Danish Shipping Adopts Policy on Underwater Radiated Noise
Commercial shipping is one of the main contributors to underwater radiated noise, which has adverse effects on a wide range of marine life, including whales and fish. Therefore, Danish Shipping has recommended its members follow a new set of IMO guidelines aiming to reduce underwater radiated noise and preserve marine biodiversity.The IMO guidelines provide an overview of approaches applicable to designers, shipbuilders, and ship operators to reduce the underwater radiated noise of any given ship.
The Problem with Reducing Underwater Radiated Noise
If the global commercial fleet reduced its speed by 10%, it would reduce underwater radiated noise by 40%, but nothing’s ever that simple.The main thing holding the shipping industry back from reducing its underwater radiated noise (URN) is not a lack of appropriate technology. It’s argued that many of the technologies being implemented today to reduce fuel consumption also reduce noise. So, the noise reductions could essentially come at no net cost to the shipowner, but there’s a lack of regulation and a lack of targeted incentives…
