IMO committee debates cleaner fuel rules for Arctic shipping
As melting Arctic sea ice opens new maritime routes, four countries are pressing the International Maritime Organization to require cleaner fuels for ships operating in polar waters, aiming to curb black carbon emissions that accelerate ice loss.
Denmark, France, Germany and the Solomon Islands have submitted a proposal to the IMO’s Pollution Prevention and Response Committee, which met in London on February 9, calling for vessels sailing in the Arctic to use so-called polar fuels. These lighter distillate fuels generate less soot than the residual fuels commonly used in shipping.
The proposal comes as scientific data point to a worsening feedback loop between Arctic shipping and ice melt. Black carbon is a short-lived climate pollutant whose warming effect is more than 1,600 times stronger than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. When deposited on ice and snow, the dark particles reduce reflectivity, increasing heat absorption and speeding up melting.
December 2025 recorded the lowest Arctic sea ice extent ever observed for that month since satellite records began 47 years ago. At the same time, Arctic shipping activity has expanded rapidly, with the number of vessels entering waters north of the 60th parallel rising by 37 percent between 2013 and 2023, according to the Arctic Council. Black carbon emissions from ships in the region increased from 2,696 metric tons in 2019 to 3,310 metric tons in 2024, a rise of 47 percent.
Sian Prior, senior adviser to the Clean Arctic Alliance, said shipping emissions have a disproportionate impact in the Arctic, contributing to the loss of both sea and land ice with global consequences.
The proposal, known as PPR 13-6, would introduce an Arctic fuel measure under MARPOL Annex VI, applying to all ships operating north of the 60th parallel. Polar fuels would be defined by specific limits on density, viscosity and carbon residue to reduce soot emissions.
Russia has opposed the initiative, arguing that shipping’s contribution to Arctic black carbon is negligible and that more data on emissions and fuel quality are needed before new rules are adopted. The proposal also faces political headwinds after the administration of US President Donald Trump successfully delayed last year the introduction of IMO carbon pricing measures for shipping.
A ban on heavy fuel oil in Arctic waters that entered into force in 2024 has had limited impact due to broad exemptions allowing continued use until 2029.
Environmental groups view this week’s PPR 13 meeting as a critical moment. If approved, the measure could be forwarded to the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in April. The Clean Arctic Alliance has urged Arctic nations, particularly Norway, which flags around a quarter of Arctic shipping, to back the proposal.
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