The National Ice Center was established in 1995, when the U.S. Coast Guard joined the Navy/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Joint Ice Center.

The National Ice Center was established as an interagency comprised of three components: the Naval Ice Center, NOAA, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The World Meteorology Organization (WMO) system for sea ice symbology is frequently referred to as the "Egg Code" due to the oval shape of the symbol.

The Egg Code on the ice charts defines the concentration, stage of development, and forms of ice. Refer to the following links for more information: Egg Code and SIGRID.

The iceberg database, which includes icebergs only in the southern hemisphere, is updated weekly. The NIC is the only organization that names and tracks all Antarctic Icebergs.