Issued by the International Maritime Organization, on July 1, 2024, a heavy fuel oil (HFO) ban by all States will come into effect, but as the ban contains serious loopholes it will only address a small proportion of the heavy fuel oil currently in use in the Arctic. As a result, almost 75 per cent of HFO-fuelled ships currently operating will be able to continue using HFO until mid-2029.  Only a more robust regulation with no exemptions or waivers would result in a 100 per cent HFO ban in the Arctic and one that extends to include all Arctic waters north of 60°N. Arctic nations must put their own regulations in place and ban HFO use and carriage in their own Arctic waters ahead of the 2029 date.

To protect Arctic habitats as trans-Arctic shipping routes become navigable, it is necessary to urgently implement routing measures such as shipping lanes and traffic separation schemes. Tighter regulations on ship speeds are crucial to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prevent ship collisions with marine mammals and reduce underwater noise pollution. Managing underwater noise should be mandatory in the Arctic, as the voluntary guidelines developed by the International Maritime Organization in 2014 and revised in 2024 have proven largely ineffective. These mandatory guidelines should apply not only to protected areas but also to all areas with noise-sensitive marine life, including blue corridors, the important marine mammal migratory routes.