If the transverse watertight bulkheads in a region of the
ship are carried to a higher deck which forms a vertical step in the
bulkhead deck, openings located in the bulkhead at the step may be
considered as being located above the bulkhead deck. Such openings
should then comply with regulation 17 and should be taken into account
when applying regulation 7-2.
All openings in the shell plating below the upper deck throughout
that region of the ship should be treated as being below the bulkhead
deck and the provisions of regulation 15 should be applied. See figure
below.