The imo Polar Code: The Emerging Rules of Arctic Shipping Governance

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 674-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiayu Bai
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
International Maritime Organization ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
International Code ◽  
Polar Code ◽  
Arctic Shipping

In the context of the melting icecap and the growing shipping activity in the Arctic, the International Maritime Organization (imo) spent several years preparing polar navigation rules aimed at providing appropriate safety and environmental protection standards. The rules underwent several transformations before emerging as the binding International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code). The Polar Code is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2017. This paper examines the formation and development of the Polar Code and its principles and provisions, expounds upon the unique characteristics of the Code, and discusses expected future practices.

scholarly journals The IMO Mandatory International Code of Safety for Ships: Charting a Sustainable Course for Shipping in the Polar Regions?

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 426-447
Author(s):  
David Leary
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Ship Design ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
International Maritime Organization ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
International Code ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Equipment Operation ◽  
Polar Code ◽  
Wide Range

Many Asian states such as China are increasingly engaged in maritime activities in the polar regions. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed a mandatory international code of safety for certain types of ships operating in polar waters (the Polar Code) which applies to the vessels of Asian and non-Asian states alike. The Polar Code covers a wide range of issues including ship design and construction, equipment, operation, crew training, search and rescue and environmental protection relating to ships operating in the polar regions. This article examines the Polar Code, which will be implemented via amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). It considers the extent to which the Polar Code lays the foundations for a sustainable future for shipping in the polar regions.

scholarly journals Autonomous ships for container shipping in the Arctic routes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziaul Haque Munim ◽  
Rana Saha ◽  
Halvor Schøyen ◽  
Adolf K. Y. Ng ◽  
Theo E. Notteboom
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Multi Criteria Decision Making ◽  
Container Shipping ◽  
Foreseeable Future ◽  
Arctic Shipping ◽  
Control Centre ◽  
Autonomous Ship ◽  
Best Worst Method

AbstractThis study investigates the competitiveness of various autonomous ship categories for container shipping in the Arctic route. We propose a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework using four ship categories as alternatives and eight criteria for competitiveness evaluation. We analyse collected data using the Best–Worst Method (BWM), one of the recently developed MCDM methods. The findings reveal that operating expenses, navigation aspects, and environmental protection are the three most important criteria for deploying autonomous ships in the Arctic route. Among the three investigated autonomous ships alternatives, the semi-autonomous ship operated from a shore control centre (SCC) is prioritized for Arctic shipping in the foreseeable future, when benchmarked against the conventional ship. The SCC-controlled semi-autonomous ship alternative is competitive in the majority of the considered criteria including operating expenses, capital expenses, navigation, ship-shore and ship–ship communication, search and rescue, and environmental protection.

Promoting Safety and Managing Risks in Arctic Marine Transportation: A Best Practices Approach and the Polar Code

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Parsons ◽  
Maria Progoulaki
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Related Activity ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Marine Transportation ◽  
Polar Code ◽  
Arctic Shipping ◽  
Significant Area

Currently there are no mandatory, internationally accepted rules written specifically to govern ship operations in Arctic waters. The Arctic is recognized by the IMO Guidelines for Ships Operating in Polar Waters as a significant area for international shipping that requires special attention to crew training and operational procedures. A legally binding Polar Code which should identify and unify the commonalities of what it takes, and what is currently enforced by flag states, to safely operate in all Arctic nation waters, is viewed by many as a sensible way forward. This paper presents a synopsis of the results of a funded research project that aimed to identify best practices currently in place by Arctic ship operators. It also aimed to identify possible new ways in which shipping operations in the Arctic could maximize benefits and reduce risks to all stakeholders. A review of the scientific literature clearly highlighted the chasms of knowledge regarding the impacts of marine related activity in Arctic waters. With respect to a methodological approach, a website search was conducted to look for shipping companies informing that they were involved in Arctic operations. The website search of Arctic shipping companies helped with the creation of a questionnaire aimed at identifying “best practices” currently in place with Arctic shipping operators. The questionnaire was administered electronically. Subsequently, a number of companies, identified from the website search and representing a pan-Arctic sample of operators, were contacted by email to inquire if they were interested in taking part in the online questionnaire.

The Polar Code and the Arctic Marine Environment: Assessing the Regulation of the Environmental Risks of Shipping

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-569
Author(s):  
Aldo Chircop
Keyword(s):  
Marine Environment ◽  
Pollution Prevention ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
International Maritime Organization ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Environmental Standards ◽  
Polar Code ◽  
Mandatory Rules ◽  
Scope Of Application ◽  
The Antarctic

Abstract The Polar Code adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established a new vessel-source pollution prevention standard for Arctic waters, as well as the Antarctic area. The Polar Code consists of mandatory rules and guidance provisions supplementing international rules to address a range of environmental risks posed by ships in polar operations. This article explores the scope of application of the Polar Code and its interface with other pertinent IMO instruments. The article comments on the limits of application of Polar Code standards in addressing pollution prevention and how they are further nourished, supplemented or facilitated by other IMO instruments, both with respect to pollution prevention as well as other environmental risks posed by shipping in the Arctic context. The article identifies shortcomings and gaps and concludes with possible options for Arctic coastal States that may wish to raise environmental standards to mitigate particular risks.

scholarly journals Safety of navigation in the Arctic

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Czesław Dyrcz
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
International Code ◽  
Polar Code ◽  
The North ◽  
Ice Surface ◽  
Arctic Sea ◽  
Ice Conditions ◽  
Arctic Ice ◽  
North And South

This article presents the results of research based on analysis of ice conditions on the Arctic Sea in recent years and consequences of these changes. The Arctic ice extent are changed due to global warming. Reducing the ice surface leads to intensification of the navigation of the waters of the Arctic Sea, resulting in a significant reduction of the distance between the ports of Europe and East Asia and the North and South Americas. This phenomenon is conducive to the opening of new shipping routes leading through the Arctic Sea. After the entry into force of 1st January, 2017 The International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) is expected to improve the safety of conducting the navigation of the waters. Analysis of maritime accidents in the Arctic waters shows that the number of accidents has a growing trend, however, last year brings them a significant decreasing.

