The reduction in sea ice in the Arctic has produced new routes for shipping, thereby increasing the amount of marine traffic that can transit through the area. Additionally, the Arctic has become a popular destination for cruise ships some of which are increasingly large capacity ships that are operating a great distance from search and rescue assets and other assistance. If a marine accident were to occur in the Arctic and people became exposed to the elements then the clothing they could use may not provide sufficient thermal protection while waiting for rescue. This paper contains the results from two studies. The first measured the amount of thermal protection provided by various clothing ensembles that could be used in a mass Arctic evacuation, which were then used to calculate predicted survival time (PST). The second study evaluated the length of time a person may be exposed to the environment if they were forced to abandon a vessel or installation at one of eight different locations in the Arctic. These exposure times are based on the range of times search and rescue assets would take to reach the individual. The results from these two previous studies were combined to provide recommendations for clothing ensembles for different locations in the Canadian Arctic while awaiting rescue. The estimated exposure time while awaiting rescue varied considerably, ranging from a minimum of 14 hours to a maximum of 261 hours. In certain conditions, the thermal protection provided by eight of the ten clothing ensembles tested was sufficient to delay death from hypothermia. However, it should be noted that if PST is greater than 36 hours then factors other than hypothermia are likely to result in death (e.g. drowning or dehydration). The majority of the ensembles did not provide a sufficient level of thermal protection to prevent death from hypothermia in less than 36 hours when wetted and exposed to wind. It is concluded that certain clothing ensembles that could be used during a marine accident in the Arctic would not provide sufficient thermal protection to survive exposure to the environment while awaiting rescue. This finding is particularly important given the relatively recent increase in marine traffic through the Arctic and the subsequent increase in the likelihood of a marine accident that may require abandonment and result in direct exposure to the environment.

Vous avez des questions? Nous pouvons vous aider. Pour communiquer directement avec un auteur, consultez la première page de la revue dans laquelle son article a été publié afin de trouver ses coordonnées. Si vous n'arrivez pas à les repérer, communiquez avec nous à PublicationsArchive-ArchivesPublications@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca. Questions? Contact the NRC Publications Archive team atPublicationsArchive-ArchivesPublications@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca. If you wish to email the authors directly, please see the first page of the publication for their contact information. NRC Publications Archive Archives des publications du CNRCThis publication could be one of several versions: author's original, accepted manuscript or the publisher's version. / La version de cette publication peut être l'une des suivantes : la version prépublication de l'auteur, la version acceptée du manuscrit ou la version de l'éditeur. NRC Publications Record / Notice d'Archives des publications de CNRC:http://nparc.cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/view/object/?id=af839bbf-9248-4c2f-bef9-f8a3da466a23 http://nparc.cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=af839bbf-9248-4c2f-bef9-f8a3da466a23 This paper presents an analysis of local ice loads measured during full-scale field trials conducted in 2014 with a totally enclosed motor propelled survival craft (TEMPSC) in controlled pack ice conditions. These data were collected as part of an ongoing research program that aims to identify the limitations of conventional TEMPSC operating in sea ice environments and to provide insight as to how these limitations might be extended. During the 2014 trials, local ice loads were measured at two locations on the TEMPSC's bow area. These loads were the most severe measured to date and corresponded to an average ice floe mass that was approximately 1.25 times the mass of the fully loaded TEMPSC. The event-maximum method of local ice pressure analysis was used to analyze these field data to improve understanding of the nature of ice loads for such interactions and to evaluate the suitability of this approach for design load estimation for TEMPSCs (i.e., lifeboats) in ice. The event-maximum method was adapted for the present application, so as to link exceedance probabilities with design load levels for a given scenario. Comparison of the 2014 results with a previous analysis of 2013 field trials data supports earlier conclusions that these interactions are highly influenced by kinetic energy, since more massive ice floes are observed to impart significantly higher loads on the lifeboats. Illustrative examples examining the influence of ice concentration and sail-away distance have also been provided. The work establishes links between extreme loads and the exposure of the lifeboat to ice for different operating conditions. Based on this work it is concluded that the event-maximum method provides a promising approach for establishing risk-based design criteria for lifeboats if field data are available which adequately represent ice conditions encountered during the design life of ...

Field testing of a modified Totally Enclosed Motor Propelled Survival Craft (TEMPSC) was conducted in March 2013 in managed level ice conditions. This testing was part of a multi-year trials program, conducted by the National Research Council (NRC), which aims to investigate design considerations for a conventional TEMPSC operating in ice. During the March 2013 testing campaign, the TEMPSC was equipped with a side impact panel and bow visor, both instrumented with load cells to measure local ice impact forces. The resulting local ice load measurements taken during this field trials campaign are presented and the operational performance is discussed. This was the first year during the trials campaign in which local loads on the stem were measured and recorded. The results of this set of field trials could be useful to support the implementation of new TEMPSC design considerations to allow for better performance in harsh, northern conditions. It could also provide operational insight to promote more effective and low stress navigation through ice conditions.

Increased resource exploration and transportation in the Arctic has catalyzed the evaluation of equipment and procedures to determine their suitability for ice covered waters. Remote operating locations and harsh physical environments present new operational challenges and increased complexity that must be addressed to ensure environmental and personnel safety is not compromised. Emergency response in sea ice is a specific area that must be assessed to ensure that personnel are able to escape, evacuate, and be rescued in conditions that will be experienced during operations in the north. Regulators will expect that operators will be able to demonstrate that lifeboats can be safely launched and that the craft can navigate to a safe zone for rescue of personnel. The paper describes an investigation into the operability of conventional lifeboats in pack ice conditions. The investigation was based on field trials of a small Totally Enclosed Motor Propelled Survival Craft (TEMPSC) lifeboat that was operated in a range of controlled pack ice conditions. The study focused on observing how operators with different levels of experience and backgrounds operated in ice, how their behaviors impacted their ability to maneuver through the ice field and the impact on the vessel and crew. Participants in the trials had different levels of experience operating in ice and in small crafts. The coxswains who participated in the investigation had a range of operational experience with vessels in ice, including operators who have worked aboard icebreaking vessels, but with limited experience operating in small vessels, and operators with experience operating small vessels, but with limited experience operating in ice. During the field trials, coxswains employed different tactics for advancing through ice. The outcomes of the study were used to analyze the impact of different driving techniques on the ability of the coxswain to successfully maneuver through ice and the impact of driving style on vessel integrity and crew comfort. The results of the study assess the tactics which can be employed by coxswains in different ice concentrations and the outcomes can be used to define learning objectives for training programs designed to prepare coxswains for emergency operations in ice covered waters.

Polar navigation entails challenges that affect the continuation of ship operations in severe ice conditions. Due to ice-propeller interaction, propulsion shafting segments are often at a high risk of failure. Efficient methods for shaft line design are hence needed to ensure the safety of ice-going vessels and propulsion reliability. To this end, full-scale measurements have proven essential to support the development of ship-design tools and updated safety regulations for ice-going vessels. This paper presents a unique integrated measurement system that employs measuring equipment to monitor Polar-Class vessel performance and shaft line dynamics during ice navigation. The system was installed on board the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) icebreaker Henry Larsen. This experimental concept aims to monitor the shaft’s torque and thrust fluctuations during ice navigation to obtain information about the ship’s propulsion efficiency. In the paper, we describe the arrangement of the measurement system and the components it features. Finally, we present preliminary datasets acquired during two icebreaking expeditions. This work is framed into a broader research project, which includes the long-term objective to determine a correlation between sea ice conditions and the dynamic response of shaft lines.