Simultaneously with a decreasing sea ice cover in the Arctic region an increase in ship traffic is experienced in these waters, meaning a higher probability of accidents and incidents to occur. The capability to handle emergency situations for shipowners, operators and rescuers in a cold climate environment are heavily affected by the risks present in polar waters and depends on limited emergency response resources covering extremely large areas. In 2017, the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (The Polar Code) was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), applicable for the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The goals of the functionally based regulation are to provide for safe ship operations and the protection of the polar environment, by addressing risks present in polar waters and to ensure these are mitigated sufficiently. A qualitative pilot study, with individual expert interviews, has been conducted in order to examine the Polar Code's implications for safe ship operations in the Arctic region. The study concludes that the discussions raised in the aftermath of the Polar Code has led to an increase in focus and a strengthen consciousness about hazards and risks associated with polar water ship operations and additional measures required to mitigate these. Further, the implementation of the Polar Code is considered as a milestone by establishing an international regulation, mandatory for polar water ship design and for voyage planning. However, the study points out that the main principle of the Polar Code is risk-based, meaning the performance of safe ship operations are depending on those subjects to the regulation, to conduct thorough operational risk assessments covering all actual hazards, and to ensure that those are mitigated sufficiently. In this regard, authority presence is found crucial, to validate the adequacy and the dimensioning of the implemented measures. Key words: Arctic ship operations; regulatory governance; emergency response; risk management.
One consequence of the declining ice cover in the Arctic is increased areas of open seas. These new open sea areas lead to some challenging aspects related to ship stability. Longer fetch lengths, associated with build-up of larger waves followed by increased conditions for sea spray icing on vessels is one aspect. Open seas in combination with cold atmospheric temperatures is a prerequisite for polar low pressures to occur. Polar lows may represent an additional aspect of increased icing on vessels by heavy snow in addition to extensive sea spray ice accretion. Over the last decades, different formulas for prediction of sea spray ice accretion rate on ships were developed to form basis for ice accretion warnings. Some of these formulas seem to have certain limitations and appear to be conservative. Important limitations of some formulas are considerations regarding heat flux, relationship between wind and waves, and ice accretion related to Polar lows. This paper will take a closer look at the accuracy and the realism of different ice accretion formulas and, related to this aspect, we will also discuss whether ship officer candidates receive sufficient maritime education and training (MET) related to realistic ice accretion and ship icing aspects.
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This paper offers a brief review of recent and ongoing Norwegian activities aimed at improving safety at sea, focusing primarily on waters under Norwegian administration. Our discussion of international activities is mostly limited to ongoing IMO Polar Code efforts and Arctic Council search and rescue topics.
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