The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to supply funds for two vital projects. In this agreement, the Kingdom has pledged $185,000 towards the underwater radiated noise (URN) toolkit and an additional $68,000 to the NextWave Seafarers project. The Permanent Representative for the Kingdom to the IMO, Eng. Kamal Al Junaidi and the Director of Technical Cooperation Implantation Division Dr. Jose Matheickal signed the agreement on 30th July 2025 at IMO HQ in London.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to supporting the development of the maritime industry. Through its role as a Council Member, Saudi Arabia actively works to support the development of initiatives and projects to build more sustainable and innovative solutions to the issues faced by the industry. This aligns with Saudi’s wider Vision 2030 plan which puts the development of the maritime industry and the protection of the marine environment at the forefront. The signing of this agreement signifies a key moment in this effort, representing the next step in advancing both projects and contributing to the achievement of the Kingdoms’ goals.
The Nextwave Seafarers Project is a project aimed at providing seafarers from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Lesser Developed Countries (LDCs) with the opportunities to overcome barriers of entry in the industry. The project recently announced that it would be offering the chance for 20 cadets from participating countries to gain placements on vessels operated by the Saudi National Shipping Company Bahri. This will allow them to get hands-on experience, as well as earn ’at-sea’ hours vital to future employment. What's more, the Kingdom has placed an emphasis on gender equality through this project, with the project aspiring to have an equal representation of female and male cadets. The funds from this agreement will go to expanding the project and facilitating solutions to the global seafarer shortage.
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The Underwater Radiated Noise Toolkit is a resource designed to aid developing countries in managing the damaging effects of underwater radiated noise generated by the shipping industry. This is an essential component of the GloNoise Partnership, a project built in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project works to support the implementation of the IMO Guidelines for the reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping and to address the impacts of underwater noise on marine life. GloNoise is part of the “Glo-X” family of projects along with GloLitter, and GloFouling. Each of these projects target a different area of maritime sustainability
Underwater radiated noise is a growing environmental concern, that is caused by the sounds emitted by ships’ engines, propellers, and machinery disrupting marine life. These sounds interfere with the communication and navigation of some marine life, such as whales and dolphins and cause significant damage to delicate marine ecosystems. The toolkit seeks to provide standardised methods to evaluate these emissions, building pathways for countries to develop effective management plans and mitigation strategies that protect the marine environment and improve shipping practices overall.
The signing of this agreement highlights Saudi Arabia’s dedication to advancing maritime innovation and sustainability. By funding these projects, the Kingdom is not only supporting the development of future seafarers to counter the global seafarer shortage but also contributing to global efforts to safeguard marine ecosystems from the harmful effects of underwater noise. This stands as a demonstration of the Kingdom's commitments both within the IMO as a Council Member and its wider ambitions to support the maritime sector globally.
