The 2025 Polar Maritime Seminar, jointly organized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Norway’s Chairship of the Arctic Council, in collaboration with the Arctic Council’s Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment, concluded on 24 January at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) headquarters in London.
Heike Deggim, Director of the Marine Environment Division at IMO, said that “building on the success of the 2022 Polar Maritime Seminar, which resulted in deepened cross-collaboration between both Polar Regions this seminar has been a huge success.”
The seminar highlighted important issues for the safety of life at sea, and the protection of the polar Regions’ pristine environment, and the Arctic and its people, according to Deggim.
Over 200 participants representing nearly 100 countries and organizations gathered for two days of in-depth discussions focused on enhancing safety and sustainability in shipping activities across the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
The seminar addressed a wide range of critical topics, including recent developments in Polar shipping, trends in vessel activity within Arctic and Antarctic waters, voyage planning, search and rescue operations, training for polar waters navigation, and pollution control strategies.
Key issues such as mitigating underwater noise, improving fishing vessel safety, and utilizing the POLARIS risk management tool were also prominently featured.
In addition, the seminar emphasized the significance of collaboration with the Arctic Council to achieve these goals, with a particular focus on Norway’s leadership and the work of the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Working Group.
Siv Christin Gaalaas, Specialist Director at the Norwegian Ministry of Trade Industry and Fisheries, stated: “It is our obligation as responsible coastal and flag states to balance the opportunities the oceans provide us with and at the same time protect the marine environment in the vulnerable Polar areas. Promoting safe and sustainable shipping in Polar areas is a challenge we must continue to meet collectively and collaboratively through effective international cooperation.”
“The Polar Maritime Seminar has proved to be an exceptional platform for relevant stakeholders to come together to share experiences and best practices, and advance safe and sustainable shipping in Polar areas,” she added.
