IMO Noise Code: Noise Levels on Board Ships

The Code on Noise Levels on Board Ships was adopted by IMO resolution MSC.337(91) on 30 November 2012 and took effect on 1 July 2014, made mandatory by SOLAS regulation II-1/3-12 which was introduced by resolution MSC.338(91). It applies to new ships of 1,600 gross tonnage and above, catching ships whose building contract is placed on or after 1 July 2014, whose keel is laid on or after 1 January 2015, or which are delivered on or after 1 July 2018.

The full article will set out the paragraph 4.2 limit table in both its tonnage columns, since several limits differ between ships of 1,600 to 10,000 gross tonnage and ships of 10,000 gross tonnage and above. Cabins and hospitals are limited to 60 dB(A) on the smaller band and 55 dB(A) on the larger, a distinction that is lost whenever a single figure is quoted for all ships.

It will also cover the eleven excluded categories in paragraph 1.3.4, the measurement and survey procedure, the noise survey report, and the connection to MLC 2006 Standard A3.1 paragraph 6(h), which routes noise and vibration to Regulation 4.3 and sets no figure of its own. The Code is the instrument that carries the numbers the Convention does not.