EMSA publishes first pan-European NAVISON report

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) published the NAVIs SONus (NAVISON) report. It is the first pan-European analysis offering both historical and future projections of underwater noise across all European seas.

Ship-generated underwater noise is a known stressor for marine life, particularly cetaceans like whales and dolphins, which rely on sound for communication. This noise can disrupt marine ecosystems and alter animal behavior.

For the first time, NAVISON employs a unified methodology to map underwater noise levels across all European seas. This comprehensive, pan-European overview enables consistent comparisons of shipping-related noise across different regions, vessel types, time periods, and future scenarios.

The report identifies areas with the highest current sound pressure levels (SPL) in Europe, including parts of the English Channel, the Strait of Gibraltar, sections of the Adriatic Sea, the Dardanelles Strait, and areas of the Baltic Sea.

Conversely, the lowest SPL values are found in the northwest part of the northeast Atlantic, especially near the Denmark Strait and the Irminger Sea, as well as in the southern Mediterranean and the eastern Black Sea.

NAVISON also features forecast sound maps that project the future effects of maritime technology and operational measures aimed at reducing underwater noise from ships for the years 2023, 2040, and 2050, based on four different scenarios.

You can access the NAVISON report here.

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