Load Lines Convention 1966. The regulations laid down in the Load Lines Convention 1930 were revised in July 1968 when the International Convention on Load Lines 1966 came into force.
In general the 1966 Convention allows for a smaller freeboard for large ships, but calls for more stringent protection of openings in decks and superstructures. The tabular freeboard of dry cargo ships, if fitted with steel watertight hatch covers, has been considerably reduced.
