This document establishes the principles, specifies the requirements and provides guidance for ice management (IM) in arctic and cold regions, from the point of view of planning, engineering, implementation and documentation. Reference to arctic and cold regions in this document is deemed to include both the Arctic and other regions characterized by low ambient temperatures, sea ice, icebergs and icing conditions. These regions are often remote and lacking in marine and communications infrastructure.

Ice management to support the following in-ice activities and infrastructures are covered by this document:

— floating moored and/or dynamically positioned drilling vessels, coring vessels, production facilities and work-over vessels;

— construction and installation (includes trenching, dredging, pipe laying);

— tanker loading and other offloading operations;

— protecting subsea structures and equipment;

— seismic operations;

— oil spill response;

— bottom founded structures (fixed platforms and movable structures, including jack-ups).

This document also applies to mobilization, demobilization and construction support services, because these can be affected by ice conditions.

In view of the wide range of possible offshore operations in arctic and cold regions, this document provides guidelines, but does not present typical ice management plans for field operations.

This document does not provide requirements, recommendations or guidance pertaining to the design of structures, systems and components used in ice management, beyond the principles given. This document does not provide specific formulations for ice loads, which are covered by ISO 19906.

This document is not applicable to coastal port operations and to commercial trading vessels conducting transit or convoy operations.