1. International Maritime Organization Polar Code
U.S. Coast Guard

2. Introduction
Polar Code provides added regulations for ships in Arctic & Antarctic waters as amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
Two parts – Safety and Environment
Safety Part – applies to cargo ships over 500 gross tons and passenger ships (more than 12 passengers) on international voyages in polar waters
Environment Part – applies to all ships in polar waters. Mandatory inspection & certification for larger ships (ships over 400 GT and tankers over 150 GT)
Risk based code to address various factors, more stringent standards are applied as level of risk increases for anticipated operations
Ice/Low Temperature
High Latitude
Remoteness from Response Resources
Limited Charting
Pristine Environment
Figure illustrating Arctic boundary
Antarctic Boundary = 60oS

3. Polar Code Applicability in Alaska

4. IMO Polar Code Part I: Safety
General Chapter
Polar Ship Certificate
Low Temperature Testing/ Certification for exposed equipment
Operational Limitations based on risk assessment:
Ice operations
Low temperatures
High latitudes
Polar Water
Operational Manual
May use SMS materials
Document Ship’s Capabilities & Limitations – based on risk assessment
Procedures for Normal Ops including voyage planning
Contingency Planning
Icebreaker Escort/Convey (as applicable)

5. IMO Polar Code Part I: Safety
Ship Structure & Stability
Category A – medium first year ice or greater
Category B – Thin first year ice to medium first year ice
Category C – less than 1/10 ice concentrations
Cat. A & B – IACS PC Rules
Cat. C – Flag State approval
Ice Accretion
Intact Stability Calculations
Category A & B
Ice Damage Calculations

6. IMO Polar Code Part I: Safety
Machinery &
Fire Protection
Lifesaving Chapter
Protection from:
ice accretion
ice ingestion,
snow accumulation
freezing of liquids
Exposed machinery foundations & propeller scantlings
IACS PC Rules
Escape Routes
Evacuation (Equipment)
Survival
Individual (Insulated Immersion Suits and/or Thermal Protective Aids)
Group Survival Kits
Personal Survival Kits

7. IMO Polar Code Part I: Safety
Navigation
Communications
Receiving & Displaying Ice Conditions
Protection of underwater sensors/transducers
High Latitude – two non-magnetic & one GNSS heading device
Ships – two-way communication equip w/ Rescue Coordination Centers
Rescue boats & Lifeboats –transmitting device & on-scene communications devices, including ship-shore
Other survival craft - transmitting device & on-scene communications device

8. IMO Polar Code Part I: Safety
Crew Training
Familiarization training
All crew members
Ice Navigation
Basic
Advanced*
STCW Certification
Competency tables to be developed at HTW 2 (FEB 2015)
* May use a person other than the crew to satisfy the advanced training requirement if the crew member being supplemented has basic training.

9. IMO Polar Code Part II: Environment
Requirements are in addition to MARPOL requirements (including MARPOL Antarctic Special Area requirements)
No discharge oil & oily mixtures
No discharge of noxious liquid substances (NLS)
New discharge restrictions (distance to ice considerations):
Sewage
Food waste
Cargo residues
Added tank protection for oil/oily mixtures and NLS tanks
Compliance with applicable structural/equipment requirements is noted on existing MARPOL certificates.

10. Implementation/Future Opportunities
Standard port state control &
U.S. inspection regimes
Local D17 Policies
Figure illustrating U.S. Coast Guard Enforcement Regime
Future Opportunities
Uniform ice strengthening standards
Develop consistent ice measurement standards for different ice class rules
Remoteness & High Latitude
Increased MDA and Communications
Rapidly Changing & Severe Weather
Sensors & Forecasting
Ice & Low Temperatures
Ice Management & Forecasting
Limited Charting
Hydrographic Surveys & Traffic Schemes
Environment & Indigenous Culture
Input to Arctic Council, Arctic Waterways Safety Committee, Port Access Route Study

11. PARS Proposed Route
Unimak Pass to Chukchi Sea, w/extension towards St Lawrence Is.
4 nm wide two-way vessel route
8 nm circular precautionary areas
Length (N-S) ~730nm; + Extra Leg (~86nm) = ~816nm
Closes Points of Approach:
Nunivak Is – 24.3nm
Northeast Cape of St. Lawrence Is – 28.2nm
Chibukak Pt of St. Lawrence Is. – 27.5 nm
King Is – 4.2nm
Cape Prince of Wales (Bering St) 5.2nm
Fairway Rock (Bering St) – 5.8nm
Little Diomede (Bering St) – 9.7nm

12. AIS Heat Signature of Vessel Traffic
The greatest concentration of traffic is within 150 miles of shore after the Bering Strait.
The majority of traffic entering the hub communities of Nome, Kotzebue, and Barrow are tug and barges delivering commodities. - The first high capacity cruise ship will transit the Northwest Passage this summer.
Length (N-S) ~730nm; + Extra Leg (~86nm) = ~816nm
Closes Points of Approach:
Nunivak Is – 24.3nm
Northeast Cape of St. Lawrence Is – 28.2nm
Chibukak Pt of St. Lawrence Is. – 27.5 nm
King Is – 4.2nm
Cape Prince of Wales (Bering St) 5.2nm
Fairway Rock (Bering St) – 5.8nm
Little Diomede (Bering St) – 9.7nm