months for issue of new certificate only after renewal survey.
Initial surveys/Periodical Surveys
Initial, renewal and annual surveys
A ship shall be subjected to the surveys specified below:
1. When a ship is covered by the present Convention an initial survey is carried out before the ship is
put in service. A complete inspection of its structure and equipment shall be included in survey. The
survey is carried out to ensure that the arrangements, materials and scantlings fully comply with the
requirements of the present Convention.
2. A renewal survey is carried out normally at intervals normally not exceeding five years or as
specified by the Administration. During this survey, it is ensured that the structure, equipment,
arrangements, materials and scantlings fully comply with the requirements of the present
Convention.
3. Annual survey is carried out within 3 months before or after each anniversary date of the
certificate.
Annual survey ensures that:
1. Determining the position of the load line is not affected due to any alteration made to the hull or
superstructure.
2. This survey also ensures that the following are maintained in an effective condition - fittings and
appliances for the protection of openings, guard rails, freeing ports and means of access to crew’s
quarters.
3. The freeboard marks are correctly and permanently indicated.
4. Information required by regulation 10 (Loading/ballast plans to avoid undue stress) provided.
The annual surveys shall be endorsed on the International Load Line Certificate or the International Load
Line Exemption Certificate issued to a ship.
Regulation 4 - Deck line. The deck line is a horizontal line 300 mm in length and 25 mm in breadth. It shall
be marked amidships on each side of the ship, and its upper edge shall normally pass through the point
where the continuation outwards of the upper surface of the freeboard deck intersects the outer surface of
the shell (as illustrated in figure), provided that the deck line may be placed with reference to another fixed
point on the ship on condition that the freeboard is correspondingly corrected.
Regulation 5 - Load line mark: The load line mark shall consist of a ring 300 mm in outside diameter and 25
mm wide, which is intersected by a horizontal line 450 mm in length and 25 mm in breadth, the upper edge
of which passes through the centre of the ring. The centre of the ring shall be placed amidships and at a
distance equal to the assigned summer freeboard measured vertically below the upper edge of the deck
line (as illustrated in figure).
Regulation 6 - Lines to be used with the load line mark: The lines which indicate the load line assigned in
accordance with these regulations shall be horizontal lines 230 mm in length and 25 mm in breadth, which
extend forward of, unless expressly provided otherwise, and at right angles to, a vertical line 25 mm in
breadth marked at a distance 540 mm forward of the centre of the ring (as illustrated in figure).
The following load lines shall be used:
1. The Summer Load Line indicated by the upper edge of the line which passes through the centre of
the ring and also by a line marked S.
2. The Winter Load Line indicated by the upper edge of a line marked W.
3. The Winter North Atlantic Load Line indicated by the upper edge of a line marked WNA.
4. The Tropical Load Line indicated by the upper edge of a line marked T.
5. The Fresh Water Load Line in summer indicated by the upper edge of a line marked F. The Fresh
Water Load Line in summer is marked abaft the vertical line. The difference between the Fresh
Water Load Line in summer and the Summer Load Line is the allowance to be made for loading in
fresh water at the other load lines.
6. The Tropical Fresh Water Load Line indicated by the upper edge of a line marked TF and marked
abaft the vertical line.
If timber freeboards are assigned in accordance with these regulations, the timber load lines shall be
marked in addition to ordinary load lines. These lines shall be horizontal lines 230 mm in length and 25 mm
in breadth, which extend abaft unless expressly provided otherwise, and are at right angles to, a vertical
line 25 mm in breadth marked at a distance 540 mm abaft the centre of the ring (as illustrated in figure.)
Fresh Water Load Line needs to be marked.
Where a Winter North Atlantic Load Line is identical with the Winter Load Line corresponding to the same
vertical line, this load line shall be marked W.
LOADLINE Amendments
International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (LL 1966)
Entry into force: 21 July 1968
1971 amendments (general) (A.231(VII)) not yet in force
1975 amendment (article 29) (A.319(IX)) not yet in force
1979 amendment (seasonal area) (A.411(XI)) not yet in force
1983 amendments (seasonal area) (A.513(13)) not yet in force
1995 amendment (seasonal area) (A.784(19)) not yet in force
2005 amendments (Annex III – certificates) (A.972(24)) 3 February 2010
2013 amendments (A. 1082(28)) 28 February 2018
(Annex II – Southern Winter Seasonal Zone)
2013 amendments (A. 1083(28)) 28 February 2018
(Annexes I and IV - IMO Instruments Implementation (III) Code)
Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (LL PROT 1988)
Entry into force: 3 February 2000
2003 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.143(77)) (Annex I and II – Regs 1 to 49) 1 January 2005
2004 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.172(79)) (Annex III) 1 July 2006
2006 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.223(82)) (Annex I – Regs 22 and 39) 1 July 2008
2008 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.270(85)) (Annex I – Regs 1 and 3) 1 July 2010
2012 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.329(90)) (Annex II – Regs 47) 1 January 2014
2012 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.345(91)) (Annex I – Regs 27) 1 July 2014
2013 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.356(92)) (Annex I – Regs 2) 1 January 2015
2014 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.375(93)) (Annex I – Regs 3, 53, 54) 1 January 2016
2021 (Annex B) amendments (MSC.491(104)) 1 January 2024
Resolution MSC.491(104) - Amendments to Load Line Convention (Annexes I and II)
Adopted Date: October 28, 2021. In Force Date: January 1, 2024
Content Details:
- This resolution amends Annex I (regulations for determining Load Lines) and Annex II (Zones, Areas,
And Seasonal Periods) of the load line convention, which governs Ship Stability and Buoyancy
through Load Line Markings.
- Regulation 2 is revised to refine freeboard calculations for ships with non-standard hull forms, such
as multi-hulls or vessels with unconventional superstructures, incorporating updated coefficients for
wave resistance and reserve buoyancy.
- Regulation 27 adjusts seasonal load line zones in the North Atlantic, shifting boundaries (e.g.,
Extending winter zones southward) based on updated meteorological data reflecting climate change
impacts on wave heights and storm frequency.
- Regulation 44 is clarified to enhance stability standards for timber deck cargoes, specifying lashing
and stowage requirements (e.g., Minimum securing points) to prevent shifting in rough seas.