Paris MoU Inspection Campaign on Polar Code

OverviewParis Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU) announced the launch of an inspection campaign to verify compliance with the requirements of Polar Code. The inspection campaign will be held from Monday 13 June to Friday 1 July 2022 (first period) and from Monday 1 August to Friday 19 August 2022 (second period). This inspection campaign is additional to the regular Concentrated Inspection Campaign and is being held in a different time of the year due to the seasonal voyage plans of ships sailing to the Polar area. Aim of FICThe purpose of the Inspection Campaign is

• to determine the level of compliance with the requirements of the Polar Code within the shipping industry;
• to create awareness amongst ship crews and ship owners with regard to the importance of compliance with the provisions of the Polar Code, the  increased risk to ships operating in polar waters and the protection of the vulnerable polar environment;
• to send a signal to the industry that safety- and pollution prevention related requirements are mandatory and enforcement with the applicable requirements is high on the agenda of the PMoU member Authorities;
• to underline the responsibility of the Port State Control regime with regard to harmonised enforcement of compliance with the requirements of the Polar Code, thus improving the level of compliance and ensuring a level playing field.

 QuestionnaireParis MoU PSCOs will be using a checklist (Appendix A) when inspecting ships as part of the inspection campaign. Actions requiredManagers and Masters of ships certified for Polar navigation should be well prepared to address related Inspection’s items.

Appendix A: Inspection Questionnaire

Appendix B: Best Practice Guidance on Inspection Campaign Questionnaire

1. Is the ships’ Polar Ship Certificate valid? (Part I-A, Regulation 1.3)
Ship’s Polar Certificate, should be ready and available on board.

2. Is the Polar Water Operational Manual (PWOM) readily available on board? (Part I-A, Regulation 2.1)
A ship specific Polar Waters Operation Manual, based on an effective Polar Operational Assessment, should be available on board. PWOM should include as minimum the items of Polar Code Part I CHAPTER 2 – POLAR WATER OPERATIONAL MANUAL (PWOM & Part I-B- 3-3.1 Recommendation on the content of the Polar Water Operational Manual). PWOM should be reviewed and approved by ship’s Classification Society for compliance with the Polar Code requirements.

3. Can exposed sections of the fire main be isolated and are the sections provided with means for draining of the sections? (Part I-A, Regulation 7.3)
This is a structural item. Fire main should be always available to provide water to hoses on board. Appropriate drainage practice should be implemented in order to avoid water freezing during low temperatures.

4. Are there means of receiving and displaying current information on ice conditions on board? (Part A-1, regulation 9.3)
Ship’s means of receiving weather and ice information should be available on board. Satellite communication may provide additional value to ice predictions. Applicable stations that provide ice information along with area search and rescue centers should be included in the Polar contingency plan and be posted on the bridge for easy reference. OOWs should be trained to use the appropriate means for weather and ice prediction.

5. Are there measures on board to prevent ice accretion? (Part I-A, Regulation 4.3)
Ship should be equipped with means to remove ice accretion from exposed decks. Tools like electrical and pneumatic devices, and/or special tools such as shovels, axes or wooden clubs for removing ice from bulwarks, rails and erections. Steam lances may also be used if available on board. All such equipment should be listed in the PWOM and crew should be familiar with the use.

Additionally, for stability calculations the following icing allowance is to be considered:

• 30 kg/m2 on exposed weather decks and gangways;
• 7.5 kg/m2 for the projected lateral area of each side of the ship above the water plane; and
• the projected lateral area of discontinuous surfaces of rail, sundry booms, spars (except masts) and rigging of ships having no sails and the projected lateral area of other small objects shall be computed by increasing the total projected area of continuous surfaces by 5% and the static moments of this area by 10%.

6. Does the vessel carry proper lifesaving equipment onboard? (Part 1-A regulation 8.2.3.1)
LSA listed in the safety equipment certificate should be available on board. Special consideration should be given to the anticipated weather conditions (cold and wind), and the potential for immersion in polar water, where applicable, so additional thermal protection should be provided for crew on board. Having reviewed the results of the Polar Assessment and the identified abandoning methods (Sea/Land/Ice) , additional survival equipment should be provided on board (eg Personal survival kits or Group Survival kits). Crew should be familiar with such equipment which should be listed in PWOM along with operating procedures for use.7. Do master, Chief mate and other officers in charge of a navigational watch, have the required certificates in accordance with STCW, chapter V and the Polar Code for the polar waters the ship is certified to operate in? (Part II-A, Chapter 5, Regulation 5.2)
As identified in the Polar Assessment and addressed in PWOM, the area of intended voyages and the prevailing ice conditions require Masters and OOW to have specific certification for Bridge Watch Duties. STCW requirements are included in STCW Section B-V/g Guidance regarding training of masters and officers for ships operating in polar waters of amended edition. The requirements are separated between the vessels types and the local conditions they sail in. Depending on the ship type and on the area a ship is sailing, there are different requirement per rank. In particular, three areas are defined regarding Ice:

• Ice free conditions (not any kind of ice is present),
• Open waters (defined as navigable water in which sea ice is less than 1/10 of total area)
• Other waters (waters others than ice free or open waters)

The Vessels types defined are:

1. Tanker vessels
2. Passenger Vessels
3. Other Vessels

The matrix below indicates the requirements of each case:

 8. Is the ship’s crew responsible for garbage management well aware of the additional requirements in the Polar Code that shall be met to prevent pollution by garbage from ships as additional requirements to MARPOL annex V, regulation 4? (Part II-A, Chapter 5, Regulation 5.2)
An effective Garbage Management Plan (with appropriate record keeping) should be implemented on board. Additional items should be considered during polar voyages (eg distance from land/ice etc). An additional chapter should be included in Garbage Management Plan in order to address the additional requirements of Garbage Handling. Additional familiarization sessions are required to train crew to the additional requirements. Laminated posters may be used for notification in Garbage handling areas (as included in Garbage Management Plan), bridge   and officers’ and crew  mess.9. Is the ship’s crew responsible for sewage discharge, well aware of the requirements if discharge of sewage in Polar waters should be considered? (Part II-A, Chapter 4, regulation 4.2)

Special consideration should be given to the discharge of sewage in Polar applicable waters. Additional chapter should be issued to comply with Codes specific section consideration. Additional familiarization sessions are required to train crew to the additional requirements. Laminated posters may be used for notification for proper Sewage Management and be posted in E/R, Bridge and officers’ and crew  mess. 

Appendix C

 Deficiency Codes Related to Inspection Campaign