FOM-3.36	Fleet Operations Manual Navigation Operation in extreme winter and ice region	Doc No.: FOM-3.36 Revision: 01 Date: 15 Oct 2024 Issued by: DPA Approved by: MD

1. Application

This document applies to all vessels managed under Company.

2. Purpose

To provide guidelines and precautions for vessels in extreme winter and ice-covered water operations.

3. Voyage Instructions

Upon receipt of the voyage instructions to proceed to the port facility in extreme winter or ice-covered waters, Master to carry out the following:

1. Check the vessel ice-class certification of the vessel on the Certificate of Class.
2. Check the charter party clause with regard to ice.
3. Inform the Vessel Manager and Marine Superintendent.
4. Hold an onboard management meeting to inform and discuss the voyage with the onboard management. The discussion should also cover the risk assessment among the other matters be to enumerate the challenges, limitations, and support required from the office.

4. Regulatory Requirement

• Every ship of 100 tons gross tonnage or over, navigating in ice covered waters of Eastern Canada must have and use the publication "Ice Navigation in Canadian Waters".
• The ISM Code is intended to address risks associated with ship operations and establish well-documented vessel-specific procedures and practices. The crewmembers designated to the vessel are required to possess skills and knowledge essential for the safe execution of tasks they are expected to perform in normal day-to-day operations and during emergency situations.
• The international code for ships operating in Polar Waters (Polar code), as applicable.

5. Responsibilities

Master:

• Check charter party for clauses related to trading in ice covered waters.
• Check vessel's ice class.
• Inform department heads and conduct a meeting to discuss challenges and limitations.
• Facilitate to carry out a formal risk assessment.
• Check officer's familiarity and certification.
• Coordinate with the vessel manager, charterers and owners.
• Ensure sufficient stores, spares, provisions and fresh water.
• Ensure sufficient winter clothing for crew.
• Ensure communication and reporting is carried out as per the requirement.

Chief Engineer:

• Maintain communication with Chief Officer regarding expected extreme cold weather conditions.
• Plan and take precautions to prevent damage by the freezing conditions, to all Deck and Engine room machinery and systems.

Chief Officer:

• Coordinate with the Chief Engineer regarding expected extreme cold weather conditions.
• Plan and take precautions to prevent damage by the freezing conditions, to all deck equipment, cargo and operational systems.

Both the deck and the engine department to have to carry out a detailed risk assessment for winter operations.

6. Machinery in the Engine Room

General

• Compartment space heater must be kept on wherever available.
• Ensure moisture free air for control air, whistle and deck services.
• Reduce ventilation and/or provide shields to avoid direct cold airflow against control and gauging equipment and small diameter piping systems.
• Reduce the flow of outside air into the engine-room spaces by closing down the vent fans and throttling the dampers. In a turbine vessel, opening a skylight or hatchway to the forced draft fan outlet, will short-circuit the normal air circulation and thereby provide warmer machinery spaces.
• Re-circulating air in the engine-room should be avoided as this will result in a higher content of aromatic hydrocarbon and noxious gases.
• Keep funnel flaps shut on unused boiler (beware of reverse cold draft).
• Activate seawater recirculation system. Direct heated seawater from overboard discharge lines to low sea suction box by keeping overboard discharge valve in near closed position.
• Monitor suction and discharge pressures of seawater pumps and carry out steam injection if any signs of ice formation are noticed in sea box. This is determined by pressure/flow fluctuations. Steam injection hoses to be kept ready. Open steam to sea boxes and overboard discharge valve, if required.
• Changeover to ballast seawater re-circulating tank, if fitted.
• Circulate freshwater continuously to eliminate any possibility of freezing.
• Oil (bunker) tank heaters on (keep steam valve cracked open to prevent bursting of pipe).
• Keep all steam tracing lines active.
• Heat-up diesel oil settling and service tank to 30° C.
• Clean diesel oil filters daily to prevent wax accumulation
• Lube oil and heavy oil purifiers should be run continuously.
• Maintain hot well temperature for boiler.
• Keep stern tube cooling water tank slack (after peak).
• Oily-water separator to be drained of all water if exposed.
• Monitor domestic freshwater pumps as continuous running is an indication of ruptured piping.Main engine and aux engines to be turned by turning gears daily and for main engine cylinder lubricator to be operated while turning on turning gear. If staying at anchor for long time, main and aux engines to be blown with air, turned on air and given kick start on daily basis
• Maintain proper jacket heating of main engine and stop aux engine in port.
• Ensure that propeller is clear of ice before turning/starting the engine.
• Steam heating should be on for calorifier, accommodation, jacket pre-heaters for main and aux engine. All steam tracing should be on.
• Air bottles and control air systems should be drained frequently to prevent freezing of drains.
• Main engine and idle Auxiliary engine preheat must be continuously on. Jacket temperatures must be continuously monitored.
• Check Stern tube cooling water tank sounding. Drain the tank partly due to prevent damage due to freezing.
• Cascade tank temperature should be maintained adequately high (Steam injection / heating coils to be used, if required). Composite Boiler Feed Water pipeline to be kept drained, if the pump is expected to stay cut off during the port stay. Else, it should be ensured that the feed water line is intermittently used with the pump running, to ensure that it is not frozen.
• Composite boiler feed water pipeline to be kept drained, if the pump is expected to stay cut off during the port stay. Else, it should be ensured that the feed water line is intermittently used with the pump running, to ensure that it is not frozen.

