IMO: actions requested of the MEPC to reduce underwater radiated noise from shipping

The International Maritime Organization has published the MEPC 82/9 document outlining the actions requested of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) regarding the reduction of underwater radiated noise (URN) from commercial shipping.

The document was published on 24 May 2024.

Background:

1. MEPC 80 approved revised guidelines to reduce URN and extended the target completion year for reviewing the 2014 guidelines to 2024.

SDC 10 Activities:

1. Continued work on URN from shipping was conducted as per the plan endorsed by MEPC 80. The report of these activities is documented as SDC 10/17.

MEPC 81 Actions:

1. The Secretary-General assessed the implications of the proposed URN reduction work.
2. MEPC 81 endorsed a draft action plan for URN reduction, to be finalized at MEPC 82.
3. An agenda item for URN reduction was included in MEPC 82.
4. Member States and international organizations were invited to gather information on the application of the Revised URN Guidelines.

Actions Requested of MEPC 82:

1. Approve the draft MEPC circular on the Revised URN Guidelines.
2. Note the completion of the review of the 2014 guidelines.
3. Introduce an Experience Building Phase (EBP) for URN reduction and retitle output 1.16.
4. Extend the target completion year to 2026.
5. Include the revised output in MEPC agendas through to MEPC 85.
6. Agree that the guidelines should not be further revised until the EBP is completed.
7. Consider the potential need to extend the EBP by up to two years.
8. Encourage the consideration of the relationship between energy efficiency and URN.

MEPC 82 is then invited to approve, note, and agree on various actions to advance the reduction of underwater radiated noise from commercial shipping, fostering continued progress and collaboration.

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

REDUCTION OF UNDERWATER RADIATED NOISE FROM COMMERCIAL SHIPPING - Outcome of SDC 10