IMO-WMU Workshop on Underwater Radiated Noise

Against the backdrop of increasing human activities such as shipping, sonar use, marine construction, and energy exploration, our oceans are being significantly affected, from nearshore areas to the high seas. These activities generate underwater radiated noise (URN) that can travel long distances, negatively impacting marine life, ecosystems, and the coastal communities that depend on them. Shipping, in particular, is one of the major sources of underwater noise in the marine environment, with vessels of various sizes producing a wide range of sound frequencies. 

IMO's GloNoise Project and the World Maritime University (WMU) jointly organized and delivered a workshop with the support of Schlüter Foundation for Shipping and Environmental Protection, to bring together various stakeholders and representatives from the countries involved in the GloNoise Partnership, which took place on 15-16 October 2024.

The workshop on Underwater Radiated Noise Reduction Policies and Strategies with a Focus on Developing Countries gathered over 200 participants, including a diverse group of experts from various organizations and countries. Representatives from GEF-UNDP-IMO GloNoise Partnership countries, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, India, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Georgia, Madagascar and Malaysia participated, and more than 50 countries showed interest and registered for participation.  

• Please find the photos of the workshop here

• Download the full programme of speakers

• All presentations can be downloaded below

The workshop was divided into four sessions:  

• Session 1: Impacts of URN from Multi-Disciplinary Lens 

• Session 2: Global and Regional Policy Frameworks 

• Session 3: URN Mitigation Solutions, Transferrable Practices and Role of Stakeholders 

• Session 4: Challenges and Pathways: Focus on Developing Countries 

Speakers shared key messages and insights on URN from a multi and trans-disciplinary perspective considering global and regional policy frameworks. Participating organizations included IMO, WMU, GFCM, FAO of the UN, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Transport Canada - Transports Canada, ECHO Program and Vancouver Port Authority, Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada), International Chamber of Shipping, BIMCO, University of Strathclyde, University of Southampton, University of Exeter, OceanCare and Acústica Marina SpA. Challenges and pathways were presented through interactive panel discussions that included representation of GloNoise Partnership countries and the three WMU Schlüter Fellows from the Malmö MSc in Maritime Affairs programme.  

GloNoise Partnership 

Global Partnership for Mitigation of Underwater Noise from Shipping (GloNoise Partnership) project is part of the wider efforts by IMO, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to address the impacts of underwater noise on marine life. The project is funded by GEF and officially entered the implementation phase with the signature of the final version of the project document (ProDoc) in December 2023. The project has a duration of two years and has nine beneficiary countries, six Lead Pilot Countries (LPCs): Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, India, South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago; and three Twinning Partner Countries; Georgia, Madagascar and Malaysia. 

The project implementation strategy is based on the well-developed "Glo-X" family of IMO projects and includes the following four components: (i) global toolkit development and policy analysis, (ii) capacity-building and awareness raising in participating developing countries, (iii) fostering partnerships on URN mitigation from shipping, and (iv) monitoring, learning, adaptive feedback and evaluation. 

The project will help drive action on the implementation of the Revised IMO guidelines for the reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life (MEPC.1/Circ.906/Rev.1), with the ultimate goal of mitigating underwater noise from shipping and its adverse impacts on marine ecosystems and their living resources. The project will also assist developing countries to building capacity to implement existing guidelines and collect more information to support IMO's policy dialogue, as well as developing an online toolkit for implementation by experts at national levels. 

Presentations

Please find the presentations below: 

Opening remarks

• Ms. Sevtap Ozdogan, GloNoise Project Manager, International Maritime Organization

Session 1: Impacts of URN from Multi-Disciplinary Lens

• Dr. Leila Hatch, Marine Ecologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  

• Ms. Mary Tobin Oates, Senior Policy Advisor , Inuit Circumpolar Council
  

• Mr. Samy Djavidnia, Environment & Sustainability Senior Project Officer, European Maritime Safety Agency

• Mr. Frank Thomsen, Consultant for URN Assessment, GloNoise Project

• Mr. Nicolas Entrup, Director of International Relations, OceanCare 
  

• Ms. Aurora Nastasi, Fisheries and Environment Specialist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
  

• Dr. Sophie Nedelec, Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow, Exeter University
  

Session 2: Global and Regional Policy Frameworks

• Dr. Andrew Birchenough, Office for the London Convention/Protocol and Ocean Affairs, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organization

• Ms. Marta Ruiz, Associate Professional Secretary, Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM)

• Ms. Valerie Pimentel, Consultant for Policy Analysis, GloNoise Project
  

Session 3: URN Mitigation Solutions, Transferrable Practices and Role of Stakeholders

• Ms. Michelle Sanders, Alternate Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization, Transport Canada

• Ms. Krista Trounce, Echo Program Research Manager, Vancouver Port Authority 
  

• Dr. Carina Juretzek, Underwater Acoustics and National Noise Register, Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany (BSH)

• Mr. Chris Waddington, Technical Director, International Chamber of Shipping 

• Dr. Bev Mackenzie, Head of Intergovernmental Engagement, BIMCO

• Dr. Seyedvahid Vakili, Research Fellow, University of Southampton

• Dr. Batuhan Aktas, GATERS Project, University of Strathclyde
  

• Ms. Swabra Mohamed Abdulrahman, MSc Student, World Maritime University 
  

• Mr. Brian Musinguzi, MSc Student, World Maritime University

• Mr. Gonzalo Antonio Jímenez Briones, MSc Student, World Maritime University
  

Session 4: Challenges and Pathways: Focus on Developing Countries

• Mr. Diego Lloret, Prefectura Naval Argentina, Argentina

• Mr. Manuel Fuenzalida, Chilean Navy / DIRECTEMAR, Chile
  

• Ms. Elizabeth Arronis, Ministerio de Obras Publicas e Transportes, Costa Rica  

• Ms. Reia Guppy, University of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad & Tobago

• Mr. Ndlozi Malibongwe, South African Maritime Safety Authority, South Africa 

• Mr. Mahesh Korade, Mercantile Marine Department, India

• Mr. Md Redzuan Bin Zoolfakar, University of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  

• Ms. Mariam Jakeli, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Georgia