In the Coast Guard’s continuing dialogue surrounding Arctic priorities, Coast Guard officials joined regional stakeholders on August 29, 2014 in Anchorage, Ala. to talk about the Polar Code, an international code for ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters.
“The International Maritime Organization Polar Code is a significant step toward protecting people and the environment in Arctic communities. It does this by layering risk-based requirements on top of the existing regulatory requirements for international commercial shipping,” said Capt. John Mauger, chief of the Coast Guard office of design and engineering standards.
“It was good timing for the meeting, as many stakeholders from the state of Alaska U.S. Arctic communities were in town to discuss the establishment of an Arctic Waterways Safety Committee,” said Mauger. “The establishment of an Arctic Waterways Safety Committee would complement the Polar Code by providing a venue for the development and dissemination of local knowledge to enhance safety of shipping and maritime activity in the U.S. Arctic.”
Alaska’s Channel 2, KTUU news published a video, Coast Guard Polar Code, from the August 29, 2014 meeting in Anchorage, Alaska.
The Coast Guard continues to host public workshops and provide key note speakers at Polar Code engagements. This outreach is important to educate stakeholders about the IMO Polar Code and solicit input for U.S. positions at IMO.
Here are links to other blog posts on the Polar Code and its development:
6/13/2014: International Maritime Organization-Polar Code
6/18/2014: Coast Guard outlines 2014 Arctic priorities
6/19/2014: Panel discussion on the 2015 Arctic Council
6/20/2014: U.S. Delegation lead on the development of the Polar Code speaks on the Arctic
8/15/2014: IMO Polar Code workshop: after-action report
8/15/2014: Polar Code workshop after-action: Status and overview
8/18/2014: Polar Code workshop after-action: Other international governances
8/18/2014: Polar Code workshop after-action: Coast Guard regional perspective
8/18/2014: Polar Code workshop after-action: Environmental considerations
This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.