Quiet Oceans supports Green Marine Europe

Green Marine Europe is pleased to announce the official support of Quiet-Oceans, a French company with international recognition in underwater acoustic monitoring. This support comes at a time when reducing underwater noise is becoming a key issue for biodiversity protection and the environmental transition of maritime transport.

Quiet-Oceans: a key player in underwater acoustics

Quiet-Oceans develops advanced acoustic monitoring solutions, including:

• real-time or deferred passive acoustic measurements,

• automated detection of marine mammals with real-time alerts,

• noise modelling and forecasting,

• Before–After–Control–Intervention (BACI) protocols and impact assessments, from the permitting phase through to operations,

• provision of PAM (Passive Acoustic Monitoring) operators and MMO (Marine Mammal Observers) for offshore environmental monitoring.

For more than ten years, its scientific expertise has contributed to a better understanding and mitigation of noise emissions linked to maritime activities.

A strong convergence of objectives with Green Marine Europe

This convergence with the Green Marine Europe certification programme focuses in particular on:

• the continuous improvement of the maritime industry’s environmental performance, notably through a better understanding and mitigation of underwater noise;

• strengthening dialogue between the maritime sector, the scientific community, NGOs and coastal stakeholders;

• raising awareness among the general public, decision-makers and economic actors of the importance of sustainable maritime transport and underwater noise issues;

• international coordination, in line with partners in Canada, the United States and Europe, to promote science-based, harmonised approaches.

“Underwater noise is a structuring issue for the protection of marine ecosystems. We chose to support Green Marine Europe because this initiative provides a common, credible and operational framework that encourages the entire sector to move forward. Convergence between science, industry and regulation is essential, and Green Marine Europe creates precisely that space.” - Dr Thomas Folegot, Director of Innovation, Quiet-Oceans (CLS Group)

Momentum already visible in 2024 performance

The 2024 results of the Green Marine Europe programme show tangible progress: 21% of shipowners have already reached level 3 or higher on the ‘Underwater Noise’ indicator.
Measures implemented include in particular:

• optimisation of propeller hydrodynamics,

• hull coating technologies,

• adaptive speed management in sensitive areas.

This progress reflects not only growing operational expertise, but also an accelerated awareness of acoustic impacts on marine wildlife.

An indicator evolving towards 2026

In 2026, the Underwater Noise indicator will be revised in a multi-factor context, taking into account:

• progress at the International Maritime Organization following the trial phase led by the Ship Design and Construction (SDC) Sub-Committee,

• the scientific and operational structuring provided by the Pelagos consortium,

• the emergence of a coalition of States in favour of a “quiet ocean” (QuietOcean).

The objective of this revision will be to integrate the latest methodological advances, strengthen the different levels of the indicator, and support the increasing maturity of European shipowners.

Support serving a shared ambition

Quiet-Oceans’ support helps strengthen the scientific and technical ecosystem accompanying Green Marine Europe in building a robust and credible framework for the environmental transition of maritime transport.

With a shared objective: to accelerate the adoption of science-based practices to reduce the acoustic impact of shipping and sustainably protect marine ecosystems.