4.1 Marine Safety and Pollution Prevention
The Arctic Shipping Pollution Prevention Regulations ( ASPPR ) are administered by Transport Canada. No ship may enter a Shipping Safety Control Zone unless it is in compliance with all applicable requirements of ASPPR . Figure 1 (page 29) shows the extent of the zones in which the regulations apply. Table 1 (page 30) gives the Classification Society equivalent notations to the ASPPR ship types. Earliest entry and latest exit dates are established for each zone depending on the class or type of the particular vessel. These dates are given in Table 2 (page 31). The regulations specifically prohibit the deposit in Arctic waters of any kind of waste - defined broadly as anything that will degrade the Arctic marine environment. There are no facilities for the disposal of oily slops in the Arctic, and sites for garbage disposal are infrequent. Slops and other garbage should be retained on board for final disposal at an appropriately equipped port.
Vessels may be inspected for compliance with ASPPR outside of Canada by an exclusive surveyor of one of the approved Classification Societies shown in Table 1. Within Canada, this function must be performed by a Pollution Prevention Officer ( PPO ) and is available from any Transport Canada Marine Safety Office in Canada. Evidence of the successful inspection may be provided in the form of an Arctic Pollution Prevention Certificate.
Generally, foreign flag vessels will have been approved by their Classification Society and an Arctic Pollution Prevention Certificate issued before entering the Arctic Zones. If a Port State Control ( PSC ) inspection has not been carried out within six months of arriving in Canada, or if significant defects have been reported, a PSC inspection may have to be arranged at the vessel’s first Canadian port of call.
All Marine Safety Inspectors are also designated Pollution Prevention Officers as are the Commanding Officers and Chief Engineers of Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers. In the event of an oil or other type of spill they are empowered to conduct an on site investigation.
The ASPPR is a wide reaching document and cruise operators should be conversant with its content. Certain requirements of ASPPR are discussed below.
The operator must first establish that the ship complies with all applicable regulations. In order that Transport Canada may verify compliance, the following information is required for each ship and should be forwarded to the Manager, TCC Edmonton, Transport Canada, Prairie and Northern Region – Marine (2):
- Name of ship;
- Number and Call Sign;
- Port of Registry;
- Flag;
- Dimensions (length, breadth, and depth); gross and net tonnage; maximum draft forward and aft;
- Classification Society;
- Number of propeller shafts and the total power in kW ;
- Ice Classification (assigned by the Classification Society);
- Proposed itinerary including points of embarkation and disembarkation of passengers and dates;
- Number of passengers and crew;
- Owner;
- Agent and/or cruise organizer (name, address, telephone and facsimile numbers, e-mail, etc. )
In addition, copies of the following certificates and documents should also be provided:
- International Tonnage Certificate;
- Passenger Ship Safety Certificate;
- Exemption Certificates (if issued);
- International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate;
- International Load Line Certificate;
- Minimum Safe Manning Document;
- International Ship Security Certificate;
- Document of Compliance and Safety Management Certificate ( ISM Code );
- Most recent report of Port State Control inspection;
- Certificate of Indemnity/Insurance against pollution clean-up;
- Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Certificate;
- Ice navigator qualifications, if required (see section 4.6).
The vessel will have to be cleared for proper Zone and Arctic Type approval. Transport Canada, Prairie and Northern Region - Marine (1) administers the regulations under which this process is carried out. If the operator wishes to have a vessel certificated as equivalent to an Arctic Class or a Canadian Arctic Category rather than a Type ship (as defined in the regulations), all relevant information and specifications should be submitted to the Transport Canada Marine Safety Office in Winnipeg (1) at least 6 months in advance.
4.2 Security
Transport Canada is the lead federal department responsible for the security of the Canadian marine transportation system. The department works in collaboration with several other departments and agencies which play a significant role:
- Department of National Defence
- Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
- Canada Border Services Agency
- Canadian Security Intelligence Service
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Canadian Coast Guard
The Government of Canada has recently enacted new regulations governing marine security that apply to passenger ships operating in Canadian Arctic waters. The Marine Transportation Security Regulations ( MTSR ) apply to all ships, whether Canadian or foreign registered, SOLAS or non- SOLAS . Different sections of the regulations apply to different vessels.
The Canadian regulations are based on the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code ( ISPS ), which provides a framework through which ships and port facilities can cooperate to detect and deter acts which pose a threat to maritime security. A copy of the code can be found on the International Maritime Organization website at www.imo.org.
There are some differences between the ISPS Code and the MTSR . For example, the Canadian regulations include special provisions for cruise ships having capacity for 100 or more passengers. The additional regulations specifically prohibit the carriage of weapons, explosives or incendiaries on board a cruise ship, and all passengers and crew must be screened by the ship operator to ensure compliance. Exemptions may be granted for firearms intended for use in protecting passengers against polar bear attacks during shore excursions, by contacting the appropriate RCMP office in writing (see Section 11.4 for further information).
The MTSR include a requirement for all ships to report certain detailed information to a Canadian Marine Communications and Traffic Services ( MCTS ) Centre at least 96 hours prior to arriving in Canadian waters (see Section 5.2 below). The ship must be in possession of a valid Canadian or International Ship Security Certificate ( ISSC ), and the certificate number must be provided at that time.
