2025 Polar Maritime Seminar
IMO and Norway's Chairship of the Arctic Council, in cooperation with the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Working Group of the Arctic Council (PAME), are organizing a Polar Maritime Seminar, co-sponsored by Norway as Chair of the Arctic Council, in cooperation with PAME.
Date: 23 and 24 January 2025
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and 9:30 am – 14.00 pm
Place: in person at IMO Headquarters, London.
The main topics on the provisional agenda at present include trends in Arctic and Antarctic vessel activity, voyage planning, the PAME project 'Review of the Polar Operational Limit Assessment Risk Indexing System (POLARIS)', search and rescue, training of seafarers for polar operations, and fishing vessel safety. Also on the provisional agenda are important topics concerning pollution prevention, preparedness and response including, measure to reduce underwater radiated noise from shipping, the behaviour of low sulphur fuels in cold water conditions, black carbon from ships, plastics pollution, arrangements for port reception facilities, and issues surrounding invasive species.
Please find more information in Circular letter No.4934 of 24 October 2024.
The seminar builds on the success of the previous seminar in 2022, when IMO and The Nautical Institute convened a Polar Maritime Seminar working closely with Arctic States and Antarctic States, together with other interested parties, with a particular focus on International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code), as well as fishing vessel safety.
IMO as an active Observer of the Arctic Council has continued to contribute to the work of the Arctic Council and has recognized the importance of cross–collaboration with the Antarctic.
Agenda
Please find the latest Provisional Agenda here with abbreviated version below:
Day 1, Thursday 23 January
10.00 – 11.00 - Session 1: Trends in Arctic and Antarctic Vessel Activity
10.45 – 11.00 - Discussion
11.00 – 11.20 - Coffee Break
11.30 – 12.15 - Session 2: Voyage Planning
12.05 – 12.20 - Discussion
12.20 - 13.00 - Session 3: Polar Operational Limit Assessment Risk Indexing System (POLARIS) Review
13.00 - 14.00 - Lunch
14.00 – 15.20 - Session 4: Search and Rescue
15.05 – 15.20 - Discussion
15.20 – 15.45 - Coffee Break
15.45-17.00 - Session 5: Polar Waters Training
16.45 – 17.00 - Discussion
17.00 - Closing Comments
End of Day 1
Day 2, Friday 24 January
09.30 – 10.45 - Session 6: Underwater Radiated Noise
10.30 – 10.45 - Discussion
10.45 – 13.00 - Session 7: Pollution Control Measures
11.15 – 11.30 - Coffee Break
Session 7 Continues
12.30 – 13.00 - Discussion
13.00 – 13.45 - Session 8: Fishing Vessel Safety / Cape Town Agreement
13.45 - Closing Remarks
End of Day 2
Registration and participation
Participation in the Polar Maritime Seminar is open to all IMO Member States and Associate Members, United Nations and specialized agencies, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in consultative status and, by invitation, to the representatives of Arctic Indigenous People's organizations, academic institutions and other organizations with an interest in polar shipping.
To participate, registration is required by 10 January 2025 using the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/jwWFaf2s6g. In case of any further queries, please contact the organizers at: polarseminar@imo.org.
Media wishing to attend, please contact: media@imo.org