An icebreaker cruise ship eased through a frozen surface in Greenland.

Footage captured by seafarer Ronnel Pagsibigan shows the Arctic expedition vessel navigating the icy waters to move closer to a polar bear.

The frozen surface can be seen cracking as the ship pushes forward in the direction of the animal, which the captain had reportedly spotted on July 14.

Ronnel said: 'At that time, our ship's captain spotted a polar bear and wanted to move our vessel a bit closer so our passengers could see it up close.

'Since our ship is an icebreaker cruise ship, it was truly amazing to witness how it broke through the ice in the polar region.

'It was awe-inspiring — but what's even more awe-inspiring is the natural world created by God, which we must protect and preserve for future generations.'

Icebreaker cruise ships are specially engineered vessels that can plow through thick polar ice, allowing travellers to explore the Arctic and Antarctic in comfort.

With reinforced hulls and powerful engines, they can break ice over two meters thick, navigating through some of the planet's most extreme environments.