DNV GL informs that Canada stopped its requirement for an Arctic Pollution Prevention Certificate and adopted the Polar Code as from December 2017. For this reason, compliance with the Polar Code is necessary for operators to enter into Canadian polar waters.
However, the Polar Code Certificate does not apply to all vessels yet. The reason for this is that, ships constructed before 1 January 2017 don’t have to comply with the Polar Code until first intermediate or renewal survey after 1 January 2018.
Thus, for any ship not yet required to be provided with the Polar Code Certificate, no document of compliance will be necessary to enter into Canadian polar waters, up until the time that the ships are required to comply with the Polar Code.
Moreover, the Canadian authorities did not amend their restrictions about Ice Class in Safety Control Zones, as these still apply to all ships.
Subsequently, DNV GL recommended operators to make sure that they have the required Polar Code certificates in place, when trading in Canadian polar waters.
