🔍 Key Concepts

• SOLAS requirements for watertight doors on cargo ships and passenger ships • Difference between a vessel that is navigating versus in port / alongside / at anchor • Purpose of watertight integrity when approaching confined or near‑coastal waters

💭 Think About

• Think about whether your vessel is still considered to be navigating while it is entering port and approaching the berth. How does SOLAS treat this phase of the voyage? • Ask yourself: When are watertight cargo hold doors normally allowed to be open—during sea passage, only when alongside, or only when cargo work is actually underway? • Consider why SOLAS is very strict about certain doors like bow/stern doors on Ro‑Ro ships. Does this same strictness apply to all watertight cargo hold doors, or only specific ones?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify how SOLAS defines or uses the concept of a vessel ‘proceeding to and from port’ or ‘at sea’ with respect to watertight doors • Check whether SOLAS allows pre‑emptive opening of watertight cargo doors just because you are ‘preparing’ for cargo, or if there are limits while the ship is still navigating • Confirm if any special mention is made of bow doors / stern doors compared to other watertight doors in the hull