The ministry of Defence has the overall responsibility for the Danish Ice Service. Within the ministry this responsibility has been delegated to the Chief of Defence. Admiral Danish Fleet has been instructed to handle the Danish Ice Service.

The Ice Service consist of two separate services the Ice Reporting service and the Ice Breaking service .

The purpose of the Danish Ice Service is to assist shipping to and from Danish ports among these the most important supply and export ports, during ice conditions in the Danish waters within the Skaw.

The shipping is assisted as close as possible to their port of destination where the remaining icebreaking is taken over by the port’s own icebreaking resources.

When ice conditions begin to bother shipping Admiral Danish Fleet will commit the 2 naval icebreakers and charter icebreaking tugs as required to assist shipping in Danish waters.

Assistance is given according to the following priority:

- Ships in distress.
- Ships transporting live animals.
- Ships transporting passengers.
- Ships transporting cargoes of special importance.
- All ships in need.

As the naval icebreakers are not able to navigate the Limfjord west of Aalborg due to their draft Admiral Danish Fleet has a contract with a tug company to be standby for icebreaking in this area at the Ice Service disposal.