The Clean Arctic Alliance welcomed the progress made by the IMO to address the impact of underwater noise from ships on marine wildlife. However, it warned that further delay in the development of an action program clearly setting out the next steps will prevent significant action that would decrease vessel noise in the oceans.
While a revision of the 2014 underwater noise guidelines to reduce the impact of underwater noise from ships was finalized this week during the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction in London (SDC 9), the IMO failed to discuss the next steps, which should have included a path forward to the development of compulsory measures to reduce underwater noise.
The revised guidelines are expected to be approved by the Marine Environment Protection Committee in July (MEPC 80) and should be applied immediately.
While the Clean Arctic Alliance welcomes the revision of the 2014 underwater noise guidelines as a milestone in its efforts to reduce the impact from underwater noise from ships on marine wildlife, we are disappointed that the IMO failed to find time to discuss a program of action or to identify the next steps that must be taken
said Dr Sian Prior, Clean Arctic Alliance Lead Advisor.
He also added that “the IMO must now prioritise the development of action including binding measures which will lead to rapid reductions in underwater noise, globally and especially in the Arctic.”
However, Dr. Prior noted that:
It’s crucial now that the IMO also recognises and addresses the need for additional and urgent measures to reduce the impact of underwater noise from increased shipping in the sensitive Arctic region
