Chapter 16 - Environmental protection and damage control
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.1056 – Guidelines for Ships Operating in Arctic Ice-Covered Waters – (Adopted on 23 December 2002) - Annex - Guidelines for Ships Operating in Arctic Ice-Covered Waters - Part D - Environmental Protection and Damage Control - Chapter 16 - Environmental protection and damage control

Chapter 16 - Environmental protection and damage control

16.1 General

  16.1.1 The following provisions concerning environmental protection and damage control equipment are made with due regard to the lack of waste reception and repair facilities, communications limitations, unique navigational and environmental hazards and limited response capabilities of available assistance in Arctic ice-covered waters.

  16.1.2 Procedures for the protection of the environment under normal operations should be included in the ship's operating manual as described in chapter 13, and those under accident conditions into the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) according to the MARPOL Convention.

  16.1.3 Training and drills covering environmental protection and damage control procedures should be provided for crew members as specified in chapter 13.

16.2 Equipment and materials

  16.2.1 All ships navigating in Arctic ice-covered waters should be adequately equipped and their crews properly trained to provide effective damage control and minor hull repair. All ships should have the capability to contain and clean up minor deck and over side spills.

  16.2.2 Damage control equipment, provided in accordance with paragraph 16.2.1, should be sufficient to enable a ship, as far as practicable, to make temporary repairs to a minor hull breach or to take precautionary measures to prevent escalation of damage or flooding, so that the ship may proceed to a location where more substantial repairs can be affected.

  16.2.3 Icebreakers and ships of Polar Classes 1 to 4 inclusive should be provided with material, tools and equipment capable of effecting more substantial repairs and damage control activities, as described in chapter 15.

  16.2.4 Hoses and pipelines should be manufactured out of materials retaining adequate strength and elasticity characteristics at the minimum anticipated operating temperature.

  16.2.5 All hoses used to transfer pollutant cargoes from the ship to another ship or to shore should have the connection between the hose and the hose couplings made in an efficient and strong fashion to minimize the possibility of pollution due to failure of this connection. Couplings between hose sections should be capable of being securely locked together to prevent inadvertent disconnection.


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