Antarctic Treaty (1959)

Signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by twelve nations and in force 23 June 1961, the Antarctic Treaty applies to the area south of 60 degrees South latitude. It reserves the continent for peaceful and scientific use, prohibits military activity and nuclear testing, and freezes territorial claims. The wider Antarctic Treaty System adds instruments such as the 1991 Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection. For shipping, the southern operating area overlaps the zone where the IMO Polar Code imposes structural, equipment, and operational requirements.