Environmental groups praise IMO's guidance on reducing underwater noise and urge stronger action to protect marine life in vulnerable regions.
Environmental groups have welcomed new guidance from the UN's International Maritime Organization's Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 12) on reducing underwater noise, including a proposed two-year extension of the current experience-building phase, reports the American Journal of Transportation.
Member states agreed on a list of technical measures to cut underwater noise from shipping, which will be considered by the Marine Environment Protection Committee at its April meeting. The Clean Arctic Alliance, representing 24 NGOs, urged governments to push for stronger action, warning that Arctic noise levels could nearly quadruple by 2030.
WWF presented new maps of Arctic whale migration routes, highlighting corridors where rerouting and speed restrictions could reduce impacts. Melanie Lancaster of WWF stated that international cooperation is needed to safeguard whales migrating thousands of kilometers across borders and into the high seas.
The Clean Shipping Coalition submitted a paper warning of serious risks from LNG development in the Gulf of California. Increased tanker traffic could harm biodiversity and marine mammals, including those in UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Andrew Dumbrille of Equal Routes emphasized that both the Arctic and Gulf of California face devastating impacts from underwater noise linked to LNG shipping. He called for ship design changes and restrictions on traffic in sensitive areas, stressing that increased noise would irreversibly damage marine habitats.
