Draft revised Guidelines for reducing underwater noise from commercial shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life have been agreed upon by the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 9), which met on 23-27 January.
The draft guidelines recognize that commercial shipping is one of the main contributors to underwater radiated noise (URN) which has adverse effects on critical life functions for a wide range of marine life, including marine mammals, fish, and invertebrate species, upon which many coastal Indigenous communities depend for their food, livelihoods, and cultures.
The draft revised guidelines provide an overview of approaches applicable to designers, shipbuilders, and ship operators to reduce the underwater radiated noise of any given ship. They are intended to assist relevant stakeholders in establishing mechanisms and programs to realize noise reduction efforts.
Read more details here