Transport Canada may conduct a formal security inspection on arrival at a Canadian port. There is currently no cost to the operator for such inspections.
At the present time there are only two port facilities in Canadian Arctic waters that are ISPS compliant (Tuktoyaktuk and Churchill). However, they are not specifically designed for cruise ships. During the course of a cruise in Arctic waters, at these ports and wherever passengers are tendered ashore using ship’s boats, it is the responsibility of the ship operator to ensure appropriate security screening of passengers and crew.
It is the responsibility of the cruise operator and/or ship owner/manager to arrange proper security measures for the vessel. Operators should contact Transport Canada Security in Ottawa (3) with details of their planned activities for further information on specific requirements.
4.3 Fuel and Water
The ASPPR requires all vessels operating in the Zones to have sufficient fuel and water on board to complete their intended voyages and to leave all Zones. A vessel’s capability of making its own fresh water will be taken into account in this regard. There are no refuelling or watering facilities in the Arctic unless the cruise operator makes special arrangements during the planning phase. Transport Canada will require an estimate of fuel consumption anticipated for the full voyage and NORDREG will need to be informed of the volume of fuel on board prior to the vessel entering the first Zone.
4.4 Searchlights
It is recommended that ships be equipped with powerful Zenon searchlights positioned above the bridge and operated from the bridge. Although most Arctic cruising takes place when ice conditions are lightest, and there is little or no darkness, there is always considerable risk involved when ice is encountered in twilight or darkness. When this happens, searchlights can be useful in extricating a vessel from an area of risk and moving to a safer position.
Night navigation in ice concentrations is not recommended. It is usually safer to stop the vessel in the ice and await first light.
4.5 Navigational Appliances
The requirements for vessels navigating north of 60° North latitude are contained in the Navigating Appliances and Equipment Regulations. In brief the following are required:
- 2 radars;
- 2 Gyro compasses;
- 2 echo sounders, each with an independent transducer.
4.6 Ship Itinerary and Zone/Dates
The ship’s itinerary is to be compared to the Shipping Safety Control Zone/Date grid (Table 2) to determine compliance and whether the Arctic Ice Regime Shipping System ( AIRSS ) needs to be invoked. Should AIRSS be invoked, there are several implications including the carriage of a qualified Ice Navigator.
Very few cruise vessels have a higher classification than ASPPR Type “A.” These Type ships are ice-strengthened vessels, not icebreakers. Depending on their classification, Type ships may be able to navigate safely in certain concentrations and thickness of broken pack ice. Operators should refer to the publication “Ice Navigation in Canadian Waters” for more information (see Section 12.4). It should be noted, however, that these guidelines are only a generalization and no guarantee can be made of voyage success regardless of the ice conditions extant or of vessel ice classification.
4.7 Ice Navigator
An Ice Navigator is required to be on board ships navigating in Canadian Arctic waters in the circumstances noted in the following extract from the Arctic Shipping Pollution Prevention Regulations:
“26. (2) No ship [ . ] shall navigate in any zone set out in the heading to each of Columns II to XVII of [Table 2]
(a) where the words “No Entry” are shown in that column of item 14, and
(b) where a period of time is shown in that Column of item 14, except during that period of time without the aid of an ice navigator who is qualified in accordance with subsection (3).
(3) The ice navigator on a ship shall
(a) be qualified to act as master or person in charge of the deck watch in accordance with regulations made pursuant to the Canada Shipping Act; and
(b) have served on a ship in the capacity of master, or person in charge of the deck watch for a total period of at least 50 days, of which 30 days must have been served in Arctic waters while the ship was in ice conditions that required the ship to be assisted by an icebreaker or to make manoeuvres to avoid concentrations of ice that might have endangered the ship.
(4) Despite subsection [.] (2), a [.] ship referred to in [ that subsection ] may navigate in a zone without the aid of an ice navigator during any part of the transit in open water.
(5) For the purposes of subsection (4), “open water” has the meaning assigned to that term in the Arctic Ice Regime Shipping System (
AIRSS
TP
, published by Marine Safety, Transport Canada, in June 1996, as amended from time to time.”
If a vessel invokes the Arctic Ice Regime Shipping system in order to navigate in a zone outside the zone/date limits, in accordance with subsection 2(b) above, an Ice Navigator will have to be on board.
There are many Ice Navigators in Canada with years of experience in ice navigation. Whether legally required or not, it would be prudent for a cruise operator to engage one of these experts, many of whom are Master Mariners, to assist the cruise vessel’s master, particularly with shore communications and arranging icebreaker escorts.
4.8 Ballast Water Exchange
As part of its ongoing attempts to keep foreign species out of Canada’s marine ecosystem, the Canadian government has established voluntary ballast water exchange guidelines. Ballast water exchange should preferably be effected in mid-ocean as far from land as possible in water depths greater than 2 km . However, when this is not possible, alternative sites have been designated for the Arctic waters of Canada as follows:
- For vessels proceeding to Hudson Bay ports - in Hudson Strait in depths exceeding 300 metres restricted to the areas southeast of 70° west longitude.
- For vessels proceeding to Higher Arctic ports – in Lancaster Sound in depths exceeding 300 metres restricted to the area southeast of 80° west longitude.