During week 9 the first test courses, named Polar Code Course, Basic and Advanced, was completed in cooperation with the Linnæus University in Kalmar.
The course covers all requirements in the IMO Polar Code, which will be mandatory as of 1 January 2017. The course has been developed in close cooperation with Kalmar Maritime Academy as part of a cooperation agreement named Ice Academy.
Both the Swedish and Danish Maritime Administrations were present during the course in order to review the implementation and content of the course.
-The test course went very well and both the Danish and Swedish authorities were satisfied. Whether the Polar Code Course is approved will however not be decided until May, when IMO concludes on the requirements for Polar Code courses, says Jan Persson, coordinator for Polar Code Traning within Viking Ice Consultancy. Should the course be approved by the IMO, Viking Supply Ships and the Kalmar Maritime Academy will be the first to offer approved Polar Code courses globally.
-Safeguarding our personnel and protecting the environment in cold climates are amongst our main tasks and responsibilities. Implementing the new Polar Code will be an important part of this work, says Andreas Kjol, Project Director in Viking Ice Consultancy.
Viking Supply Ships A/S is a subsidiary of Viking Supply Ships AB (publ). The operations are focused on offshore and icebreaking primarily in Arctic and subarctic areas.