Safety package ready for shipping companies: Focus on safe navigation in Arctic regions 

In connection with the approaching season for cruise ships embarking on voyages in the high North, the Danish Maritime Authority has – in cooperation with the Island Command Greenland and the Danish Meteorological Institute – made a safety package containing information about safety regulations and international recommendations. The safety package draws attention to the special conditions that apply when navigating in Arctic or Greenland waters. Thus, one of the most important recommendations is that cruise ships should sail in pairs of two or more so that they can assist each other if so needed. In Arctic regions, the closest rescue station may be far away so it is a good idea to sail in pairs.

Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority Andreas Nordseth says:

”Preventive measures are crucial to maritime safety and protection of the marine environment. Consequently, it is important to follow the recommendations on navigation in polar areas adopted by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) and to use the experiences passed on here by the Danish and Greenland authorities. The new safety package provides an overview of and helps ensure that the recommendations are available in a packaged and easily accessible form.”

The safety package is available from this link.

In order to spread awareness about the safety measures to be taken when navigating in Arctic regions, the Island Command Greenland will send the safety package to ships reporting their arrival in the mandatory reporting system GREENPOS, and the Danish Maritime Authority will hand over the safety package during inspections of relevant ships.

Furthermore, the IMO is, at present, in the process of drawing up a Polar Code the aim of which is to adopt mandatory regulations aimed at navigation in polar areas (the Arctic and Antarctic regions).