On the sidelines of the IHO Assembly 4, the Arctic Regional Hydrographic Commission (ARHC) and the Arctic Council's Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) jointly issued an updated advisory: Caution Required When Navigating in Arctic Waters. The updated note is aimed at mariners and stakeholders in Arctic shipping and builds on an ARHC cautionary note first published in 2017.
Why the need for updated guidance is growing
The original note was issued by the ARHC in 2017 to highlight the particular navigational challenges posed by lacking hydrographic data coverage in Arctic waters. Since then, vessel traffic in the region has grown and navigational technology has evolved. The 2026 update reflects these changes and is the result of structured cooperation between the ARHC and PAME, guided by a Memorandum of Understanding between the two bodies.
The Kingdom of Denmark participates in the ARHC through the Danish Geodata Agency, which contributes expertise in hydrographic surveying and nautical charting for Greenlandic waters.
What the advisory covers
The updated note reminds mariners that despite continued progress in Arctic hydrographic surveying, large parts of the region still lack adequate data, whether navigating by paper chart or digital systems. From 2026, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has authorised S-100-capable Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) on SOLAS vessels, but the advisory stresses that even state-of-the-art tools are only as reliable as the underlying data, which in parts of the Arctic remains limited.
Practical guidance in the advisory includes thorough voyage planning, familiarity with the Polar Code and STCW training standards, the use of local ice knowledge, and prompt reporting of uncharted hazards or chart discrepancies to the relevant national hydrographic office.
The full advisory is available on our website navigational.gl, and is soon to be published in the relevant nautical publications (Greenland Pilot / Den grønlandske Lods).