GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Sep 6, 2026

Polar Code

A carrier planning to move containers across the Arctic must first show that vessel, equipment and crew meet the Polar Code.

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Last updated: 6 September 2026

Source: Frachtportal-News «Südkorea startet erste kommerzielle Container-Testfahrt über die Arktis» (24.08.2026); IMO, International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/polar-code.aspx)

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Definition & Explanation

A carrier planning to move containers across the Arctic must first show that vessel, equipment and crew meet the Polar Code. The Polar Code is the International Maritime Organization's International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters; it entered into force on 1 January 2017 and is made mandatory through the SOLAS and MARPOL conventions. It covers design, equipment, operations, crew training, search and rescue provisions and environmental protection in Arctic and Antarctic waters. Ships within its scope need a Polar Ship Certificate and a Polar Water Operational Manual setting out the permitted operational limits. It matters to forwarders because without that documentation neither the fixture nor the insurance cover for an Arctic voyage will come together. Not to be confused with ice class, which describes only the structural suitability of the hull.

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