1 It is important that masters, officers in charge
of a navigational watch and officers in charge of an engineering watch on board
ships operating in polar waters should have relevant experience and training,
as follows:
Ice characteristics – ice
areas
2 Interpretation of different ice-charts and
awareness of limitations in meteorology and oceanography data, ice physics,
formation, growth, ageing and stage of melt; ice types and concentrations; ice
pressure; friction from snow-covered ice; implications of spray-icing and icing
up; precautions against icing up and mitigation of consequences; ice regimes in
different regions and different seasons, including the differences between the
Arctic and the Antarctic; recognition of consequences of rapid change in ice
and weather conditions; movement of icebergs and pack ice.
Ship’s performance in ice
and cold climate
3 Vessel characteristics; vessel types, hull
designs; ice-strengthening requirements; ice-class of different classification
societies – polar class and local regulations; limitations of ice-classes;
winterization and preparedness of vessel; low-temperature system
performance.
Voyage and passage planning
for a ship in ice
footnote
4 Development of safe routeing and passage
planning to avoid ice where possible, including interpreting various forms of
ice imagery and data to assist in the preparation of a strategic passage
planning; entering ice from open water to avoid icebergs and dangerous ice
conditions; navigation, determining when it is safe or not safe to enter areas
containing ice or icebergs due to darkness, swell, fog or pressure ice.
Operating and handling a
ship in ice
5 Preparations and risk assessment before
approaching ice-infested waters; unassisted operation of vessels with different
ice-class in different ice-types; safe speed in the presence of ice and
icebergs; communications with an icebreaker and other vessels; navigation in
various ice concentrations and coverage; awareness of the increase in energy of
movement; use of icebergs for shelter and access through packed ice.
6 Use of different type of propulsion system and
rudder, including awareness of system strength and capacity limitations; use of
heeling and trim systems, engine loads and cooling problems.
Regulations and
recommendations
7 Local requirements for entering different
regions, including the Antarctic Treaty; international regulations and
recommendations.
Equipment
limitations
8 Use of and hazards associated with terrestrial
navigational aids in polar waters; high-latitude compass errors; discrimination
of radar targets and ice-features in ice-clutter; limitations of electronic
positioning systems at high latitude; limitations in nautical charts and pilot
descriptions; limitations in communication systems.
Safety precautions and
emergency procedures
9 Availability of hydrographic data sufficient for
safe navigation; precautions when navigating in poorly charted waters;
limitations of search and rescue readiness and responsibility, including GMDSS
area A4 and its SAR communication facility limitation; awareness of contingency
planning; knowledge of towing procedures; value of contact with other ships and
local SAR organization; recognizing dangers when crews are exposed to low
temperatures; procedures and techniques for abandoning the ship and survival on
the ice; crew-fatigue problems due to noise and vibrations; carriage of
additional resources such as bunkers, food and extra clothing; awareness of the
additional severity of consequences of incidents in polar waters.
10 Establishing safe working procedures; awareness
of the most common hull and equipment damages and how to avoid them;
fire-fighting systems limitations.
Environmental
considerations
11 Sensitive sea areas regarding discharge; areas
where shipping is prohibited or should be avoided; Special Areas in MARPOL;
oil-spill equipment limitations; plan for coping with increased volumes of
garbage, bilge water, sludge, sewage, etc.; consequences of pollution in a cold
climate.