Chapter 6 – Anchoring and Towing Arrangements
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Assembly - IMO Resolution A.1024(26) – Guidelines for Ships Operating in Polar Waters – (Adopted on 2 December 2009) - Annex – Guidelines for Ships Operating in Polar Waters - Part A – Construction Provisions - Chapter 6 – Anchoring and Towing Arrangements

Chapter 6 – Anchoring and Towing Arrangements

Parent topic: Part A – Construction Provisions

6.1 General

 All Polar Class ships should be capable of anchoring and providing limited assistance in the case of debilitating damage or breakdown, towards the prevention of a catastrophic loss or pollution incident. The capability of ships to provide assistance should be considered of prime importance, having due regard to the lack of repair facilities, the limited number of dedicated towing ships available and the response time that may be required by a dedicated towing ship to be able to provide effective assistance in polar ice-covered waters.

6.2 Anchoring arrangements

  6.2.1 Ships of Polar Classes 1 to 5 inclusive and all icebreakers of all classes should, as far as is practicable, be designed to protect the anchor from being dislodged from its stowed position and from jamming or damaging the hull by direct impact with ice.

  6.2.2 Anchoring systems should be provided with an independent means of securing the anchor so that the anchor cable can be disconnected for use as an emergency towing bridle.

6.3 Towing arrangements

  6.3.1 All Polar Class ships designed to perform dedicated towing operations and all icebreakers should be equipped with line throwing apparatus in addition to that required for life-saving. This apparatus should be capable of delivering messenger lines for the transfer of towing equipment. Such line throwing apparatus should not be of the powder/rocket type, in order that it may be safely used to make a transfer to a tanker.

  6.3.2 All Polar Class ships designed to perform dedicated towing operations should be provided with a quick release system, operable from the conning position.

  6.3.3 Where fitted, close-coupled bow to stern towing arrangements should comprise strengthened bow plating on the towed ship, appropriate towing slings, non-interfering positioning of bower anchors and disallowance of bulbous bows. In this case, arrangements should be provided for securing the anchor in the stowed position.

6.4 Emergency towing arrangements footnote

  6.4.1 All Polar Class ships should be capable of receiving emergency towing assistance.

  6.4.2 Where appropriate, towing arrangements should facilitate connection and release of a towline and provide bollards, fairleads, and other components suitable for the size of ship on which they are fitted.

Copyright 2022 Clasifications Register Group Limited, International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization or Maritime and Coastguard Agency. All rights reserved. Clasifications Register Group Limited, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as 'Clasifications Register'. Clasifications Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Clasifications Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.