Rapidly changing weatherconditions in combination with darkness, cold and poor visibility, makes high demands on the crew onboard. A thorough risk assessment and voyage planning in due time prior of the planned voyage along the Norwegian coast and Spitsbergen is therefore of high importance.
Reporting to the coastal authority via the portal Safe Seanet 24hours prior to arrival, where information about the vessel, destination, POB, type of cargo, arrival and departure data is given, is already mandatory for all vessels.
In order to put more focus on risk assessment, it should be evaluated if additional information should be asked from passenger vessels with intention to transit along the Norwegian coast and Spitsbergen.
Additional information:
- Navigators experience
- Transit in the actual waters
- Has the navigators received training in accordance with STCW related to operation in waters with ice, cold and darkness (Ref Polarcode and STCW)
- Has the crew training and experience from operation in the actual waters
- Routeplanning
- Are alternative routes and safety measures established in case of bad weather
- Are currents and wave conditions evaluated
- Has contingency plan for detection and transit in water with ice been established
- Has knowledge of other vessels operating in same area been established
- Has the possibility for parallell sailing with other vessels been evaluated
- Any aids available to ensure safe operation in waters with ice
- Polaris
- Ice chart (cryo.met, Canada, Russland)
- Has the availability and response time for external rescue resources been evaluated
- Communication
- Are plans for emergency communication made available
- Are relevant contact numbers verified and tested
- Evacuation/rescue
- Have the limitation of the vessels safety and rescue equipment been evaluated taken the area of operation into consideration
- Is the vessels contingency plan related to havari/evacuation relevant for the acual area of operation
- Technical standard
- Redundancy SRtP, RP
- Ice class
- Compliance with the polar code
- Ice removal/winterization