Arctic sea ice remains well below average this December with some regions having thinner ice than previous years. In the Antarctic, the pack is retreating toward its summer minimum after a historically low winter maximum. These conditions generate shorter and more unstable navigation windows for polar shipping routes. Starting on 1 January 2026, the new IMO Polar Code amendments linked to safety and voyage planning will come into force.
Polar Code updates
Remember that the IMO Polar Code amendments from Resolution MSC 538 107 are coming into force in 2026. With effect 1 January 2026, the Polar Code is expanding its scope to include cargo ships between 300-499 GT, pleasure yachts > 300 GT and fishing ships 24m and above. Ships built after this date must comply immediately and the compliance date for ships built before is 1 January 2027. The new amendments to the Polar Code are in Chapter 9 on Safety, Chapter 11 on Voyage planning. The modifications include navigational equipment, ice detection, detailed voyage plans with places of refuge and so on. These amendments are operationally tailored to polar conditions with the goal of increasing global safety as shipping is growing in these ice-covered regions.
Conditions
As the sea ice season starts in the northern hemisphere, BIMCO is here to help with ice information and polar operations. In the Arctic, the sea ice reached a record low maximum earlier this year . In November, this trend continued as “the average sea ice extent was 9.1 million km², 1.2 million km² below the 1991–2020 average” . Currently, in the Barents Sea, Baffin Bay and Kara Sea there is reduced and thin ice coverage, compared to other regions such as Ob Bay where sea ice is thicker. It is predicted that sea ice will have a continued below average coverage through winter.
In the Antarctic, the ice pack is diminishing. Earlier this year, sea ice reached a near record low with the seventh smallest winter maximum on record . It is predicted that the above average Antarctic temperatures raise the risk of another low summer minimum in February–March 2026.
It is important to remember that seasonal sea ice formation is largely based on short-term winds and ocean heat transport. You should anticipate volatile conditions and prioritise real-time data. If you are planning voyages in the polar regions, we recommend you check our Ice Information page (member login required). This page covers ice reports from various regions in the world as well as other relevant information regarding basic guidance on the Egg Code , the Polar Code and understanding ice navigation.
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