Oceans are getting super noisy

25-Feb-2026

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The vast oceans were once filled with the songs of whales and clicks of dolphins. