Hapag-Lloyd Cruises said its
MS Bremen expedition ship has been certified as meeting the requirements of the
new Polar Code, scheduled to take effect in 2018.
It said the 155-passenger
ship is one of the first in the world to meet the strengthened code, which is
intended to increase the safety of ships that navigate ice.
All ships that operate in the
Arctic or Antarctica regions for the 2018 season will have to be certified as
compliant. The International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar
Code) -- adopted by the International Maritime Organization – has regulations
for ship construction, equipment and crew training.
The other ships in
Hapag-Lloyd's fleet will be brought in line with Polar Code requirements in
drydocks during 2017.