This document is an overview of the methodology to be used to assess vessel operations capabilities and limitations in ice when navigating in the in circumstances described in section 8(2) of the Arctic Shipping Safety and Pollution Prevention Regulations (ASSPPR), along with the message that is to be sent, as required by section 9 of the ASSPPR.
On this page
- Definitions
- Ice numeral calculation
- Ice multipliers
- Table 1 – Ice multipliers
- Ice regime routing message
- Table 2 – Ice regime routing message template
Definitions
Canadian Arctic Class (CAC) – a class attributed to a vessel by the Minister stating the vessel is in accordance with the applicable standards of TP 12260 Equivalent Standards for the Construction of Arctic Class Ships.
POLARIS – means the Polar Operational Limit Assessment Risk Indexing System, as set out in the Appendix to the IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1519.
Shipping Safety Control Zone – has the same meaning as in the Shipping Safety Control Zones Order.
Type – in relation to a vessel, is a type set out in column 1 of Schedule 2 of the ASSPPR corresponding to the classifications given by the organization set out in the heading to any of Columns 2 to 13 of the Schedule, as complying with the construction standards required by the organization.
Ice regime – means a description of an area with a relatively consistent distribution of any mix of ice types, including open water.
New Ice, Nilas, Brash Ice, Multi-Year Ice, Second-Year Ice, Thick First-Year Ice, or Medium First-Year Ice – has the same meaning as defined in the World Meteorological Organization sea-ice nomenclature, WMO No.259.
Open Water – for the purpose of this standard includes Bergy Water and any concentration of New Ice, Nilas, or loose Brash Ice.
Ridge, Rubble, or Hummocking – has the same meaning as defined in the World Meteorological Organization sea-ice nomenclature, WMO No.259.
Thaw Holes, Rotten Ice – has the same meaning as defined in the World Meteorological Organization sea-ice nomenclature, WMO No.259.
POLARIS
Section 8(2) of the ASSPPR also permits the use of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Polar Operational Limit Assessment Risk Indexing System (POLARIS), as set out in the Appendix to IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1519. When using POLARIS, the Master of the vessel is also required by section 9 of the ASSPPR to send a message to the Minister before entering a Shipping Safety Control Zone. The message format is the same one as required under AIRSS and is described in Table 2.
Ice numeral calculation
The Ice Numeral (IN) is used to assess the risk posed by operation in a given ice regime, and is determined as follows:
IN = (C1 x IM1) + (C2 x IM2) + (C3 x IM3) +… (Cn x IMn)
Where:
- IN = Ice Numeral
- C1...Cn are the concentrations (in tenths) of ice types within the ice regime; and
- IM1...IMn are the corresponding Ice Multipliers for each ice type
Ice multipliers
General
For the purpose of this standard, ice types and definitions conform to the World Meteorological Organization nomenclature with the exception of Open Water. The values of Ice Multiplier (IM) to be used in the calculation of the ice numeral for an ice regime are determined from Table 1, based on the vessel ice class or type as well as the ice types found in the ice regime. CAC 1 and 2 vessels are permitted near complete unrestricted navigation under section 8(1) of the ASSPPR and therefore have not been assigned IMs in this standard.
Table 1 – Ice multipliers
| Ship Category | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Water | Grey Ice | Grey White Ice | Thin First Year 1st Stage | Thin First Year 2nd Stage | Medium First Year | Thick First Year | Second Year | Multi-Year | ||
| Ice Type SymbolFootnote 1 | OW | G | GW | FY | FY | MFY | TFY | SY | MY | |
| Egg Code | 1 or 2 | 4 | 3 or 5 | 8 | 7 or 9 | 1● | 6 or 4● | 8● | 7● or 9● | |
| CAC 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -1 | |
| CAC 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -2 | -3 | |
| Type A | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -1 | -3 | -4 | |
| Type B | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | -2 | -4 | -4 | |
| Type C | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -1 | -2 | -3 | -4 | -4 | |
| Type D | 2 | 2 | 1 | -1 | -1 | -2 | -3 | -4 | -4 | |
| Type E | 2 | 1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -2 | -3 | -4 | -4 |
Decayed ice
If ice of types Multi-Year, Second-Year, Thick First-Year, or Medium First-Year has formed Thaw Holes or is Rotten Ice, the corresponding IM may be increased by a value of 1.
