3 During ice formation
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - International Codes - Intact Stability (IS) Code - Intact Stability for All Types of Ships Covered by IMO Instruments – Resolution A.749(18) - Annex - Code on Intact Stability for all Types of Ships Covered by IMO Instruments - Annex 2 - Recommendations for Skippers of Fishing Vessels on Ensuring a Vessel's Endurance in Conditions of Ice Formation - 3 During ice formation

3 During ice formation

  3.1 If in spite of all measures taken the vessel is unable to leave the dangerous area, all means available for removal of ice should be used as long as it is subjected to ice formation.

  3.2 Depending on the type of vessel, all or many of the following ways of combating ice formation may be used:

  • .1 removal of ice by means of cold water under pressure;

  • .2 removal of ice with hot water and steam;

  • .3 breaking up of ice with ice crows, axes, picks, scrapers, wooden sledge hammers and clearing it with shovels.

  3.3 When ice formation begins, the skipper should take into account the recommendations listed below and ensure their strict fulfilment:

  • .1 report immediately ice formation to the shipowner and establish with him constant radiocommunication;

  • .2 establish radiocommunication with the nearest vessels and ensure that it is maintained;

  • .3 do not allow ice formation to accumulate on the vessel, immediately take steps to remove from the vessel's structures even the thinnest layer of ice and ice sludge from the upper deck;

  • .4 check constantly the vessel's stability by measuring the roll period of the vessel during ice formation. If the rolling period increases noticeably, immediately take all possible measures in order to increase the vessel's stability;

  • .5 ensure that each member of the crew working on the weather deck is warmly dressed and wears a safety line securely attached to the guard rail;

  • .6 bear in mind that the work of the crew on ice clearing entails the danger of frost-bite. For this reason it is necessary to make sure that the men working on deck are replaced periodically;

  • .7 keep the following structures and gears of the vessel first free from ice:

    • aerials
    • running and navigational lights
    • freeing ports and scuppers
    • life-saving craft
    • stays, shrouds, masts and rigging
    • doors of superstructures and deckhouses
    • windlass and hawse holes;

  • .8 remove the ice from large surfaces of the vessel, beginning with the upper structures (such as bridges, deckhouses, etc.), because even a small amount of ice on them causes a drastic worsening of the vessel's stability;

  • .9 when the distribution of ice is not symmetrical and a list develops, the ice must be cleared from the lower side first. Bear in mind that any correction of the list of the vessel by pumping fuel or water from one tank to another may reduce stability during the process when both tanks are slack;

  • .10 when a considerable amount of ice forms on the bow and a trim appears, ice must be quickly removed. Water ballast may be redistributed in order to decrease the trim;

  • .11 clear ice from the freeing ports and scuppers in due time in order to ensure free drainage of the water from the deck;

  • .12 check regularly for water accumulation inside the hull;

  • .13 avoid navigating in following seas since this may drastically worsen the vessel's stability;

  • .14 register in the vessel's log-book the duration, nature and intensity of ice formation, amount of ice on the vessel, measures taken to combat ice formation and their effectiveness;

  • .15 if, in spite of all the measures taken to ensure the vessel's endurance in conditions of ice formation, the crew is forced to abandon the vessel and embark on life-saving craft (lifeboats, rafts) then, in order to preserve their lives, it is necessary to do all possible to provide all the crew with warm clothing or special bags as well as to have a sufficient number of life-lines and bailers for speedy bailing out of water from the life-saving craft.

Parent topic: Annex 2 - Recommendations for Skippers of Fishing Vessels on Ensuring a Vessel's Endurance in Conditions of Ice Formation
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