Hafnia has teamed up with classification society DNV on a pilot project to measure and manage underwater radiated noise (URN) from operating tankers — marking the first permanent onboard system that directly links a vessel’s underwater noise profile with live measurements.
The setup, recently completed on the 2015-built LR1 Hafnia Excel, represents a step toward understanding and reducing one of shipping’s less visible environmental impacts. A second vessel, the 2015-built MR2 Hafnia Osprey, will be equipped with the same technology during its next drydocking.
The onboard systems will continuously record underwater sound levels and how they fluctuate with normal ship operations. The data will be cross-checked with external hydrophone readings to build a detailed picture of how ships contribute to marine noise pollution.
The Singapore-based product tanker giant, said the goal is to develop a “noise management plan” across vessel types. The findings are expected to support compliance ahead of tightening IMO guidelines and help shape future ship designs and operational strategies.
“Underwater noise is an often-overlooked challenge that affects marine life,” said Ralph Juhl, executive vice president and technical director at Hafnia. “By acting early, we’re building knowledge that will guide vessel design and operations in a more sustainable manner,” he added.
DNV’s Øystein Solheim Pettersen, head of section for noise and vibration, said the pilot marks “a technically significant step toward quantifying and verifying underwater noise emissions across the global fleet,” adding that the system offers “a new way of tracking and verifying the impact of noise-reducing measures.”
As regulators move closer to setting binding URN limits, the Hafnia–DNV initiative places the BW Group-backed owner among the early adopters addressing this emerging environmental frontier.
“While today URN standards are still recommendations, they will one day become mandatory. By acting early, Hafnia is building both knowledge and leadership in this area,” the company noted.