6.1 Main Engine

• When in port, keep the preheating fluid in circulation in cooling spaces for the cylinders, pistons, turbo-blowers etc.
• Drain all spaces containing water if circulation of preheating fluid is not possible. Ensure that no pockets of water remain.
• Turn the engine by turning gear at least once a day, and during this operation lubricate the cylinders.
• Carry out a short trial run at least once a week after giving two complete turns by the turning gear during prolonged stay in the cold zone.

6.2 Sanitary System

• Maintain a small flow of water through the sanitary system and soil drains.
• Apply heating to the sanitary holding tank and overboard line if the ambient space temperature falls below 5° C (41° F); when possible, and if time permits, purge air or steam through all wash water outlets that do not drain to a level well below the water line.
• If necessary, add a small amount of environmentally safe antifreeze or salt to unused drain traps and toilets or insert rubber hoses.

6.3 Hydraulic Pump Rooms

• Vessel’s hydraulic systems should be filled with fluid designed for cold weather operation
• Space heater must be kept on
• Oil tank heater must be kept on
• Compartment vent must be kept closed or use a shield
• Keep oil warm and in recirculation

6.4 Steering Gear Flat Compartment

• Space heater must be kept on.
• If there is no space heater, run hydraulic pumps continuously and use low temperature oil.
• Oil tank heater must be kept on.
• Compartment vent must be kept closed or use a shield.
• Continuously operate with no-load on the steering gear.

6.5 All Under Deck Passages and Duct Keel

• Space heater must be kept on.
• Compartment vent must be kept closed or use a shield. Beware of any dangerous gas accumulations.

6.6 Bow Thruster Room

• Space heater must be kept on.
• Oil tank heater must be kept on.
• Compartment vent must be kept closed or use a shield.

6.7 Emergency Generator Room

• Emergency generator should be capable of being readily started in their cold condition at a temperature of 0° C. If this is impracticable, or if lower temperatures are likely to be encountered, provision acceptable to the Administration should be made for the maintenance of heating arrangements, to ensure ready starting of the generating sets.
• Even though the emergency generator space may be heated, give special attention to the fuel tank that may be found adjacent to an exterior bulkhead, which in turn, can lower the fuel oil temperature to below its cloud point.
• Add antifreeze (-35° C) to diesel engine cooling water system
• Space heater on.
• Compartment vent must be kept closed.

6.8 CO2 Rooms and Other Fire Fighting Equipment Room

• Keep equipment within proper ambient temperatures.
• CO2 systems usually operate only in temperatures above -16º C.

