DNV’s new standard stresses crew factors of ice navigation

24 September 2008

Hamburg, Germany: Safe cold-climate shipping operations entail more than just ice-strengthened and winterised ships. Relevant conditional crew training is one of the largest accident risk reducers in the sector. DNV’s Ice Navigation Standard meets this issue head-on by providing competence requirements for ship officers responsible for ice navigation.

DNV’s new standard represents an important step in developing detailed competence requirements that the maritime industry can use on a global basis. While the IMO has now included a requirement for specially trained and qualified ice navigators in its guidelines for ships operating in Arctic ice-covered waters, they do not provide specifications for the competencies needed to fulfil these roles.

“The standard will assist the maritime industry in training, recruiting and assessing officers who can safely pilot ships through ice. Maritime training centres can use it as a guide for developing courses in ice navigation, which DNV can in turn certify against the standard,” says DNV SeaSkill Project Engineer Steven Sawhill.

DNV SeaSkill developed the standard in collaboration with ice navigation experts from around the world, including representatives from all of the Arctic rim countries. The process began in August 2007 with an expert working group session hosted by the Finnish Maritime Authority, followed by additional meetings in Canada in March 2008. DNV circulated drafts of the competence standard among some 95 experts for further review and input before finalizing it for publication in October 2008.

The reasons for the standard are plentiful – not least in the Arctic. The region has entered an exciting era in which climate, political and economic changes are facilitating unprecedented access, fuelling great expectations in the shipping sector. But the area also presents seafarers with unique challenges and potential hazards, including darkness, poorly charted waters, and damage due to ice. The Arctic market opportunity – and risk reality – is driving a need for more ship officers with ice navigation skills.

Indeed, DNV research presented quantifying the value of the most important risk control options for Arctic shipping backs this up. According to a report, the setting of high standards in bridge resource management and the selection and training of crew can reduce the risk of accidents involving collision, grounding, fire and explosion by 44%. This was, by far, the highest single factor for risk reduction in the entire study.

DNV SeaSkill assists the maritime industry in ensuring their people are fit for purpose. It does this by developing standards and by certifying maritime learning programs. Addressing competence means protecting assets, securing future cost reductions and gaining competitive advantage. DNV SeaSkill standards of competence provide a relevant reference point for the maritime industry to measure competence and training.

DNV