International Maritime Organization. Guidelines for ships operating in polar waters

International Maritime Organization, London, 2010. 47 p. — ISBN: 978-92-801-1522-2.Over the past 20 years, IMO has developed a raft of requirements, guidelines and recommendations regarding polar ice-covered waters, concerning Arctic and/or Antarctic areas. These relate to maritime safety and prevention of marine pollution, as well as certification of seafarers on ships operating in polar areas.Navigation in polar waters was first addressed by the Guidelines for ships operating in Arctic ice-covered waters, MSC/Circ.1056-MEPC/Circ.399, approved by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its seventy-sixth session and the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at its forty-eighth session, both in 2002. These guidelines provide requirements additional to those of the SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions for navigation in Arctic waters, taking into account the specific climatic conditions in that area in order to meet appropriate standards of maritime safety and pollution prevention.The Guidelines aim at mitigating the additional risk imposed on shipping due to the harsh environmental and climatic conditions existing in polar waters. They address the fact that the polar environment imposes additional demands on ship systems, including navigation, communications, life-saving appliances, main and auxiliary machinery, environmental protection and damage control, and emphasize the need to ensure that all ship systems both are capable of functioning effectively under anticipated operating conditions and provide adequate levels of safety in accident and emergency situations. In addition, the Guidelines recognize that safe operation in such conditions requires specific attention to human factors, including training and operational procedures.ContentsForeword
Resolution A.1024(26) (adopted on 2 December 2009)
Preamble
Guide
GeneralConstruction provisions
Structures
Subdivision and stability
Accommodation and escape measures
Directional control systems
Anchoring and towing arrangements
Main machinery
Auxiliary machinery systems
Electrical installationsEquipment
Fire safety
Life-saving appliances and survival arrangements
Navigational equipmentOperational
Operational arrangements
Crewing
Emergency equipmentEnvironmental protection and damage control
Environmental protection and damage control