6.9 Sea Inlet Boxes

There is potential for ice and slush to enter sea bays or sea inlet boxes, blocking seawater flow to the cooling system. This problem is encountered by a majority of ships entering ice-covered waters. If water cannot be obtained for the cooling system, the engines will not perform properly and may eventually overheat causing engines to shut-down or become seriously damaged.

As a general principle, winter cooling system should:

• Maintain essential seawater by using inlets situated as low and as far aft as possible, near centreline.
• Use sea boxes that have the following characteristics:
• Should be fitted on each side of the ship
• Should be as deeply submerged as possible
• Should have an area open to the sea of five to six times the total area of the pump suctions served by the sea bay
• Should be fitted with a strainer plate at the ship's side having perforations approximately 20 mm diameter to prevent ingestion of large ice particles
• Should be fitted with a low steam pressure connection to clear strainers
• Should be vented to atmosphere by a valve pipe with a cross-sectional area at least equal to that of the cooling suctions
• Use diversion arrangements to introduce warm cooling water to seawater inlets and strainers
• Provide means to manually clear sea inlets of ice blockage by introducing low compressed air or steam.
• Allow ice and slush ice, introduced in the system, to float freely away from pump intakes without undue stirring.
• Allow temporary or permanent use of ballast water for two purposes:
• Back flushing sea boxes
• Cooling the engines as a short-term solution unless a large quantity is available and re circulated

6.10 Pumps

• Drain water from all pump casings that are not in use.

Fire line & Fresh water line on deck must be drained of water.

6.11 Bunkers

• Top up all slack spaces at the aft bunker tanks before arriving the cold zone to avoid the difficulties of transferring oil from forward under freezing conditions.
• Open bunker tank heating and tracing steam (for lines from bunker tanks to fuel oil transfer pump), well before arriving cold climate region, and continue heating.

7. Deck Equipment

7.1 Cargo Cranes

Cargo cranes are vulnerable under cold temperatures. Sluggish hydraulic control and slippery brakes are very common. Failure to overcome these difficulties has led to fatal accidents in the past. In order to overcome these problems, following activities must be performed:Cranes should be warmed up and all safety switches tested, well in advance.

• Motor, pump and hydraulic oil heaters must be kept on, as cold conditions persist.
• Crane cabin heater to be 'ON'.

7.2 Other Equipment

• All exposed electric and air motors of the following equipment is to be securely protected with canvas covers, including accommodation ladders, provision cranes, bunker davits, electric whistle motor on the foremast and forward and aft winch starting switch boxes.
• Start motors and pumps of gangways, provision cranes, pilot doors well in advance of their use. If practicable, keep them running continuously; otherwise, perform idling runs at a suitable frequency, decided under prevailing conditions.
• Be aware that Pilot ladder, if lowered too early, it will gather ice and become slippery and dangerous.
• Start the windlass/mooring/hatch cover motors and pumps well in advance. In severe cold conditions, turn on hydraulic tank heaters, and if practicable, keep the pumps running and keep the winches turning at slow speed, otherwise, perform 30-minute idling runs every 5 to 6 hours. Duration and frequency is to be carefully decided under prevailing conditions. Also, check the oil level in the hydraulic tanks for the forward and aft winches before putting into use. A thermostat should control the hydraulic tank heaters automatically.
• Ensure all mooring-ropes on the drums are kept securely covered with strong canvas covers.
• Windlass, compression-bar on the bow-stoppers, mooring-winches, cargo-winches, open gears, engaging clutches, pins, operating handles, brake clamping bolt threads - all to be liberally covered with grease. All nipple points to be greased up.
• All loose lashing material on deck to be stowed away in bins and stowage racks, as far as practicable.
• All lashing material in use (turnbuckles, shackles etc.) to be liberally greased.
• Do not use manila ropes for any lashings on deck, as it becomes stiff and impossible to handle. Polypropylene and some other synthetic ropes are best suited for severe temperature use.
• All exposed movable parts (butterfly nuts/bolts, flap hinges, vents, valve spindles, sounding pipe covers, hydrant wheel spindles, steel door dogs, etc.) to be kept liberally covered with grease. Some antifreeze mixed into the grease is very effective.
• Walkways on deck and area around the mooring stations to be maintained free of ice and snow. Rig a safety line on deck to hold on to.
• Keep shovels, crow bars, hammers, spikes, sledgehammers, pickaxes (fire-axes will suffice), grease-pot, blow-lamp and sufficient salt, handy and in convenient sheltered locations near work areas.
• When receiving freshwater alongside, water is to be left running continuously. Ensure that the end of the hose is pushed well down inside the freshwater tank filling pipe to prevent freezing.
• Ensure heating (where fitted), are kept in operation in storage room.
• Hold bilges, store bilges, chain lockers and the bilges for the side passageways to be stripped dry. Ensure that bilge pipelines to be kept dry as well.
• Use heaving line (rubber hose) or environmentally safe antifreeze in sounding pipes in order to prevent bursting of pipes.
• Slack the anchors about 1 foot from the resting position so you can hoist it & break the accumulated ice, once the ice froze in the anchor you can never let go your anchors.
• Keep the hatch cover hydraulic system in recirculation.
• Drain all those steam heating coils on deck, which are not in use and blow the lines clear with ship's service compressed air.

