Singapore and Norway | October 8, 2025 – In a significant stride toward global maritime sustainability, tanker giant Hafnia has partnered with classification society DNV to launch a pioneering pilot project aimed at measuring and managing Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) from its vessels. This initiative positions Hafnia at the forefront of addressing one of shipping’s less-visible but critical environmental challenges: the impact of ship noise on marine life.
The project features the installation of a revolutionary, permanently installed monitoring system that is a first of its kind. This technology directly links a vessel’s underwater noise profile with real-time, onboard operational measurements, creating an unprecedented dataset for analysis. The system’s inaugural installation has been successfully completed onboard the product tanker, Hafnia Excel.
A New Era for Environmental Compliance and Vessel Design
Underwater noise from ships is an increasingly recognized environmental concern, known to disrupt marine wildlife by interfering with their communication, feeding, and navigation. As international bodies, including the IMO, move toward stricter environmental regulations—where current URN standards are only recommendations but are anticipated to become mandatory—Hafnia’s proactive approach builds crucial knowledge and leadership in this domain.
The pilot project will involve two vessels, the Hafnia Excel and a second vessel, the Hafnia Osprey, which will have its onboard monitoring system installed during its next drydocking.
The core of the project involves two complementary measurement methods:
- Continuous Onboard Monitoring: The permanent systems on both vessels will provide non-stop measurements of underwater noise, offering deep insights into how normal ship operations—such as propeller use, machinery vibrations, and hull flow—impact the marine environment.
- External Hydrophone Measurements: These measurements, taken using underwater microphones, will provide essential reference data to validate and complement the continuous onboard readings.
Developing a Noise Management Blueprint
The ultimate goal of the collaboration is the development of a comprehensive Noise Management Plan tailored for Hafnia’s various vessel types. This blueprint is designed to serve multiple critical functions:
- Compliance Readiness: Helping Hafnia stay ahead of forthcoming international compliance requirements and anticipated noise limits.
- Operational Guidance: Guiding decisions on potential noise-reducing measures that can be implemented across the fleet.
- Future Shipbuilding Specifications: Informing the design of new vessels to ensure they are quieter and more sustainable from the outset.
The data generated will provide critical, verifiable insights for both Hafnia and DNV, paving the way for practical, data-driven solutions that can be scaled across the global fleet.
Industry Leaders on the Significance of the Project
Ralph Juhl, EVP, Technical Director at Hafnia, underscored the company’s commitment to holistic sustainability “At Hafnia, we believe sustainability means addressing even the less visible impacts of shipping. Underwater noise is an often-overlooked challenge that affects marine life, and this project with DNV helps us take an important step toward protecting the oceans we depend on. By acting early, we are building knowledge that will guide vessel design and operations moving forward in a more sustainable manner.”
Øystein Solheim Pettersen, Head of Section for Noise and Vibration in DNV Maritime Advisory, highlighted the technical innovation of the system “This pilot represents a technically significant step toward quantifying and verifying reducing underwater noise emissions across the global fleet. The system introduces a new way of tracking and verifying the impact of noise-reducing measures. We are pleased to collaborate with Hafnia, whose engagement reflects a shared commitment to advancing practical solutions that may help inform future regulatory developments.”
As the maritime industry continues its push for decarbonization and environmental stewardship, this initiative represents a major advancement in measuring and mitigating the ecological footprint of global shipping. By focusing on URN, Hafnia and DNV are not only preparing for the regulations of tomorrow but are actively contributing to the preservation of marine ecosystems today.
About DNV Maritime
DNV Maritime is the world’s leading classification society and a recognized advisor to the maritime industry. With a global network of over 350 offices in more than 100 countries, DNV Maritime enhances the safety, quality, energy efficiency, and environmental performance of the global shipping industry for all vessel types and offshore structures. From entire vessel certification to individual component approval, and from newbuild verification to in-service compliance, DNV Maritime offers expert classification, certification, and advisory services, alongside advanced software solutions.
The division is deeply committed to research and development, collaborating with the industry to address strategic, operational, and regulatory challenges. By combining leading technical and operational expertise with rigorous risk methodology and in-depth industry knowledge, DNV Maritime empowers its customers with trusted insights, helping them turn possibilities into opportunities and make their operations safer, smarter, and greener.
About Hafnia
Hafnia is a leading global tanker company, recognized as one of the largest owners and operators specializing in the transportation of oil and chemical products. The company owns and commercially manages a modern fleet of over 200 vessels, emphasizing safe, efficient, and responsible shipping solutions.
Hafnia operates a fully integrated shipping platform, offering a comprehensive suite of services that includes technical management, commercial and chartering services, pool management, and a large-scale bunker desk. This structure allows them to serve a diverse global customer base, including major national and international oil companies, chemical companies, trading firms, and utility companies.
The company is driven by a forward-thinking vision centered on operational excellence, sustainability, and innovation to set new industry standards. Headquartered in Singapore, Hafnia maintains a global footprint with offices in key maritime hubs, including Copenhagen, Houston, Dubai, Monaco, Mumbai, and Manila. This worldwide presence supports their commitment to their core CARE values: Collaboration, Ambitious, Reliable, and Enduring, which guide their operations as they strive toward a more sustainable maritime future.
Source: Hafnia