Collision Bulkhead is a heavy duty bulkhead in the forepart of the vessel to withstand damage after impact from collision.
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, requires that ships are fitted with transverse watertight bulkheads to provide the ship with a certain measure of survival capability should the hull be penetrated and the vessel suffering water ingress as a result. The forward bulkhead is called the collision bulkhead and is meant to be a second barrier in a collision resulting in bow plate rupture and water ingress to the forepeak area.
Regulation:
As per (SOLAS Ch II-1, Reg 12.1)
The collision bulkhead must be located not less than 0.05L or 10 metres, whichever is the lesser from the forward perpendicular and not more than 0.08L or 0.05L+3 m, whichever is the greater The regulations require that the bulkhead is watertight from the bottom of the ship, up to the bulkhead deck.
The collision bulkhead may have steps or recesses, but no doors, manholes, access openings, ventilation ducts or other openings can be fitted in the bulkhead below the bulkhead deck. There is only one exception and that is a single pipeline which is allowed to penetrate the bulkhead for the purpose of filling and emptying the forepeak tank.
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