Specific Regulations for Shipping and Environmental Protection in the Arctic: The Work of the International Maritime Organization

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustín Blanco-Bazán
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
International Maritime Organization ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Law Of The Sea ◽  
State Legislation ◽  
Coastal State ◽  
The Law ◽  
Arctic Ice ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThis article reviews the work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with regard to the adoption of international rules on safety of navigation and prevention of marine pollution. The recommendatory IMO Guidelines for Ships Operating in Arctic Ice-Covered Waters are discussed. The relationship between coastal State legislation under Article 234 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the main IMO safety and anti-pollution treaties is analyzed. It concludes that the former should neither contradict nor overlap with the latter.

scholarly journals How Does the Arctic Council Support Conservation of Arctic Biodiversity?

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 5042
Author(s):  
Tom Barry ◽  
Brynhildur Daviðsdóttir ◽  
Níels Einarsson ◽  
Oran R. Young
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Council ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Conflicting Demands ◽  
Agent Of Change ◽  
Insight Into

The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states, indigenous communities, and peoples on issues of common importance. The rising geo-political importance of the Arctic and the onset of climate change has resulted in the Council becoming a focus of increasing interest from both inside and beyond the Arctic. This has resulted in new demands placed on the Council, attracting an increasing number of participants, and instigating a period of transformation as Arctic states work to find a way to balance conflicting demands to improve the Council’s effectiveness and take care of national interests. This paper considers whether, during this time of change, the Council is having an impact on the issues it was formed to address, i.e., environmental protection and sustainable development. To provide answers, it looks at how the Council reports on and evaluates progress towards the implementation of recommendations it makes regarding biodiversity, how it identifies where activities have had impacts and uncovers the mechanisms through which they were successful, to provide an insight into how the Arctic Council can be an agent of change.

The World Heritage Convention in the Arctic and Indigenous People: Time to Reform?

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
World Heritage Convention ◽  
World Heritage List ◽  
The World ◽  
United Nations Declaration ◽  
High Level

This article analyses the role of the World Heritage Convention in the Arctic, particularly the role of Indigenous people in environmental protection and governance of natural, mixed and transboundary properties. It outlines the Convention in an Arctic context, profiles Arctic properties on the World Heritage List and Tentative List, and considers Arctic properties that may appear on the List of World Heritage in Danger. It gives detailed consideration to examples of Arctic natural, mixed, and potentially transboundary, properties of greatest significance to Indigenous people with reference to their environmental protection and management. In doing so, it reviews and analyses recent high-level critiques of the application of the Convention in the Arctic. Conclusions follow, the most significant of which is that the Convention and its Operational Guidelines must be reformed to be consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

scholarly journals Management of Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) in the arctic Atlantic

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Øystein Wiig ◽  
Erik W Born ◽  
Robert EA Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Current Control ◽  
Arctic Sea Ice ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Canada ◽  
Quota System ◽  
Odobenus Rosmarus ◽  
Odobenus Rosmarus Rosmarus

We review the management of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) past and present in the four range states—Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia—which have permanent populations of Atlantic walruses. Populations in all four countries have been depleted, although the extent of depletion is not well known. Inuit in Arctic Canada and Greenland hunt Atlantic walruses for subsistence while they have been protected at Svalbard (Norway) since 1952 and in the western Russian Arctic since 1956. Since the second half of the 20th Century Canada and Greenland have increased protection of their walrus. Generally the number of walruses landed in Canada is governed by the number of hunters and/or people in the settlement and not by stock-specific quotas. Although quotas have been set in few communities, it is not known if they are adequate to prevent overhunting. A quota system for walrus hunting in Greenland began in 2006. The current control system is largely effective in ensuring the quotas are applied and that reporting is correct. Greenland currently sets quotas based on recommendations from scientific assessments using recent population estimates to allow population growth from a depleted population.  A challenge with respect to managing walrus hunting remains the variable and sometimes high rates of lost animals. Since the 1960s changes in socio-economics in hunting areas of Arctic Canada and Greenland (and the use of snowmobiles instead of dog sleds in Canada) have led to a general decrease in interest in hunting of walruses and reduced harvest on walrus stocks in these countries. Although there is an active ongoing cooperation between Canada and Greenland scientists regarding assessments of shared populations of walruses currently there is no formal agreement between the two range states on co-management of shared stocks. Protection of walrus from other anthropogenic impacts generally focusses on large-scale industrial activity. The level of protection afforded to walrus habitat in many areas depends entirely on the rigor with which the Environmental Impact Assessments are conducted. Basic information on walrus such as numbers and stock discreteness is often lacking and sufficient lead-time is required to collect baseline data. Moreover, although most environmental protection legislation considers ‘cumulative impacts’, practical application remains problematic. The effectiveness of environmental protection regulations depends on industry compliance and the management authorities’ ability to enforce compliance. Because walrus are found in remote locations, enforcement remains a challenge. Increased human activity allowed by the current change in distribution and quality of arctic sea ice poses new threats to walrus if not well regulated. International agreements have varying importance for management within and among member states. Regulations governing international trade serve to identify illegally obtained products and to encourage range states to have a sustainable quota system. International cooperation in information sharing has had clear benefits for management of walruses in the past. The maintenance and expansion of these international efforts will improve the management of Atlantic walruses in the future. 

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