The Load Lines Convention and Arctic Navigation

Aldo ChircopDalhousie University & Chair, International Working Group on Polar Shipping, Comité Maritime International (CMI) Contact: aldo.chircop@dal.ca

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.