On 16 December 2025, BIMCO published an industry advisory focusing on current polar sea ice conditions and upcoming regulatory changes to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Polar Code that will come into force in early 2026. The update highlights the evolving patterns of sea ice in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions and outlines how these changes, combined with revised safety requirements, will impact polar shipping operations.
Polar Ice Conditions: Arctic and Antarctic Overview
Arctic sea ice levels for December remain well below long-term averages, with thinner and more fragmented ice observed in several key areas, including the Barents Sea, Baffin Bay and the Kara Sea. At the same time, some regions continue to experience heavier concentrations, underscoring the uneven and increasingly unpredictable nature of ice formation. In the Antarctic, the ice pack is retreating toward its seasonal minimum following a year of below-average extent, resulting in shorter and less stable navigation windows for ships operating at high latitudes.
The update stresses that these variable ice conditions increase the importance of real-time ice intelligence and adaptive voyage planning. Short-term climatic influences can rapidly alter navigational conditions, making reliance on historical patterns alone insufficient for safe operations. BIMCO therefore reiterates the need for operators to integrate up-to-date ice charts, forecasts and routing guidance into voyage decision-making.
Polar Code Amendments Effective 2026
Alongside the operational outlook, BIMCO highlights significant amendments to the IMO Polar Code that will enter into force on 1 January 2026. The revised framework expands the Code’s applicability to include additional vessel categories, notably cargo ships between 300 and 499 gross tonnage, pleasure yachts above 300 gross tonnage, and fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and above. These changes are intended to close regulatory gaps and improve safety standards across a broader range of ships operating in polar waters.
The amendments also strengthen requirements related to safety and voyage planning, particularly with respect to equipment standards, ice detection capabilities and the development of detailed voyage plans. Operators will be required to identify suitable places of refuge and account for polar-specific risks when planning routes. While newbuildings delivered from 1 January 2026 must comply immediately, existing vessels will generally have until 1 January 2027 to meet the updated requirements.
BIMCO’s briefing underlines that polar shipping is becoming both more accessible and more regulated. As ice conditions grow increasingly variable and regulatory oversight expands, shipowners and charterers will need to balance commercial opportunities with enhanced safety, compliance and risk management measures when operating in polar regions.
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Source: BIMCO