(For tankers)

• Chief Officer handles precautions with regard to cargo lines.
• Deck inert gas lines & Deck Seals. Seals must be constantly circulated and liquid P/V to have antifreeze added.

8. Lifesaving Appliances

Ice accretion should be regularly removed from lifeboats and launching equipment to ensure ease of launching where required. An ice removal mallet should be available in the vicinity of lifeboat and life rafts.

8.1 Lifeboat and Survival Craft, including life rafts

• Ensure that survival crafts are maintained free of ice accumulation. Lifeboat windows to be always kept clear as well.
• When refueling with the appropriate diesel fuel oil, allow sufficient space in the tank to allow diesel fuel oil to expand. Ensure that winter grade oil is used.
• Heaters for lifeboat and rescue boat engines must be kept on. At least once a day, the engines must be started.
• Verify that the fresh water stored in the lifeboat will not freeze or be lost due to damage of containers.
• Walkway towards the survival craft embarkation station to be always kept free or ice and snow.

8.2 Davits

• Every pulley, drum, and cable where water can infiltrate, shall be greased to eliminate water and to protect against frozen water, which may damage or harm the movement of such equipment.
• Emulsified oil from the davit gearbox may solidify under cold conditions. This contaminated oil is to be renewed. Investigate the cause of contamination and take corrective action. Excessive moisture in the gearbox may lead to braking system failure.

9. Accommodation

9.1 Living Quarters

• Heating to accommodation is to be kept 'ON'. Individual, electrically safe, cabin heaters, may be provided as required.
• It is advisable to cover portholes and window cavities with polyethylene or Perspex, so as to provide an air buffer insulation (where not double glazed or heated). This is a good contribution towards reducing ice formation on interior surfaces.
• Ensure all double doors to accommodation, doors to stores, passageways and holds are kept shut at all times. Keep accommodation spaces in a state of light pressurization. Re-circulate air, taking care of all of the above.

9.2 All Steps, Decks, Walkways and Passages into and around Accommodation

All steps, decks, walkways and passages into and around accommodation to be kept clear of accumulated snow and ice by regular shoveling and salting. Coarse salt to be liberally dispersed on deck walkways, gangways and ladder steps to prevent slipping accidents. A sufficient stock of de-icing salt should be kept on board and readily available for this purpose

