Text A. Stern and Bow Doors

Ro-ro vessels may be fitted with stern doors of the hinge down or hinge up type which if large are articulated. Bow doors are either of the visor type or of the side hinged type (‘barn door’ type). These are situated above the freeboard deck and where the bow doors lead to a complete or long forward enclosed superstructure Lloyd’s require an inner door to be fitted which is part of the collision bulkhead. This would also be in keeping with the SOLAS requirements for passenger ships where the collision bulkhead is to be extended weathertight (стойкий против атмосферных воздействий) to the deck next above the bulkhead deck, but need not be fitted directly above that bulkhead. A sloping weathertight vehicle ramp may be fitted in some ships to form the collision bulkhead above the freeboard deck and the inner door is omitted. This ramp may extend forward of the specified limit for the collision bulkhead above a height of more than 2.3m above the bulkhead deck, i.e. above the height of a conventional tween deck space. Stern and bow door strengths are equivalent to the strength of the surrounding structure and where they give access to enclosed superstructures they are required to close weathertight. Stern doors and bow visors can be mechanically raised and lowered with wire rope and purchase arrangements but in general they and the side hinged bow doors are hydraulically opened and closed. These weathertight doors are gasketted and cleated.