Russian Maritime Register of Shipping sets forth new standards for arctic vessels
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) sets forth new requirements for vessels operating in Arctic seas, the classification society announces in its press release.
The requirements relate to calculations for damage sitting and stability. The new requirements are to be put into effect in 2014.
“The development of arctic fields requires the construction of many icebreakers and ice-class vessels. Therefore, present shipbuilding needs technical standards making it possible to reduce construction expenses without prejudicing the security of vessels», Mikhail Aivazov, RS Director General, comments.
According to earlier RS requirements, icebreakers of 50 to 75 meters in length are to withstand damage of one compartment in inner skin areas, icebreakers of over 75 meters in length - two adjacent compartments. However, observations covering state-of-the-art icebreakers and ice-class arctic vessels deployed for icebreaking operations but not classified as icebreakers (like supply vessels) prove redundancy of the above requirements, the announcement says. Therefore, basing upon international practices, RS has elaborated new requirements for icebreakers and ice-class vessels classified as Icebreaker6 and Icebreaker7.
New requirements say that icebreakers, regardless of their length, should comply with damage stability criteria with one compartment damage. Arctic Icebreaker6 and Icebreaker7 class vessels deployed for icebreaking operations but not classified as icebreakers are to withstand a decreased ice damage involving, as a rule, only inner skin tanks and not penetrating into the compartment.
New regulations allow customers to introduce additional signs [1] or [2] for vessels complying with requirements to damage sitting and stability with the damage of one or two compartments.
New requirements are in keeping with international safety standards for vessels operating in polar waters (IMO Resolution А.1024(26), in particular), the statement says.
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) was founded in 1913. As one of the world's leading classification societies, RS provides classification and technical survey services and is actively involved in certification of products, production and services, as well as of management systems within the Russian and international certification systems.
