International maritime regulators approved tougher rules for Arctic shipping as traffic increases along northern routes. The measures include stricter fuel standards, mandatory tracking, and clearer requirements for emergency response equipment in remote waters.

Shipping companies see opportunity in shorter transit times. Environmental groups see danger in a region where an accident can be catastrophic and cleanup is slow. Officials say the new rules are a compromise—stronger than voluntary guidance, but not as restrictive as some advocates wanted.

Scientists warn that ice variability is the wild card. Routes that look navigable one week can become hazardous the next, raising the importance of real-time data and well-trained crews.