Ice class yachts

What ice class means for a yacht, the two systems you will meet, the Polar Code change of 2026 and the yachts that state a class.

Checked 9 October 2026

Ragnar, 68.2 m yacht converted by Icon Yachts
Ragnar, 68.2 m yacht converted by Icon Yachts

Ice class is a rating saying a hull is strengthened for ice. Two systems matter for yachts: the Finnish-Swedish classes, from IA Super (design level-ice thickness 1.0 m) to IC (0.4 m) (Traficom), and the IACS Polar Classes PC1 to PC7 for polar waters (IACS). Many explorer yachts state only an "ice-class hull" or no ice notation at all.

Ice class is optional for an explorer yacht (YachtBuyer). Where a yacht's notation is published, it is in the cards below, in the words of the source; Traficom keeps the current list of Finnish-Swedish classes (Traficom).

1.0 m
Level ice for Finnish-Swedish IA Super
PC1–PC7
IACS Polar Classes
2017
Polar Code in force
300 GT
Minimum size of yachts covered by the 2026 Polar Code chapters

Yachts and their stated ice class

As the source states it. "Not confirmed" means no notation in a checked source.

Planet Nine, 73.2 m yacht built by Admiral

Explorer

Planet Nine

Length
73.2 m
Builder
Admiral
Year
2018
Range
More than 10,000 nm at 10 kn
Ice class
Lloyd's Register Ice Class 1D
Yersin, 76.6 m yacht built by Piriou

Expedition

Yersin

Length
76.6 m
Builder
Piriou
Year
2015
Range
15,000 nm at 11 kn
Ice class
Bureau Veritas Ice Class IC
Hanse Explorer, 48 m yacht built by Fassmer

Expedition

Hanse Explorer

Length
47.76 m
Builder
Fassmer
Year
2006
Range
5,000 nm at 12 kn (Fassmer)
Ice class
DNV E3 (Germanischer Lloyd E3 as built)
Legend, 77.4 m yacht converted from a 1974 tug by Icon Yachts

Explorer (conversion)

Legend

Length
77.4 m
Builder
IHC Verschure (1974 tug); conversion Icon Yachts
Year
1974
Range
7,640 nm (speed not stated)
Ice class
Lloyd's Register Ice Class 1A (Icon Yachts); built as a Class 1 icebreaker
Ragnar, 68.2 m yacht converted by Icon Yachts

Explorer (conversion)

Ragnar

Length
68.2 m
Builder
Royal Niestern Sander (built 2012 as Sanaborg); converted by Icon Yachts
Year
2012 (converted 2020)
Range
Not confirmed
Ice class
Bureau Veritas Ice Class 1A Super, Polar Cat-C (Icon Yachts); Conoship cites design to "Polar code 5"
Octopus, 126.2 m yacht built by Lürssen

Explorer

Octopus

Length
126.2 m
Builder
Lürssen
Year
2003
Range
12,500 nm at 12 kn
Ice class
Ice-class 1A hull (full notation not published)
REV Ocean, 194.9 m research and expedition yacht by Vard (rendering)Render

Expedition / research

REV Ocean

Length
194.9 m
Builder
Vard
Year
In build; completion scheduled Q4 2026 (Vard, Mar 2025)
Range
21,120 nm at 11 kn
Ice class
Polar Class 6; hull designed to comply with DNV-GL Ice PC6 notation (YachtBuyer, quoting Vard)

The Polar Code and yachts: the 2026 change

The IMO Polar Code has been in force since 1 January 2017 and certifies ships in categories A, B and C (IMO). Until 2026 its safety chapters did not reach private yachts.

Resolution MSC.532(107), which amends SOLAS chapter XIV, changed that: from 1 January 2026 new pleasure yachts of 300 GT and above not engaged in trade must meet the Polar Code chapters on safety of navigation (9-1) and voyage planning (11-1) when operating in polar waters; existing yachts must comply by 1 January 2027 (IMO, ABS). The chapters themselves were added to the Polar Code by Resolution MSC.538(107) (ABS). The rules cover navigation and planning, not hull strength.

When a listing says "ice-class hull", ask which notation, from which classification society, and whether the yacht holds a Polar Ship Certificate. Among the yachts in our list, Yersin is Bureau Veritas Ice Class IC (Piriou) and Planet Nine is Lloyd's Ice Class 1D (Boat International).

Ice classes compared

Finnish-Swedish classes by design thickness of level ice; IACS Polar Classes by their official description.

