“This week, the IMO must urgently address the impacts of underwater noise pollution on the health of marine wildlife, including whales, dolphins and fish,” Dr Sian Prior, lead advisor at the alliance, said.


“Given the voluntary nature of the IMO’s underwater noise guidelines is the biggest barrier to their implementation, both the programme of action and next steps identified by the committee during this week’s meeting must include recommendations for compulsory measures.”


The sub-committee will review guidelines to reduce underwater noise this week and it will identify next steps. Any agreed guidelines may be referred to the Marine Environment Protection Committee 80 for approval in July, although finalising the guidelines may delay the process until the following MEPCs in 2024.


“The non-binding nature of the current guidelines, which have not been updated since 2014, appears to have led to a de-prioritisation of the need for action by the shipping sector,” Dr Prior said.

Some IMO member states seek mandatory measures, while others requested these to remain on a voluntary basis for now.


China specifically asked the subcommittee to “clearly state” that its guidelines on underwater noise are not mandatory, while Japan and Liberia proposed measures on a trial basis.


“Ultimately, the IMO must agree to the development of mandatory measures, such as the preparation and implementation of noise management plans for every ship, so that the overall failure to reduce underwater noise is addressed globally,” said Sarah Bobbe, Arctic programme manager at US-based Ocean Conservancy.


“Some potential mandatory measures include requiring ships to develop and implement a noise management plan, which is envisioned in the draft revised guidelines, and requiring ships to achieve quantitative underwater noise targets, which could be phased in over time, or reduced over some period of time, to achieve an overall reduction in ship-based underwater noise.”


The IMO sub-committee on ship design and construction is meeting from January 23-27 in London.
https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1143728/IMO-urged-to-adopt-measures-to-reduce-underwater-noise