The Load Lines Convention and Arctic Navigation
Aldo ChircopDalhousie University & Chair, International Working Group on Polar Shipping, Comité Maritime International (CMI) Contact: [email protected]
Outline1. Introducing IMO polar shipping regulation2. Purpose of load lines3. LLC Convention4. Rationale for discussing polar load lines5. Particular issues6. Conclusion
Iridium mobile satellite system
included in Global Maritime Distress and Safety System,
2013.
STCW Amendments (training for
Arctic seafarers), 2010, 2016/2018.
Intact Stability Code (icing
allowances in loading), 2008.
SOLAS updates: data in
meteorological services and
warnings, Ice Patrol Service, danger messages for ice
conditions.
Guidelines on Voyage Planning for Passenger Ships in
Remote Areas, 2008.
Guide for Cold Water Survival,
2006.
New NAVAREAS and METAREAS, expansion of the
World-Wide Navigational
Warning System (WWNWS),
2010.
Mandatory ship reporting system
for vessels of 5000+ tons for
the Barents Area, 2012.
International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied
Gases in Bulk (IGC Code)(carriage of cargo at low
temperature), 2014.
Mandatory Polar Code (new Chapter
14 of SOLAS; amendments to
MARPOL Annexes 1,2, 4, 5), 2014/2017.
2. Purpose of load lines• Goal:▫ Safeguarding of life and property
at sea.• Means:▫ Standards for safe loading: cargo,
ballast, fuel, etc.▫ To ensure freeboard and stability.▫ Marine and fresh waters load
lines.▫ Designated marine zones and
seasons (including temperature and salinity).
Source: Marine-Knowledge.Com
3. International Convention on Load Lines (LLC), 1966 & Protocol, 1988• Purpose:▫ Uniform principles and rules for loading▫ For ships on international voyages
• Scope:▫ Load lines, structure, openings, guard rails and
means for safe passage for crew protection, stowage, etc.
▫ International Load Line Certificate.• Coordination:▫ Functions in association with SOLAS regulations
and Intact Stability Code, 2008.
Reg Zone Seasons46 (1) North Atlantic Winter
Seasonal Zone I WINTER: 16 October to 15 April
SUMMER: 16 April to 15 October
46 (1) North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II
WINTER: 1 November to 31 March
SUMMER: 1 April to 31 October
46 (2) North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Area
WINTER: 16 December to 15 February
SUMMER: 16 February to 15 December
46 (3) North Pacific Winter Seasonal Zone
WINTER: 6 October to 15 April
SUMMER: 16 April to 15 October
47 Southern Winter Seasonal Zone
WINTER: 16 April to 15 October
SUMMER: 16 October to 15 April
Annex II
4. Rationale for polar load lines• LLC dedicated load lines are required for other
trading regions.• LLC provides load line requirements for:▫ Waters adjacent to Greenland in the Arctic (North
Atlantic Winter Zone II.▫ North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II for North
Atlantic waters and extending north.▫ North Pacific Winter Seasonal Zone for the North
Pacific/Bering Sea and extending north.• Polar Code and IACS’ Unified Requirements on
Polar Class do not address load lines.
Some recent polar science findings …• Rabe et al. (2013):▫ In the 1992-2012 period there has been an increase of 30%
of liquid freshwater reservoir in the Arctic, larger than the average annual export of liquid and solid freshwater.
• De Steur et al. (2013):▫ “Hydrographic data from the Arctic Ocean show that fresh
water content in the Lincoln Sea, north of Greenland, increased significantly from 2007 to 2010, slightly lagging changes in the eastern and central Arctic,” producing an anomaly in terms of decrease in upper water salinity.
• Question: ▫ What is the significance of declining salinity for maritime
safety, if any?
5. Particular questions • “Zones” and “Seasons”:▫ Should the Arctic Ocean be
designated as one zone or a series of zones?
▫ Should it have one or two seasons and with what operational dates?
▫ How should variable salinity be accounted for in the rule of submersion?
▫ How should load line requirements be addressed in a voyage which involves different zones ?
Questions continued• “International voyages”: ▫ An issue for the Southern Ocean?▫ Are internal waters covered?
• “Submersion”:▫ Distinction to be maintained between seawater and
fresh water: evolving scientific understanding• “Freeboard”:▫ Should national administrations require a greater
freeboard than the LLC minimum?• “Special rules” (Art. 25):▫ Possibility of a regional standard, to be communicated
through the IMO: advantages & disadvantages …
LLC issue
• LLC does not factor additional risks encountered when navigating polar environments, such as the extreme cold temperatures, navigating through ice fields and including icebreaking for higher polar class vessels. ▫ Effect: further stress on the hull, in addition to the
nature, stowage, and lashing of cargo and ballast segregation. It would be appropriate to contextualize loads with reference to the voyage and type of the vessel.
Coordination with Polar Code?
• Should the load line zones for the Arctic and Southern Ocean be aligned with the geographical limits of the Polar Code?
6. Conclusion
• Maritime regulatory history has been frequently reactive rather than anticipatory.
• Polar shipping regulation is still at an incipient stage: iterative and adaptive (learning by doing).
• IMO polar shipping regulation is raising standards of “polarworthiness”: load lines ought to be considered an integral part of polarworthiness.