Generally, The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction: Ships of Classes I, II and II(A)) Regulations 1998 require passenger and cargo loading doors in a ro-ro passenger ship to be closed and locked before the ship leaves its berth and until it arrives at its next berth.
However, where a bow visor or weathertight ramp cannot be opened or closed while the ship is at its berth, it may be left open while the ship approaches or draws away from its berth, but only so far as is necessary to enable the door to be then opened or closed, and subject to the limitation that in no case may such a door be left open when the ship is more than one ship’s length from the cargo loading or discharging position of its berth.
