Turn Down the Volume — EIA
An aerial view of a cargo ship cutting through the water

There are more than 100,000 commercial ships traversing the world's ocean, carrying out the important job of moving more than 80% of global trade by volume. An unintended consequence of all these ships is growing underwater noise pollution.

Turn Down the Volume

It's time to set limits on underwater noise from ships

There are more than 100,000 commercial ships traversing the world’s ocean, carrying out the important job of moving more than 80% of global trade by volume. An unintended consequence of all these ships is growing underwater noise pollution. A cargo vessel underway can often be heard from hundreds of kilometers away. Scientists measuring ocean noise have found that noise from shipping has been doubling each decade, with significant negative impacts on many forms of marine life.

It’s time for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) the global body that regulates international shipping, with support from Member States, to set limits on underwater noise pollution from shipping. The solutions are available, but regulations are needed to ensure these solutions are adopted by ship owners and operators around the world.

Learn more – created in collaboration with NRDC, OceanCare, and ifaw.

Downloads