Ice Navigation & Seamanship

A tanker master’s experience

• Understanding
• Knowledge
• Difficulties
• Hazards
• Concerns
• Caution
 Ice Navigation

By understanding Ice Navigation, we are indeed

promoting Safe & Environment friendly marine
transportation
 Knowledge of Ice Navigation is
vital to ensure :

• Safe navigation
• Minimising Sailing time
• Avoiding delays
• Environmental Safety
Navigation in ice requires special knowledge and
skills and it is expected that the guidelines that
were issued by IMO will be mandatory in the near
future, which will create standards for training of
navigators in ice.

Several countries have their own national rules

for navigating in ice covered waters that often
only apply to national flagged vessels.
 What are the difficulties ?

• No internationally accepted standards

• Lack of standards and requirements come into conflict

with growing oil exports and need of shipping companies
to have crews qualified in Ice Navigation.

• There is no internationally harmonised method of skill

and knowledge delivery on Ice Navigation.

• Constant improvement for instruments used in Ice

Navigation
 Navigator’s concerns …..

• Icing on the ship’s structure may occur due to the

freezing of sea sprays or due to snow, rain and fog. (Ships
Stability / Equipment Failure)

• Quickly changing weather conditions

 Navigator’s concerns …..

• Stoppages in ice breaker operations

• Risk of Navigational errors in ice

• Limitations of the Radar equipment in icy

areas.

• Some case unable to follow traffic separation

zones in ice

• Risk of Navigational errors in icy conditions

• A strong growth in tanker traffic

 Other concerns…..

• Ice may force the vessel into shallow waters

• Ice pressure can seriously damage the vessel

• The resistance of the ship is greater in level ice than in

open water.

• Handling a damaged ship in ice-covered waters

Combating oil spills in ice and cold
waters can be a daunting task
 Training
requirements

Do exist
but
Not mentioned in the STCW 95
 The high expectations of customers and the
safety of crew, vessel, cargo and environment has
become a motivator to increase the knowledge
and experience of ship’s crews.
 Entering the Ice ….

• Do not enter Ice if an alternative, although a longer route is

available.

• It is very easy and extremely dangerous to underestimate the

hardness of the ice.

• Be prepared to go “full astern” at any time.

• Propellers and rudders are the most vulnerable parts of the ship –
should go astern in ice with extreme care.
 Thank you for your
attention !!!!
Ice Navigation is a lot of responsibility…....