Ice Navigation
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ahadinreallifeShips increasingly take polar sea routes, like the Northern Sea Route (NSR) due to the
potential for shorter distances and faster transit times between Asia and Europe, particularly
as sea ice melts, making these routes more accessible.
Shorter Distances and Time Savings:
The NSR offer significant distance savings compared to traditional routes like the Suez Canal,
potentially reducing travel times by 10-14 days.
For example, a voyage from Japan to Europe via the NSR can take roughly 10 days, compared
to 22 days via the Suez Canal and 29 days via the Cape of Good Hope.
The NSR can reduce the distance between Northern Europe and Shanghai by up to 3000
nautical miles compared to the Suez Canal route.
Climate Change and Melting Sea Ice:
Global warming and the resulting melting of sea ice are making these Arctic routes more
accessible, especially during the summer months.
The NSR is becoming increasingly viable as the Arctic ice cover continues to decline.
Economic Benefits:
Shorter distances translate to lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions, leading to
potential cost savings for shipping companies.
The NSR is particularly attractive for the bulk shipping of low-value raw materials, where fuel
costs are a major factor.
Strategic Importance:
The NSR are of strategic importance to countries like Russia, China, and India, as they offer
access to a new trade route and potentially reduce reliance on traditional shipping lanes.
Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor aims to integrate with the NSR, potentially
cutting travel time to Europe by two weeks.
Challenges and Considerations:
Despite the potential benefits, the Arctic routes also present challenges, including harsh
weather conditions, limited infrastructure, and the need for specialized ice-breaking vessels.
The development of these routes also raises environmental and legal concerns, requiring
careful planning and international cooperation.
Navigation in Ice and safety precautions
The onset of Ice Accretion can be sudden and dangerous. In the North Atlantic Ocean, the
transit of a cold frontal system in winter, will rapidly bring down the air-temperature,
causing the vessels steel structure to cool. The driving sea spray then adheres to the ships
structure, and forms ice which builds up rapidly.
The consequences are:
Change in trim generally by the head.
Reduction in stability.
Blockage of air-vents, ballast tank air-pipes.
Freezing of pipelines.
Increase in viscosity of hydraulic oil in the systems,
Fracturing of exposed castings made from cast iron.
Icing of bridge windows.
Blockage of Deck Scuppers.
If there is ice formation on the sea surface, this usually restricts the sea spray, however, ice
accretion is still possible where there is high air moisture content.
Ice formation of the sea surface severely restricts navigation and the vessel may become
ice-bound. Forcing the ship through ice can cause damage to the hull, shipside intake grids
and may damage the propeller, if attempts are made to go astern.
The cooling water intakes may also become frozen, and the decision to enter an ice bound
area has therefore to be carefully considered.
Fig: SHIP IN HARBOR DURING ICY CONDITIONS
The boundaries of ice, the predicted shift of these boundaries, the type of ice formed e.g.
grey ice, pack ice etc. are transmitted in bulletins. It must be remembered that the ice
boundaries can have moved since the last bulletin, and the proposed routes may be
affected. The assistance of an Ice Breaker could also be required, and the vessel may have to
join an ice convoy. The Master must engage an Ice Pilot for the area if available.
Preparations for Ice:
1. Take additional bunkers as an allowance for manoeuvring in heavy weather and
deviations due to ice and ice accretion.
2. Remember that the ice accretion is possible in cold driving winds.
3. Change to low sea suctions, and provide temporary steam pipes at the intakes, if
permanent de-icing connections are not provided.
4. Cover the mooring lines, cable drums etc. with plastic covers and secure.
5. Cover all exposed motors and control stands.
6. In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the vessels stability, due consideration
must be given to lowering the ballast tank levels, if there is a risk of the ballast
freezing.
7. Check the ballast air-pipes for clogging with ice, prior to any ballasting or de-
ballasting.
8. If ice accretion is rapid, then maintain steerage away from the spray.
9. Keep both anchor shanks slightly out of the hawse-pipe, so that ice formed inside the
hawse-pipe holding the anchors can be broken by heaving the anchor.
10. Cover the spurling pipes.
11. Keep crowbars and ice-picks ready for use.
12. The Crew are to be clothed accordingly.
13. The radar scanners are to be kept on standby if not in use.
14. Keep the bow thruster heater on for about three 3 hours before arrival, and turn them
slowly every hour to ensure that the oil is warm.
15. Check electrical insulation.
16. Drain the fire lines.
17. Spread de-icing salt on decks.
18. With regard to the engine cooling system the manufacturer’s instructions are to be adhered
to, and the cooling system must be fitted with a solution of water and antifreeze at the
recommended ratio to provide protection down to at least, minus 40degC.
19. Maintain the outside air-circulation into the engine room at the minimum required. Keep all
WT doors to all spaces and all other accommodation doors closed.
20. Turn on the accommodation heating, and ensure that the sanitary and domestic water flow
is satisfactory.
MASTER'S CHECKLIST
Before entering ice-covered waters
Make sure that the vessel’s ISM manual includes instructions for safe navigation in ice.
Ensure that the vessel’s ice classification certificate is available.
Make sure that there is sufficient supply of fresh water and bunker in case of possible delays
caused by ice.
Start listening to the daily ice reports well in advance.
Check that your VHF radio is operative, and find out in advance which channel is used by the
icebreaker operating in the area.
Check that the pipes on deck are drained of water.
Check that the sounding and air pipes of the ballast tanks are emptied of water.
Check that anchor, mooring and other equipment which may be used in ice conditions are
covered by adequate tarpaulins to prevent icing.
Keep the pilot ladder in a sheltered place and, before use, make sure that it is ice-free.
Ensure that ballast has been loaded to ensure that the propeller is completely submerged.
Avoid colliding with loose ice floes at high speed and check your open-water speed.
Check the waypoints provided by the icebreaker/VTS when navigating in ice.
Waypoints
In ice-covered areas the coordinating icebreaker provides waypoints, which indicate the
assistance route.
The waypoints are set in order to help vessels navigate more easily and safely in ice
conditions and in order to enable vessels to navigate unassisted for as long as possible.