In the event of a major leak, it must be possible to close all watertight hatches and/or doors to the room to maintain vessel
stability and safety.
The physical size of the sonar room must be limited, so that in the event of a major leak, the flooding of the room will not
induce instability, or cause the vessel to capsize or sink.
Inspect all watertight decks and bulkheads periodically. Make sure that there are no unprotected openings or improper penetrations that may allow progressive flooding from the compartment. Make sure that the watertight doors and hatches are in place and in good working order.
Install and activate bilge high level sensors to provide an early warning of abnormal accumulation of water. Position the sensors as low as possible along the centre area of the compartment, and/or in other locations where the water
will gravitate to first. Inspect the bilge sensors periodically.
All cables leading in and out of the sonar room must be run in steel conduits. These steel conduits must reach up and above the freeboard deck.
If required, all design documents related to the sonar room and the watertight integrity must be approved by the vessel’s
national registry and corresponding maritime authority and/or classification society. Such approval must be obtained before the installation can begin. The shipowner and shipyard doing the installation are responsible for obtaining and paying for such approval.