Guidelines for Underwater Noise from Ships released by ClassNK

The Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) has released the Guidelines for Underwater Noise from Ships (Edition 1.0).

This document provides information on the impact of anthropogenic ocean noise pollution on marine life and the efforts being made to regulate it.

The document outlines the adverse impacts of underwater noise from shipping on marine life, including hearing damage, behavioral changes, and habitat displacement.

It also discusses the Convention on Biological Diversity and how it relates to underwater noise regulations.

The non-mandatory guidelines for reducing underwater noise from commercial shipping are also presented, including measures such as hull and propeller cleaning, speed reduction, and route selection.

The Guidelines for Underwater Noise from Ships were adopted by the International Maritime Organization in 2014 and provide a framework for reducing the impact of shipping noise on marine life.

This ClassNK document was published on 25 October 2023.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

Guidelines for Underwater Noise from Ships