The International Maritime Organization has released a new visit explaining the significance of the Polar Code and its impact on shipping.
The Polar Code entered into force on 1 January 2017, setting out mandatory standards that cover the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training and environmental protection matters for ships making polar voyages. These new rules go above and beyond existing IMO requirements such as those governing prevention of pollution from ships (MARPOL) and safety of life at sea (SOLAS).
To make the new film, an IMO team visited the Ocean Diamond on a voyage to Antarctica to find out at first-hand what the Code means for ships like this. As Ocean Diamond’s captain Oleg Klaptenko explains, operating in Polar waters is the ultimate test of his ship, and his skills as a professional seafarer.
“There are several sources of danger. Low temperature, bad visibility, very long polar night and polar day. Remoteness from our home and from human facility that can help you. It is also lack of good, accurate and complete hydrographic service,” says Captain Klaptenko.
With more and more ships navigating in polar waters, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – the United Nations agency with responsibility for regulating the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of pollution from ships – has addressed international concern about the protection of the polar environment and the safety of seafarers and passengers.
European Union diplomats said they expect to reach a deal during an EU summit this week on an 18th package of sanctions against Russia, which Slovakia and Hungary are using as a bargaining chip for concessions on Russian energy.
Israel and Iran appeared to be honoring a ceasefire agreement unexpectedly announced by US President Donald Trump overnight, after the American leader reacted angrily to early breaches of the deal by both sides.
U.S. strikes on several Iranian nuclear sites represent a meaningful escalation of the Middle East conflict that could lead Tehran to disrupt vital exports of oil and gas from the region, sparking a surge in energy prices. But history tells us that any disruption would likely be short-lived.
June 23, 2025
Total Views: 1013
Get The Industry’s Go-To News
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
— just like 109,348 professionals
Secure Your Spot
on the gCaptain Crew
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
— trusted by our 109,348 members
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.