Ridged ice
If the total ice concentration in a regime is 6/10 (six tenths) or greater, and 3/10 (three tenths) or more is of an ice type (other than Brash Ice) that is deformed by Ridges, Rubbles or Hummocking, the IM must be decreased by a value of 1.
Traces of ice
A trace (less than 1/10 concentration) of ice, which may be reported in the forecast or indicated on the left side (outside) of an egg code, is not required to be accounted for in the calculation of the Ice Numeral for an ice regime. However, if a trace of old ice is encountered within a regime, extra caution should be exercised when navigating due to the risk that this form of ice creates.
For information about the Egg Code format, refer to the Manual of Standard Procedures for Observing and Reporting Ice Conditions (MANICE) published by the Canadian Ice Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Escorted vessels
If the track of the escort vessel is wider than the beam of the escorted vessel, the IN shall be calculated based on the thickness, concentration and floe size of ice in the track immediately ahead of the escorted vessel. Concentrations of ice floes less than 2 metres in diameter can be considered "Brash Ice" with an IM of +2.
If the track of the icebreaker is narrower than the beam of the escorted vessel, the ice on either side of the track to the beam of the escorted vessel must be included in the assessment of the track.
Tug and barge operations
When a tug and tow combination enter an ice regime, the set of IMs selected from Table 1 must correspond to the lightest ice class of the tug and towed vessels.
Ice regime routing message
Every message required by paragraph 9(1) of the ASSPPR must contain all designators listed in Table 2. The update message required by paragraph 9(2) of the ASSPPR must include designators A to K. Every message must be addressed to TRANSPORT CANADA and be provided to one of the Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centres that is designated by the Canadian Coast Guard to receive NORDREG reports. The intended route describe by designator G of Table 2 may include more than one Shipping Safety Control Zone.
Table 2 – Ice regime routing message template
| Item | Designator | Subject | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Vessel | The vessel’s name and the name of the state whose flag the vessel is entitled to fly. |
| 2 | B | Call Sign and IMO Number | The vessel’s call sign and International Maritime Organization (IMO) ship identification number. |
| 3 | C | Vessel Ice Class | The Ice Class that corresponds to the Ice Class indicated on the Polar Ship Certificate. For vessels with no Polar Ship Certificate, the Ice Class indicated on the vessel Classification Society Certificate. |
| 4 | D | Date & UTC Time | A 6-digit group followed by a Z, the first 2 digits giving the day of the month, the next two digits giving the hour, and the last two digits giving the minutes. |
| 5 | E | Final Destination | The name of the final destination. |
| 6 | F | Position, Course & Speed | A 4-digit group giving the latitude in degrees and minutes suffixed with N, and a 5-digit group giving the longitude in degrees and minutes suffixed with W.
The true course. A 3-digit group. The speed in knots. A 2-digit group. |
| 7 | G | Intended Route | A series of 4-digit groups giving the latitude in degrees and minutes suffixed with N, and 5-digit groups giving the longitude in degrees and minutes suffixed with W to describe the planned route. |
| 8 | H | Ice Regime(s) to be encountered | For each regime along the planned route, a series of ice concentration in tenths (C), the corresponding ice type (IT) using the ice type symbol or the egg code, followed by the letter IN for AIRSS message or RIO for POLARIS message and the resulting Ice Numeral (IN) or Risk Index Outcome (RIO):
AIRSS C1, IT1, C2, IT2, …, CTn, ITn, INxx POLARIS C1, IT1, C2, IT2, …, CTn, ITn, RIOxx |
| 9 | I | Source(s) of Ice Information | Indicate the source(s) used to determine the ice conditions, e.g. ice charts name/date, visual observations, reports from shore stations and from other ships in the area, helicopter (or drone) reconnaissance, satellite and airborne visual and radar imagery, or other means. |
| 10 | J | Other pertinent information or comments | Provide additional information that may have been considered or is pertinent to the assessment, such as limitations associated with the ice regime assessment, near regimes that are likely to drift into the proposed route, an alternate route that may be considered, or planned escorting needs. |
| 11 | K | Name of Escorting Vessel | Provide the name of the escorting vessel if the ice numeral has been determined for the track of an escorting vessel. |
| 12 | L | Ice Navigator(s) and officers certified for ships operating in polar waters | Name(s) and certification information of Ice Navigator(s) and officers certified in accordance with the STCW Convention requirements for ships operating in polar waters. |
| 13 | M | Ship Master | Name of the Master and certification information in accordance with the STCW Convention requirement for ships operating in polar waters. |
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Footnotes