SystemClassDesigned for
Finnish-SwedishIA Super1.0 m of level ice1
Finnish-SwedishIA0.8 m of level ice1
Finnish-SwedishIB0.6 m of level ice1
Finnish-SwedishIC0.4 m of level ice1
IACS Polar ClassPC1Year-round operation in all polar waters2
IACS Polar ClassPC2Year-round operation in moderate multi-year ice conditions2
IACS Polar ClassPC3Year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions2
IACS Polar ClassPC4Year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions2
IACS Polar ClassPC5Year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions2
IACS Polar ClassPC6Summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions2
IACS Polar ClassPC7Summer/autumn operation in thin first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions2

Polar Class descriptions are quoted from IACS UR I1. The small numbers are sources in the list at the bottom.

Questions

What are ice class boats?
Ships whose hull, and often machinery, is built to rules for operation in ice; the class is certified by a classification society, while the Finnish-Swedish classes are set by the Finnish and Swedish authorities. The class says what ice the ship is designed for: in the Finnish-Swedish system by thickness of level ice, from 1.0 m for IA Super to 0.4 m for IC (Traficom); in the IACS Polar Classes by season and ice type, from PC1 to PC7 (IACS).
What does ice class 1A Super mean for a yacht?
It is the highest Finnish-Swedish ice class (written IA Super in the Finnish rules and 1A Super in Sweden), designed for 1.0 m of level ice (Traficom). These classes were written for ships trading in the northern Baltic Sea (Traficom); for polar waters the IACS Polar Classes apply (IACS).
Does the Polar Code apply to private yachts?
Partly, and only recently. The Polar Code has been mandatory since 1 January 2017 (IMO). Amendments in force from 1 January 2026 apply its chapters on navigation safety and voyage planning to pleasure yachts of 300 GT and above not engaged in trade; existing yachts must comply by 1 January 2027 (IMO MSC.532(107), ABS).
Do I need an ice-class hull to visit Greenland or Antarctica?
Not always: ice class is optional for explorer yachts (YachtBuyer), and the Polar Code's Category C covers ships designed for operation in open water or in ice conditions less severe than those of Categories A and B (IMO). What you need depends on the season and the ice you expect; the Polar Class descriptions above show which ice each class is designed for.
Which explorer yachts have a Polar Class?
Few publish one. YachtBuyer lists REV Ocean, still in build, as Polar Class 6 (YachtBuyer). For Ragnar, the converter Icon Yachts lists Bureau Veritas Ice Class 1A Super with Polar Cat-C (Icon Yachts), while the naval architect Conoship cites design to "Polar code 5" (Conoship). Many yachts in our list state only an ice-class hull or no notation at all.
Is a Swedish ice class table the same as the Finnish-Swedish rules?
No. The Swedish Maritime Administration table gives, for each class, the ice conditions it is meant for navigation in (0.15–0.3 m for 1C, over 0.6 m for 1A Super) and the dates when traffic restrictions normally start by class and deadweight; these figures are not the design level-ice thicknesses of the Finnish-Swedish rules (0.4 m for IC, 1.0 m for IA Super) (Swedish Maritime Administration).

More on Explorer Yachts

Sources (25)
  1. Traficom: Ice class regulations (Finnish-Swedish ice classes) 1 Jul 2021
  2. IACS UR I1: Polar Class descriptions and application, Rev.2 Apr 2016
  3. Traficom: Ice classes of ships updated 28 Jul 2026
  4. Boat International: Planet Nine 17 Sep 2021
  5. Piriou: Yersin (length/class/range)
  6. Boat International: Yersin (year/expedition) 6 Jun 2024
  7. Fassmer: Hanse Explorer
  8. Boat International: Hanse Explorer (expedition)
  9. Boat International: Legend (length/builder/explorer)
  10. Fraser: Legend (range)
  11. Icon Yachts: Legend (conversion/ice)
  12. Icon Yachts: Ragnar (built 2012 as Sanaborg, BV class notation)
  13. Conoship: Ragnar (length, "Polar code 5") 7 Jan 2020
  14. Conoship: Sanaborg (builder, delivery, conversion to Ragnar) 3 Feb 2012
  15. Boat International: Octopus 25 May 2022
  16. YachtBuyer: Octopus (length/refit 2024)
  17. Boat International: Octopus (top-10)
  18. YachtBuyer: REV Ocean (length/range/ice)
  19. Vard: REV Ocean (status) 18 Mar 2025
  20. IMO: International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) accessed Oct 2026
  21. IMO: Resolution MSC.532(107), amendments to SOLAS chapter XIV (ships operating in polar waters) adopted 8 Jun 2023
  22. ABS Regulatory News: Amendments to the Polar Code Nov 2025
  23. YachtBuyer: What is an expedition or explorer yacht? updated 10 Jul 2024
  24. Swedish Maritime Administration: Ice classes and requirements updated 16 Mar 2026
  25. DNV Vessel Register: Hanse Explorer (IMO 9346110, class and ice notation) accessed 16 Oct 2026