Enhancing Polar Code Survivability Beyond Minimum Standards

In the unforgiving polar regions, where rescue operations can stretch far beyond expectations, the IMO Polar Code sets a critical baseline for survival—but is it enough? As operators push deeper into Arctic and Antarctic waters amid climate-driven route openings, a December 2023 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) study highlights the risks of sticking to minimum standards. This post explores the problem, the evidence, and a practical solution: the White Glacier Arctic 10+ immersion suit, designed to bridge those dangerous gaps.

The Problem: When 5 Days Isn't Enough

The IMO Polar Code, effective since 2017, mandates life-saving appliances (LSA) and survival supplies to sustain life for the Maximum Expected Time of Rescue (METR), which must never be less than 5 days. Ship operators typically meet this with standard Personal Survival Kits (PSK) for individuals, Group Survival Kits (GSK) for collectives, and SOLAS-approved immersion suits.

However, real-world polar emergencies—especially in remote, ice-bound, or high-casualty scenarios—often exceed this 5-day threshold. Factors like vast distances, ice blocking surface vessels, harsh weather or seasonal limitations, helicopter refueling delays, and limited rescue capacity can turn a "quick" SAR into a prolonged ordeal. Relying solely on minimum provisioning risks inadequate thermal protection, caloric and hydration sustainment, and overall survivability, potentially undermining the Polar Code's goal-based functional requirements in Chapter 8.

Visualize the challenges: vessels beset in thick ice, far from help.

And research teams deploying in extreme Arctic conditions, where every delay counts.

Emerging Technologies and Approaches for In Situ, Autonomous ...

USCG Evidence: Independent Validation Through Simulation

A comprehensive USCG Research & Development Center study from December 2023, titled "Verify IMO Polar Code Survival Time Requirement: Arctic Search & Rescue Simulation Model," provides stark evidence. Using the Repast Simphony platform, it modeled six diverse Arctic SAR scenarios in the U.S. Arctic Area of Responsibility, incorporating historical AIS traffic, ERA5 weather data, NSIDC ice extent, and USCG assets.

Scenario	Description	Victims	Location/Season	METR Exceeds 5 Days?
2	Research vessel beset in ice	25	Near North Pole / October	Yes
5	Icebreaker abandonment	80	North of ice extent / Aug	Yes
Others	Open-water / near-shore	8–320	Various	No

Key findings from the executive summary:

• The 5-day METR baseline is adequate in open-water or near-shore scenarios with good helicopter access (e.g., Scenarios 1, 3, 4, 6).

• It falls short in remote, ice-bound, or high-victim cases (e.g., Scenarios 2 and 5), where METR exceeded 5 days in multiple iterations.

• Contributing factors include distance from assets, ice limiting vessels of opportunity (VOOs) or surface vessels, large victim loads overwhelming helicopter capacity, and weather/seasonal delays.

• Recommendation: Adopt standardized, repeatable METR calculation methods (like simulation models) in Operational Assessments to ensure realistic provisioning for Polar Ship Certificates and minimize inconsistencies.

The full 48-page public report is available through USCG channels or DTIC.mil (contact: Christine M. Mahoney, USCG RDC, Christine.M.Mahoney@uscg.mil).

These scenarios aren't hypothetical—here's a depiction of rescue efforts in icy waters.

White Glacier: Closing the Gap on Immersion Suits in Polar Waters ...

Practical Solution: The Arctic 10+ Immersion Suit

To mitigate these USCG-identified risks and better align with Polar Code goals, advanced immersion suits like the White Glacier Arctic 10+ go beyond minimum standards. Certified by USCG, MED, Transport Canada, and UK MCA (under SOLAS/LSA/MSC.81(70), ISO 24452, and Polar Code compliance), it offers:

• Industry-leading CLO insulation value of 4.87 (compared to typical suits at 2.0–2.5 or Inuit furs at ~4.0)—dramatically slowing heat loss in sub-zero water or air.

• Buoyancy: 33 lbs inherent, plus up to 100 lbs total with trapped air.

• Extended survival: Engineered for 10+ hours in extreme conditions (tested in Arctic/North Pole environments), with features supporting sleeping, eating, and temperature regulation via removable arms and a splash tent.

• Additional features: Multi-layer insulation, flame and abrasion resistance, quick donning, high-visibility panels—functioning as a personal habitat or life raft on water, ice, or land.

While PSK and GSK handle basics, the Arctic 10+ enhances individual protection to realistically extend METR, ensuring operators exceed baselines in remote operations.

See the Arctic 10+ in action: floating securely in polar waters.

A close-up of the suit's robust design.

And with the splash tent deployed for extended survival.

Call to Action: Elevate Your Polar Readiness

Flag states and Recognized Organizations should prioritize advanced LSA like the Arctic 10+ in Operational Assessments, surveys, and Polar Ship Certificate processes to truly fulfill Polar Code intent, backed by USCG evidence.

For technical specs, test data, or discussions, contact Diego Jacobson, CEO, White Glacier: djacobson@whiteglacier.com | +1 939-430-1264 | www.whiteglacier.com.

Disclaimer: This post is informational, referencing the public USCG study (December 2023). White Glacier products meet relevant standards; no USCG or IMO endorsement is implied.