The number of ships operating in the Arctic reached a record high in 2025, according to new data from the Arctic Council's Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment, reports New York's Marine Link.

The group's Arctic Ship Traffic Data System recorded 1,812 unique ships entering the Polar Code area, a 40 per cent increase since 2013. Distances sailed rose 95 per cent to 11.9 million nautical miles.

September 2025 saw the highest traffic, with 1,060 ships entering the area, accounting for 58 per cent of the year's total. Fishing vessels made up 40 per cent of entries, followed by general cargo ships.

Crude oil tankers showed the largest growth, rising 396 per cent since 2013. Bulk carriers increased 156 per cent, while cruise ships rose 123 per cent.

Deputy Secretary Hjalti Hreinsson said natural resource projects were driving the rise. The Mary River Mine in Nunavut boosted bulk carrier traffic in Baffin Bay by 540 per cent, while Russia's Yamal LNG project introduced 15 custom-built carriers, raising gas tanker numbers to 40 in 2025.

Mr Hreinsson added that resource extraction and cruise tourism are reshaping Arctic shipping, with new projects expected to further impact traffic statistics.