Polar Waters Training Now Mandatory for Navigating Officers

If you’ve never heard of “polar waters training,” you’re probably not alone — and for most Indian merchant navy officers, this circular genuinely will not change anything about their career. But if your company runs ships anywhere near the Arctic or Antarctic, or you’re eyeing a posting on an LNG carrier using the Northern Sea Route, this is a rule you need to know about before you get caught out.

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What the circular actually says

DGMA — India’s Directorate General of Maritime Administration, formerly known as DG Shipping before the Merchant Shipping Act 2025 renamed it — issued DGS Circular No. 13 of 2026 on 9 March 2026. Its subject line is straightforward: “Implementation of Amendments to the STCW Convention… related to Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Regulation V/4).”

In plain terms, this circular brings India’s certification requirements in line with the STCW Convention’s Regulation V/4, which governs training for officers working on ships that trade into polar regions. The core effect is this:

• Basic Polar Waters training becomes mandatory for all navigating officers serving on ships that operate in Arctic or Antarctic waters.
• Advanced Polar Waters training becomes mandatory specifically for Masters and Chief Mates on such ships.
• To hold the Advanced certificate, an officer must complete 2 months of qualifying polar sea service in addition to the training course itself.

This isn’t India inventing a new rule out of nowhere — it’s DGMA implementing an STCW amendment that flows down from the IMO’s Polar Code framework, which has been tightening requirements for polar-trading vessels for several years now. What Circular 13 of 2026 does is formalize how Indian officers meet that international requirement.

You can read the source circular directly on the DGMA website if you want the exact regulatory language — it’s published as a PDF under DGMA’s circular archive.

Who this actually affects

Let’s be honest about scope, because it’s easy for a headline like “mandatory training for navigating officers” to sound like it applies to every deck officer in the country. It doesn’t.

This circular is relevant to a fairly small subset of Indian seafarers:

• Officers currently serving, or being considered for postings, on ships that trade through the Northern Sea Route — increasingly used by certain LNG carriers and bulk carriers seeking shorter Asia-Europe routes.
• Officers on cruise ships or research vessels that operate seasonal itineraries into Arctic or Antarctic waters.
• Officers whose companies operate a mixed fleet where a polar-trading vessel might come up as a rotation option.

If none of the above describes your current or likely future assignment, this circular is background knowledge rather than an action item. Most Indian officers sailing standard container, tanker, or bulk trade routes between conventional ports will never need Polar Waters training in their entire career.

That said, if you’re early in your career and keeping your options open, it’s worth knowing the pathway exists — because if a polar-trading opportunity does come up (and these postings can carry a pay premium precisely because so few officers are qualified), you’ll know what’s required before you say yes.

Basic vs Advanced Polar Waters training — what’s the difference

The circular draws a clear line between two tiers:

Basic Polar Waters training applies to all navigating officers on a polar-trading ship, regardless of rank. This is the baseline requirement — if you’re on the bridge team of a ship operating in Arctic or Antarctic waters, you need it.

Advanced Polar Waters training is a higher tier required specifically for Masters and Chief Mates — the officers who carry command responsibility and passage-planning authority on these vessels. Advancing to this tier isn’t just a matter of sitting through a longer course: the circular specifies that the Advanced certificate requires 2 months of qualifying polar sea service, meaning actual time served on a vessel operating in polar waters, not just classroom or simulator hours.

This structure mirrors how STCW generally handles specialized certifications — a broad-based training requirement for everyone on board, and a deeper, experience-backed requirement for those holding command or watchkeeping authority at the top of the chain.

What to do if this applies to you

If you think you might be assigned to a polar-trading vessel, or your company has indicated interest in such postings, here’s the sensible sequence:

1. Confirm with your company’s training or crewing department whether the vessel you’re being considered for falls under the Polar Code’s operational scope. Not every northern-latitude route counts — the classification depends on ice conditions and the specific waters transited.
2. Check which tier applies to your rank. If you’re a junior officer, Basic training is likely your requirement. If you’re being lined up for a Chief Mate or Master’s role on a polar-trading ship, you’ll need to plan for Advanced training and the accompanying 2 months of qualifying sea service.
3. Identify an approved training provider. DGMA-recognized institutes offering Polar Waters courses will be listed through DGMA’s approved training centre channels — check directly with DGMA or your company’s training department for the current list, since approvals can be updated over time.
4. Read the circular itself. Because this is a narrow, technical requirement, don’t rely on secondhand summaries (including this one) for the fine print on exam formats or renewal cycles — go to the source PDF on the DGMA website and confirm details with your company before committing time and money to a course.

FAQs

What does DGS Circular 13 of 2026 actually require? It implements STCW amendments under Regulation V/4 relating to ships operating in polar waters. It makes Basic Polar Waters training mandatory for all navigating officers on such ships, and requires Advanced Polar Waters training for Masters and Chief Mates, with the Advanced certificate needing 2 months of qualifying polar sea service.

Who actually needs to worry about this circular? Only navigating officers who are serving, or plan to serve, on ships that operate in Arctic or Antarctic waters — for example certain LNG or bulk carriers using the Northern Sea Route, or cruise and research vessels on polar itineraries. Most Indian officers sailing standard international trade routes are not affected.

Where can I read the original circular? The full text is published by DGMA (formerly DG Shipping) as DGS Circular No. 13 of 2026, dated 9 March 2026, available as a PDF on the DGMA website. If you’re being assigned to a polar-trading vessel, ask your company’s training department to confirm the exact course and certification requirements before you sail.

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