What to Expect on an Arctic Voyage

Sailing the Northern Sea Route is unlike any other trade. Daylight stretches or disappears depending on the season, temperatures drop far below anything most seafarers have trained for, and the ship itself behaves differently — from deck machinery to mooring lines, everything needs a winterized routine.

Preparation starts long before the first ice sighting. Crews complete polar-water familiarization, review the Polar Code requirements with the ship's ice certificate, and walk through cold-weather drills: donning immersion suits, handling frozen fire lines, and keeping watch with an ice navigator on the bridge.

Daily life on board changes too. Outside work is planned in short rotations, hydration and rest matter more than usual, and the galley becomes the warmest social space on the ship. Experienced Arctic sailors will tell you the same thing: respect the cold, and it becomes manageable.

And then there are the views. Ice fields at sunrise, the northern lights on a clear night watch, and escort icebreakers cutting a channel ahead — moments most seafarers never forget.

BSI prepares crews for Arctic trading with targeted training and experienced officers on every rotation. If a polar voyage is on your career path, start with the basics: cold-weather safety, Polar Code awareness, and a mindset of careful, deliberate seamanship.