The Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai (DGS) on February 13, 2024, issued a notification regarding Polar Code requirements for ships entering Arctic or Antarctic waters, under the provisions of Chapter XIV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.
The following has been stated: -
•The purpose of this Notice is to provide the requirements for ships entering Arctic or Antarctic waters, under the provisions of Chapter XIV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended- Safety Measures for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (SOLAS Chapter XIV), which was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) by Resolution MSC.386(94) on November 21, 2014.
•This Notice applies to all Indian Ships including ships below non-convention size that intend to proceed to Polar Water areas.
•Structure of Polar Code
1.In accordance with Regulation 1.4 of SOLAS Chapter XIV, Polar Waters are defined as “Arctic waters and/or the Antarctic area”.
2. Regulation 1.3 defines Arctic waters as “…those waters which are located north of a line from the latitude 58o00’.0 N and longitude 042o00’.0 W to latitude 64o37’.0 N, longitude 035o27’.0 W and thence by a rhumb line to latitude 67o03’.9 N, longitude 026o 33’.4 W and thence by a rhumb line to the latitude 70o49’.56 N and longitude 008 o 59’.61 W
3. The Polar Code consists of Part A (mandatory requirements) and Part B (guidance). Part I-A addresses safety-related measures and Part II-A outlines pollution prevention requirements.
4. Non-mandatory Part I-B and Part II-B provide guidance on the implementation of the requirements listed in Parts I-A and II-A respectively, and should be taken into consideration when preparing a Polar Waters Operation Manual (PWOM).
•Operations in Polar Waters
1. The pattern of summer navigation through the northern sea such as the Russian Northern Sea Route, North-West Passage in Canada, around the southern tip of Iceland, in Hudson Bay, and around Alaska was traditionally considered as not imposing any specific demands on non-ice-strengthened ships, beyond those already addressed by the existing Conventions.
2. The Polar Code requires ships operating in Polar Waters to be assessed for operational limitations, hold a PWOM, and then be surveyed and issued with a Polar Ship Certificate. Indian Ships should have a PWOM approved by any RO authorised by the Indian Administration.
•The scope of application of the Polar Code requirements is dependent on the design features of the ship. For the application of Polar Code requirements, ships are subdivided into three categories which are discussed in the document below.
•The essential requirements of the Polar Code can be summarised into a non-exhaustive list as follows:
i.All ships operating in Polar Waters are to be certificated in accordance with paragraph 1.3 of Part 1-A of the Polar Code. The Polar Ship Certificate shall be issued after a successful initial or renewal survey to verify compliance with the applicable Polar Code requirements and shall be harmonised with the ship’s other SOLAS certificates.
ii. All ships operating in Polar Waters shall carry a PWOM. The PWOM shall include risk assessments, main procedures, and operational measures devised for Polar Water operations as addressed in Chapter 2 of the Polar Code.
iii. All ships operating in Polar Waters shall be manned by an adequately trained crew.
iv. Provisions for additional LSA and “winterisation” of existing safety equipment on board.
The detailed notification is given in the document attached below.
[Merchant Shipping Notice No. 07 of 2024]
