Le Commandant Charcot's Classification
Deciphering what her class notations actually mean.
I originally published this without sending an e-mail notification last week. Instead, I embedded a link to it in my article comparing Commerical and MIL-SPEC icebreaker standards.
This week, I thought I’d send it out via e-mail list as only a handful of you actually clicked through to read it (you know who you are). This way, more of you can see some of the many classifications that apply to a modern vessel.
Here you go- Enjoy!
Le Commandant Charcot’s classifications:
This image is a screenshot from the Bureau Veritas (BV) page about Le Commandant Charcot, the French Polar Class 2 icebreaker that happens to be a luxury cruise ship.
You can find it yourself by clicking here, entering the ship name (or her IMO number, 9846249) and then clicking on the ship (view ship’s particulars).
I went through all of the BV’s Rules and Rule Notes (NR) and paraphrased the requirements from the cited document in order to provide a basic understanding of what the notations and symbols mean. I’ve deviated a bit from the listed order to group ‘like’ types of notations together.
You can pull up BV’s entire library here for the details.
Main Class symbols: I ✠ Hull ✠ Mach
(NR467 Part A Chapter 1 Section 2)
2.1.2 The class symbol I is assigned to ships built in accordance with the requirements of the Rules or other rules recognised as equivalent, and maintained in a condition considered satisfactory by the Society
3.1.2 One of the construction marks defined below is assigned separately to the hull of the ship and its appendages, to the machinery installation, and to some installations for which an additional classification notation (see [6] below) is assigned. The construction mark is placed before the symbol HULL for the hull, before the symbol MACH for the machinery installations, and before the additional class notation granted, when such a notation is eligible for a construction mark.
3.2.1 The mark ✠ is assigned to the relevant part of the ship, when it has been surveyed by the Society during its construction in compliance with the new building procedure detailed in Ch 2, Sec 1, [2.1], or when it is changing class from an IACS Society at ship's delivery or when class is being added to an IACS Society's class at ship's delivery in accordance with specific procedures.
Summary: Vessel was built in accordance with the rules of Bureau Veritas and is considered satisfactory. BV was involved both in the design and construction phases of the hull and machinery to ensure compliance.
Service Notations:
Passenger Ship and SRTP (Safe Return to Port):
(NR 467 Ch 4, Sec 6 and Part D, Chapter 11 for Passenger Ship. NR 598 for the SRTP requirements)
Charcot meets all of the SOLAS and BV standards for safe construction and operation of passenger ships, including the redundancy requirements to safely return to port following the loss of an engine room due to fire or flooding.
The SRTP requires an at-sea demonstration test, which Charcot carried out during her ice trials in 2021. Simulating a loss of one switchboard room, Charcot was able to achive a speed of more than 2 knots in 1.6m thick ice.
The following tests should be carried out by simulating the loss of one engine room or machinery space leading to the loss of one propulsion system and/or part of the electrical power system due to a fire or flooding casualty:
• Speed test, to verify the performance with only one propulsion system for SRTP. The results of this test with the relevant corrections for sea and wind conditions should be used to validate the design assumptions used for SRTP assessment. They should be properly recorded and kept on board, e.g. in the SRTP assessment report
• Turning circles with only one propulsion system at SRTP speed. The results of this test should be properly recorded and kept on board, e.g. in the SRTP assess ment report
• Availability of the systems required to remain functional during SRTP.
Icebreaker 3 (Bow), Icebreaker 4 (Stern):
(NR 527)
Charcot meets the BV’s requirements to achieve this icebreaker strength designation in both the astern and ahead directions. The icebreaker requirement requires additional hull strength and machinery requirements above and beyond Polar Class.
Icebreaker 1 to icebreaker 4 can perform unlimited ramming. See the chart below for specifics on the capabilities of icebreakers designed to this class:
POLAR CAT A:
(NR 527 Sec 4)
Charcot Meets all of the BV/IMO Polar Code requirements for POLAR CAT A.
Dualfuel:
(NR 529)
Charcot is fitted with engines capable of using both LNG and fuel oil.
Navigation Notation:
(NR467 Part A Ch 1 Sec 2)
Unrestricted Navigation is just as it sounds. It means that Charcot is intended to operate in any area at any time of the year.
Additional Class Notations:
Polar Class 2:
(NR 527)
Charcot meets the requirements for a Polar Class 2 vessel.
Cold (H-15, E-25):
(NR 467 Part F Ch 8 Sec 4)
Charcot meets all of the design requirements for ships intended to operate in cold weather. Specifically, the hull is designed to operate where the lowest mean daily average air temperature is -15C, with equipment designed for a lowest mean daily average air temperature of -25C.
COMF-NOISE 1, COMF-VIB 1:
(NR 467 Part F Ch 6)
Charcot meets the highest passenger comfort standard for onboard noise and vibration.
Electric/Hybrid (PM/ZE):
(NR 467 Part F Ch 14)
Charcot operates an Electic/Hybrid plant with an energy storage system that has a Power Management (PM) system and a Zero Emissions (ZE) mode.
AWT A/B, BWT, CLEANSHIP:
(NR467 Part F Chapter 9)
Charcot has an Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) plant that is sufficient for the maximum number of people on board and capable of treating both sewage and grey water to an effluent standard that meets the requirements for Alaska (A) and MARPOL special areas (B). Hence AWT A/B.
The BWT notation means that Charcot has a Ballast Water Treatment system that meets the requirements of the Internation Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments.
The CLEANSHIP notation means that Charcot complies with a host of environmental regulations and standards concerning the separation of waste streams, the handling of oily waste, the handling and storage of wastewater, the disposal of garbage and hazardous waste, the use of hull anti-fouling systems, the prevention of oil pollution, the use of refrigerants, the types of installed firefighting systems, and the emission of Sulphur oxides.
✠ AUT-UMS, ✠ AUT-PORT
(NR467 Part F Chapter 3)
As certified during design and construction, Charcot has automated systems enabling periodic unattended machinery spaces (AUT-AMS) and operation of the ship at anchor or in port without personnel assigned specifically to keep watch in the machinery spaces (AUT-PORT).
✠ VeriSTAR-HULL
(NR467 Part F Chapter 1)
This annotation means that a structural tridimensional analysis has been performed for Charcot’s hull structure.
INWATERSURVEY
(NR467 Part F Chapter 14 Sec 3)
This means that Charcot has submitted the necessary documentation, including diagrams and photos, to allow for periodic in water surveys instead of drydock surveys to meet some of the periodic survey requirements.
ERS-S
(NR 556)
This notation means that the classification agency, Bureau Veritas, has been contracted to provide a specific Emergency Response Survey (ERS) in the case of Charcot suffering an accident at sea. The ‘S’ means that BV will provide information about longitudinal strength and damage stability, specifically providing information concerning remaining hull strength and stability.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading. I think the parent article makes a very important point, namely that there is no significant difference in operational ability and survivability between commercial and USCG mixed-specification icebreakers. This deeper dive enables people to see the actual rules for the many certifications modern ships can receive based on their capabilities. Looking at the myriad of notations and rules helps to demonstrate just how Le Commandant Charcot is a special vessel.
Until next time.
All the Best,
PGR