Enter IMO number, MMSI or vessel name

Enter here your vessel identification number or name to know the underwater sound levels the vessel is introducing into the marine environment. The pollution by sound is being regulated by the European Commission since 2010 and addressed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since 2023.

The Underwater Radiated Noise Catalog

Funded by the European Union, this website relies on a unique database of Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) measured at sea for a large number of vessels . Underwater sounds generated by human maritime activities are a serious threat to the marine biodiversity. With more than 90.000 vessels around the world, shipping is an important contributor to the ambient sound. Check-out whether your vessel is in the database. If not, feel free to contact us to know more.

You can have your vessel measured !

The SmartURN buoy will be deployed 1.4 Nautical Miles south of Genova harbour (Italy) in the end of January 2024, along the southbound channel of Bocca di Levante. If you're interested to have your vessel underwater noise measured there, please follow the instructions below. If you need assistance, feel free to contact us. Nautical instructions for underwater noise measurement:

  • Measurement will occur when the vessel is along the route defined by COMEX and FINEX waypoints.
  • Maintain constant speed and constant heading between waypoints COMEX (44° 22.4161' N, 008° 56.6610' E) and FINEX (44° 21.5238' N, 008° 56.9453' E).
  • Closed Point of Approach (CPA) from the SmartURN buoy (44° 21.9294' N, 008° 56.5764' E) shall be around 0.16 Nautical Miles.
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The Underwater Radiated Noise project

A fixed underwater sound measurement station SmartPAM has been installed in the Mediterranean sea to assess the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) from individual vessels passing in the vicinity of the buoy.
The results of the measurements are uploaded in near real-time to populate a catalog of ship source sound levels. This database is made available to inform ship owners and managers about the amount of underwater noise they are introducing in the marine environment.
The data aims at raising awareness and inciting the vessel owners for action to address this important issue for the heath of the marine biodiversity.

Check out whether one of your ship could be measured by the buoy by downloading the measurement procedure.

The BV class Notation NR614 UNR

This additional class notation includes the requirements relatively to the Underwater Radiated noise (URN) measurements set-up, the procedure that the tested vessel is to follow and the limits that the tested ship underwater noise must not overtake for being granted. To know more about the class notation, contact us.

The Underwater Noise Ship Index (NSI)

The concept of underwater Noise Ship Index (NSI) has been developed within the PIAQUO European project to support the shipowners and managers in measuring status and progress on Underwater Radiated Noise as requested by the European Commission Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the International Maritime Organization though the Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater Noise (MEPC.1/Circ.906). The principle of the NSI is to trace and acknowledge progress on the management and empowerment of the issue, diagnostic and reduction of the vessel underwater noise emissions. To know more about the Noise Ship index, contact us.