9.3 Crew Protection

• All shipboard personnel are to be instructed in the hazards of working in exposed locations and instructed in the type and amount of minimum clothing to be worn.
• Several layers of clothing (instead of one heavy suit) are preferable as air trapped between layers of clothing, provides a greater insulation and consequently, a reduction in loss of body heat. Wear mittens (not gloves), wind-proof and water-resistant many-layered clothing, and two pairs of socks (cotton next to skin, then wool).
• Use of clothing with some ventilation decreases perspiration, because perspiration can freeze. Wet flesh freezes faster than dry flesh.
• While working, it is natural to perspire. Do not remove clothing while in an exposed environment. Go into the accommodation to dry off.
• As far as practicable, work with back towards the wind.
• Gloves to be sufficiently loose for circulation to be maintained
• Hoods and caps to be worn with ears fully covered. Much of body heat is lost through an unprotected head and neck.
• Never rub a numb area as this could damage frozen flesh. Suspected frozen flesh is to be warmed-up gradually and not immersed in hot water. Immersing immediately in hot water may cause permanent damage to skin and body tissues.
• In extreme temperatures, feel your cheeks and nose with your fingers for sensation. Hands face, ears and feet are areas particularly susceptible to localized freezing. No sensation means a likelihood of frostbite. Enter a warm area immediately. When working in groups, keep an eye on each other to look for any numbness or whiteness (frostbite occurs when skin tissue starts to freeze).
• When going into sub-zero temperatures, be aware that the wind chill factor increases the effect of colder temperatures, therefore frostbite can occur faster. Crew should refer to the wind chill chart available on board.
• Frostbite and hypothermia are very real dangers associated with cold weather. Guard carefully against them. Never work alone in extreme cold temperatures.
• Shivering is the first sign that the body is trying to combat cold by generating more heat. However, if the exposure is severe, the body is unable to conserve or generate enough heat to maintain body core temperature. Shivering will stop, unconsciousness follows and then death due to cold exposure or hypothermia. If nothing is readily available, apply body-to-body heat to preserve life.

9.3 Navigation Bridge

• All ships operating in icy winter conditions must be fitted with a suitable means to de-ice sufficient conning position windows to provide unimpaired forward and aft vision.
• Humidity in the air from the heating system must be avoided in order to prevent window fogging and icing.
• The windows referred to above, shall be fitted with an efficient means of clearing melted ice, freezing rain, snow mist and sea spray from the outside and accumulated condensation from the inside. A mechanical means to clear moisture from the outside face of a window should have operating mechanisms protected from freezing or ice accumulation that could impair effective operation.
• Ensure individual heating to bridge windows remain on at all times (where fitted), when temperatures are below freezing. Drastic changes in temperatures created by a chill factor, may cause the glass to crack, due to thermal shock.Individual heaters in the wheelhouse to be kept on during winter, where fitted. If not fitted, portable heaters should be safely and adequately installed temporarily.
• Every effort shall be taken to prevent exterior windows from ice accretion.
• Drain the bridge window wash water line and leave drains open or use 45° C antifreeze window wash
• Ensure whistle and horn heater remain on at all times. Ensure compressed air is moisture free.
• Forward air horn heater should be kept on. Aft air horn line should be drained and kept empty at all times.
• Slack down all signal halyards.
• Continuously operate radar scanners. Where heaters are fitted, these must be kept on.
• Special attention should be taken to avoid freezing of navigation and deck lights.
• Switches for the duct heaters to be switched on (where fitted)
• Clear-view screens to be kept running when needed. Operate bridge window wipers from time to time to prevent freezing.
• A container of coarse salt to be kept readily at hand in the wheelhouse especially in pilotage waters to prevent slipping accidents.
• Search lights, port and starboard, to be functional.
• Ensure trace-heating to EPIRB is on. It comes on automatically by thermostatic control as the temperature drops below –2 degrees C.
• Engine control air should be free of moisture. Line passage through cable trunk should be protected from freezing

10. Ballast Operation

• Ensure that ballast water taken the tank is of sea water density or high salinity to avoid freezing.
• If fresh or brackish water is taken up, exchange at deep-sea where salinity is high before arriving in cold climate due to their higher susceptibility to freezing.
• If no heating is provided, ballast level should be dropped as low as safely possible.
• Operate heating systems in ballast tanks where fitted e.g. Bubble systems or heating coils.
• Use ship-specific procedures for handling ballast in very cold climates.
• Drain deck ballast lines thoroughly after use at the lowest point in the system.
• Protect valves and pressure gauges from freezing by using suitable grease and canvas covers.
• Use systems that prevent clogging/freezing of sea chest e.g. heating, hot water systems, and stream systems.

