The International Maritime Organization's (IMO's) Polar Code went into effect on 1 January 2017 for all new vessels built on or after that date. As of 1 January of this year, it applies to all existing vessels as well, expanding the scope of the regulation as Arctic activity continues to grow. Adopted by the IMO in 2014 and 2015, the requirements contained in the Polar Code were added to existing IMO conventions, Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), as a recognition of the hazards and conditions unique to polar waters, as well as an expected increase in traffic in the Arctic and Antarctic.
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