P-2 Principles
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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 - Preamble - P-2 Principles

P-2 Principles

  P-2.1 The Guidelines aim to promote the safety of navigation and to prevent pollution from ship operations in Arctic ice-covered waters.

  P-2.2 The Guidelines recognize that this is best achieved by an integrated approach, based on requirements in existing Conventions which cover the design, outfitting, crewing and operation of ships for the conditions which they will encounter.

  P-2.3 The Guidelines take into account that Arctic conditions may include sea and glacial ice that can represent a serious structural hazard to all ships. This is the single most significant factor in Arctic operations and is reflected in many of the Guidelines' provisions.

  P-2.4 The Guidelines address the fact that the Arctic environment imposes additional demands on ship systems, including navigation, communications, life-saving, main and auxiliary machinery, etc. They emphasize the need to ensure that all ship systems are capable of functioning effectively under anticipated operating conditions and providing adequate levels of safety in accident and emergency situations.

  P-2.5 In addition, the Guidelines recognize that safe operation in such conditions requires specific attention to human factors including training and operational procedures.

  P-2.6 The basic requirements for structure, stability and subdivision, machinery, life-saving appliances, fire protection, ship routing, navigation systems and equipment, radiocommunication, pollution prevention equipment, liability and safety management systems, as applicable to the different types and sizes of ships which may undertake voyages in Arctic ice-covered waters, are obtained from the relevant conventions. The standards expressed in these Guidelines have been developed to mitigate the additional risk imposed on shipping due to the harsh environmental and climatic conditions existing in Arctic ice-covered waters.

  P-2.7 Not all ships which enter the Arctic environment will be able to navigate safely in all areas at all times of the year. A system of Polar Classes has therefore been developed to designate different levels of capability. In parallel to the development of the Guidelines, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has developed a set of Unified Requirements which, in addition to general classification society rules, address all essential aspects of construction for ships of Polar Class.

  P-2.8 These Guidelines are not intended to infringe on national systems of shipping control.

Parent topic: Preamble
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