Confirm corporate operational profile

Establish an operational envelope

  • Lowest Mean Daily Low Temp. (LMDLT)
  • Escort / Independent
  • High latitude
  • Expected ice conditions
  • Search and Rescue (SAR) support infrastructure

The operating envelope is intended to capture the expected in-service environmental and operational data. It is not required by the Code but is a useful concept for establishing operational limitations

Define operational and rescue limitations

  • Ice class
  • Ship Category
  • Polar Service Temperature (PST)
  • Latitude
  • Estimated Time to Rescue (ETR)

The limitations, or design parameters, for the ship can be defined based on the operational envelope. Various tools can be used for translating the environmental data into design parameters. For example, POLARIS can be used for converting the expected ice conditions into a required ice class.

Anticipate the limitations for the Polar Ship Certificate

Based on the defined limitations, the content of the Polar Ship Certificatelimitations can be anticipated.

Do the limitations and operating envelope align?

The shipowner or operator should check that the anticipated limitations align with the expected operations.

Revise the operating envelope

If the anticipated limitations appear too restrictive for the expected operations, the operating envelope should be revised or the operational profile revisited.

Define Outline Specification Content

  • Ice class
  • Ship category
  • Polar Service Temperature (PST)
  • Latitude
  • Estimated Time to Rescue (ETR)
  • Winterisation functional specification
  • Survival resources or abandonment requirements

The outline specification collates the main design parameters identified by the shipowner or operator based on the operating envelope and the anticipated limitations.

Outline Polar Code specification requirements

The outline Polar Code specification requirements should be sufficient for the majority of main pricing issues to be identified. However, until the operational assessment is undertaken there is a risk that additional equipment may be required.

Pre shipbuilding contract
Pre or post shipbuilding contract
Post shipbuilding contract

Operational assessment

The operational assessment defines the shipowner or operator's complete approach to Polar Code compliance for the expected operations. If the outline specification requirements are well defined, the operational assessment becomes more simple – and in the majority of cases becomes a formal validation of decisions on anticipated equipment and operations made earlier.

List of operational procedures

The operational assessment should output a list of procedures identified as means of meeting Polar Code requirements and addressing the risk of polar hazards.

Assessment report

The operational assessment should output a report to describe the process undertaken and the decisions made by the shipowner or operator in terms of mitigating polar hazards through equipment, procedures or both. Although the operational assessment is not approved, the output of the assessment is reviewed to ensure that Polar Code hazards have been addressed through operational procedures and/or equipment.

List of winterisation equipment

The operational assessment should output a list of equipment identified as means of meeting Polar Code requirements and addressing the risk of polar hazards. This may be a validation that earlier equipment anticipated is sufficient.

Operational assessment review

The operational assessment defines the shipowner or operator's complete approach to Polar Code compliance for the expected operations. If the outline specification requirements are well defined, the operational assessment becomes more simple – and in the majority of cases becomes a formal validation of decisions on anticipated equipment and operations made earlier.

Final Polar Code specification

The list of winterisation equipment should be incorporated into the final shipbuilding specification.

Ship design development

The shipyard or designer will take the final specification of winterisation equipment and systems and incorporate them into the ship design.

Update SMS

The operator should incorporate any updates or additional procedures according to their safety management system (SMS).

System drawings etc...

In addition to the winterisation plan, detailed plans and drawings will be produced that incorporate the winterisation requirements. These drawings will be reviewed as part of the Polar Code compliance assessment.

PWOM

The polar waters operating manual (PWOM) should be developed to include all operational procedures identified from the operational assessment in addition to procedures explicitly required in Chapter 2 of the Polar Code. Although the PWOM is not an approved document, the content will be reviewed as part of the compliance assessment to ensure that it aligns with the list of operational procedures generated by the operational assessment.

Winterisation plan

For ships intended to operate in low air temperature, a winterisation plan is recommended as a means of capturing all winterisation requirements in one overall system drawing. The final winterisation plan may be included in the Polar waters operating manual (PWOM) as supporting information.

Polar Code compliance assessment

A Polar Code compliance assessment is the means by which the flag or the RO reviews the output of the operational assessment and how the outputs have been implemented in the ship's design and the operational procedures.

Reassessment required?

If the compliance assessment identifies inconsistencies in the operational assessment approach or gaps between the hazards identified and the means of mitigating the hazards, the operational assessment may be required to be re-run, either in part or totally.

Appraisal document

An appraisal document is generated to indicate any comments or revisions necessary following the compliance assessment. The appraisal document will indicate the limitations that will be included on the Polar Ship Certificate. The appraisal document will also identify the scope of the onboard confirmation survey required.

System and drawing updates required?

Where the compliance assessment identifies inconsistencies or missing information in the submitted documentation, the documentation may need to be updated.

Appraisal document

An appraisal document is generated to indicate any comments or revisions necessary following the compliance assessment. The appraisal document will indicate the limitations that will be included on the Polar Ship Certificate. The appraisal document will also identify the scope of the onboard confirmation survey required.

Onboard confirmation survey

An onboard survey is undertaken to confirm the systems and equipment identified from the compliance assessment are present and that the polar water operating manual (PWOM) is onboard.

Polar Ship Certificate

Following successful completion of the survey, the Polar Ship Certificate is issued.

Record of Equipment

Following successful completion of the survey, the Record of Equipment is issued.

PWOM

The PWOM is required to be on board and should be maintained in line with the shipowner or operator's safety management system.

Polar code compliant ship