Shipping is one of the main sources of underwater radiated noise (URN), which can affect marine biodiversity and disrupt the marine environment.
To help Member States better understand and address this challenge, the GEF-UNDP-IMO GloNoise Partnership has completed a series of national workshops ranging from March to April 2026 across all six Lead Pilot Countries — Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, India, South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago — with additional participation from Georgia, Madagascar and Mexico.
Delivered primarily in person, the workshops brought together nearly 200 participants from government agencies, academia, research institutions and the shipping industry. Through practical exercises and group discussions, participants explored how to assess underwater noise, identify potential hotspots and consider mitigation measures within their national contexts.
Central to the workshops was the new URN Toolkit, developed by the GloNoise Partnership to support countries in building technical knowledge and capacity on underwater noise from shipping. Participants worked directly with the Toolkit’s training modules and modelling tools, gaining hands-on experience in evidence-based assessment and analysis.
Designed as an open and accessible platform for maritime stakeholders, the Toolkit is structured across three levels — from foundational knowledge to simplified screening and more advanced assessment — allowing countries to apply it according to their capacities and available data.
The successful delivery of all national workshops within a short period reflected the strong collaboration between participating countries and partners. Discussions throughout the series also underscored the need for stronger national coordination, improved research and data collection, and closer engagement with the shipping sector in developing practical solutions.
The Toolkit will be finalized later this year and will remain available to Member States to support implementation of the IMO Revised Guidelines for the reduction of underwater radiated noise from shipping.
Next step: Global webinar on the underwater radiated noise toolkit
Building on the momentum of the national workshops, the GloNoise Partnership will host a global webinar on the URN Toolkit, open to all IMO Member States.
Robban Assafina is now on WhatsApp channel. Click Here
