The concept of a stepped machinery space forward bulkhead
is already implied in paragraph 3.2.1 of
the Code, and in regulation II-2/56 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention,
as amended. For damage stability considerations when such a bulkhead
contains a step more than 3 m in length, damage should be treated
as shown in figure 2.
Figure 2 Damage to stepped machinery space forward bulkhead