AICC Action Items and Recommendations

January 24, 2002

 

Action Items:

 

∑      Formal letter to NOAA re: scheduling. A letter stating the funding decision time lines of other agencies and for making scheduling decisions is considered useful. (Chair in conjunction with Ship Scheduling Chair for UNOLS Chair signature)

∑      Formal recommendations from AICC need to be developed and made for:

o      Continuous underway Seabeam data collection

o      SDN/Computer technical support requirements

∑      Add scheduling information to AICC website including Simonπs procedure description for scheduling. (Office)

∑      Include discussion of ROV operations at future meeting.

∑      Include discussion of Radiation Use Policy at future meeting.

∑      Discussion of clearance procedures at next meeting. Work with State Department to ensure Coast Guard has the most accurate and up to date information for their cruise planning manual and procedures.

∑      AICC to put forth a formal letter of recommendations and the action item list will be for UNOLS and AICC members.

∑      Maintain active liaison with ARVOC.

∑      AICC to continue post cruise debriefs with two AICC members involved. Share with ARVOC as appropriate.

∑      Distill post cruise debriefs into action items/recommendations and submit to PIπs for review and then to Coast Guard/NSF.

∑      Update SOO information on the AICC Web Page.

∑      UNOLS office remove outdated Ship Time requests from system.

 

Recommendations:

 

∑      SeaBeam transducer survey ≠ recommendation to do this still stands, however it will most likely not be scheduled until the 2004 drydocking.

∑      .680 wire test ≠ this was done by CG and outside contractor (Interocean) ≠ recommend that documentation of the test procedures and results be kept available on board the ship in the wire record.

∑      Coast Guard should consider including information regarding the following areas in the cruise planning manual if they are not already there and perhaps highlight them if they are:

o      Coast Guard and NSF Data Policies.

o      Clearances and international planning issues, procedures, pre-cruise and post cruise responsibilities.

o      Guidance to assist Chief Scientists in dealing with native communities and others concerned governmental agencies in the Arctic. Sources of information and contacts.

o      Chain of Command and point of contact information.

o      List of key personnel and pending changes should be available on the web and in cruise planning documents.

o      Pre-Cruise questionnaire or planning forms.

o      Clear guidance on handling shipments of equipment to the ship in Seattle or foreign ports including limitations of cargo handling equipment for loading and unloading.

o      Clear specifications of what furnishings are provided by the Coast Guard in laboratories and what will be permitted in the way of modifications and outfitting by scientists.

o      Information on the computer network, what will be provided, what is supported and what scientists should be prepared to provide for themselves.

o      Information on the limitations of high latitude communications, what services will be provided and procedures for establishing Iridium accounts and others that might apply. Include info on email access, data transfer, internal communications, etc. Provide Iridium account registration as part of pre-cruise planning materials.

o      Information on supplies and materials for printers, plotters and other equipment that will be supplied or that should be provided by the science party.

o      Definitions of sea-keeping and station keeping capabilities, seasonal limitations and limitations on night time operations.

o      Diving procedures

o      Small Boat Operations, procedures and limitations

o      Helicopter operations, procedures, limitations and impacts on other operations.

o      Procedures for working on the ice during the day and for night time operations.

o      List of arctic equipment and personal gear scientists should bring, tips on working in the arctic and other basic information that would be useful especially for novices to the Arctic.

o      Medical information forms and requirements.

 

∑      The following science operations procedures should be addressed in pre-cruise planning materials or cruise meetings/briefings:

o      The importance of the nightly meetings, include key scientists from all groups on board and senior helicopter pilot.

o      The need to make known requirements for MST support as much in advance as possible, especially when 24 hour/day ops are planned.

o      Watch standing responsibilities, such as for 24 hour SeaBeam operation, monitoring key equipment such as freezers, SDN, etc.

o      Over the side operations that will need to be modified or done differently in heavy ice cover such as the CTD ops.

o      Limitations on operations in the dark on board and on the ice.

∑      Coast Guard should establish clear procedures regarding when and how scheduling and pre-cruise planning activities shift from Pac Area to the shipπs personnel and should ensure that both sides of the Coast Guard team are kept in the loop as planning progresses.

∑      Coast Guard should ensure that their procedures for submitting clearance requests and ensuring compliance with research permits is based on current guidance from the State Department. Copies of clearances should be available on board the ship in hard copy. Any changes to the cruise plan that impact the clearance should be transmitted to the State Department via Pac Area or to State Department, info Pac Area.

∑      Continue support for the best possible high-latitude communications possible, including Iridium, TDRSS/TILT, INMARSAT and others that may become available. Work with NSF, NOAA , NAVY and NASA as necessary to improve high-latitude high bandwidth communications.

∑      Consider providing a fully trained, full time computer network administrator on board HEALY.

∑      Evaluate lighting for night time operations.

∑      Maintain the wireless network for future use on two ship operations or for ship to shore connectivity as appropriate. (NSF, USCG)

∑      Consider better lighting in the cold room.

∑      Consider better heating in the port side hanger, possibly using portable heating.

∑      Examine the rotation schedule and assignment of MSTs to HEALY and the POLARS with the goal of maintaining better continuity for trained science support personnel.

∑      Consider an alternate method for reimbursement of meals by the science party, perhaps with a method where the funding agency or the PI is invoiced for the entire amount. If there is a process that is successfully used on the POLAR class icebreakers that addresses this concern, perhaps that process could be used on HEALY.

∑      Consider having NSF and/or other science funding agencies provide a supply of materials and spares for science support equipment such as printers, copiers, plotters, etc.

∑      NSF, USCG and other interested Federal Agencies determine the appropriate policy regarding requirements for physical exams and providing medical information to the Coast Guard.

∑      Formal pre-cruise meetings involving multiple PIπs and programs and/or multi-ship operations should be held and a formal record of agreements and MOUs should be kept and available to the Captain and Scientists on board during the affected cruises. Assignment of operational days and the division of shiptime during a cruise with multiple projects should be formally agreed to before the cruise starts.

∑      Coast Guard should include all interested Funding agencies and UNOLS office representative at icebreaker scheduling meetings.

∑      PIπs and Funding agency program managers should be informed in a timely manner when circumstances dictate changes to a ships science schedule.