Factors to consider:

• Thick ice formation or complete blockage within vent pipes due to air frosting can occur. Keep the Ballast vents clear.
• It is unlikely that any sizeable tank will freeze solid since ice acts as an insulator. However, ice that cannot be discharged when the vessel is loading, causing the deadweight capacity to be reduced.
• If ice chunks fall from the tank sides after the discharge of the liquid ballast, they may damage coatings or components. The extent of the freezing in the ballast tank will depend on the salinity of the ballast water and the temperatures encountered.
• The salinity of the water will have to be controlled as per the local regulation for ballast water exchange requirements.
• Pour environmentally safe antifreeze liquid into sounding pipes to prevent freezing of water in the pipe. In severe winter conditions, where double bottoms are used for main engine internal cooling, stability calculations should be taken into account for resultant loss in stability, if required to slack the tanks.
• Keep ballast pumps running, if idle run sea to sea to avoid freezing of sea chest.
• Ensure steam to heating coils in freshwater tanks is cracked open (if fitted). Monitor temperatures of freshwater tanks at regular intervals.
• Ensure ballast hold vents are also kept clear at all times.

11. Cargo Hold

The following recommendations shall then be adhered to:

• Precaution of wash water line freezing.
• Cargo hold bilge wells are to be stripped dry. Ensure pipelines dry as well.
• Cargo hold heating guidelines are to be followed.
• Clear the hatch cover track ways, if ice accumulates over them due to snow fall. Keep adequate time in your planning for clearing track ways prior closing hatch covers upon completion of cargo.
• Avoid opening the hatch covers unless required. If required, partially open.

12. Cargo Tanks (For Tankers)

The Chief Officer must:

• Determine which cargoes are liable to solidify or approach pour points.
• Drain those cargoes to a tank with a large ullage.
• Drain all those steam heating coils on deck, which are not in use and blow the lines clear with ship's service compressed air.

13. Dos and Don’ts for Operation in Extreme Winter and Ice Region

(Content for this section was not provided in your input. If you have specific dos and don’ts, please provide them, and I can add them here with appropriate caution/note boxes as needed.)

DOs	DON'Ts
✔️ DO Inform office on voyage instructions to ice-covered ports. Check the vessel's ICE class notation and the CP restrictions.	❌ DON'T Enter ice if an alternative, although longer, open water route is available.
✔️ DO Check in advance the arrival and departure condition for the propeller immersion.	❌ DON'T Stop in ice.
✔️ DO Keep moving - even if very slowly.	❌ DON'T Have excessive speed to avoid ice damage.
✔️ DO Obtain ice reports regularly. Follow ice routing as per ICE advisor/coast stations/agents.	❌ DON'T Attempt navigation in pack ice in hours of darkness (especially without searchlights).
✔️ DO Post extra lookouts before entering the ice field. Enter the ice field only at a right angle to the field. Searchlights to be used.	❌ DON'T Go astern into unbroken ice.
✔️ DO Adjust course and speed to avoid heavy freezing sprays.	❌ DON'T Navigate close to Icebergs/growlers.
✔️ DO Ensure propeller immersion of 1 meter below the thickness of the ice.	❌ DON'T Be under the perceived commercial pressure. Keep the office well informed.
✔️ DO Check class certificate for recommended draft on ice class vessels.	❌ DON'T Execute a turn in heavy ice, seek lighter ice or open water pools.
✔️ DO Ask for ice breaker/Tug assistance as required. First ME kick must be AHEAD.	❌ DON'T Try out the engine in the astern movement in pack ice or if the propeller area is not clear of ice.
✔️ DO Comply with winter/cold weather checklist - guidance as per SMS.	❌ DON'T Solely rely on Radar to detect ice.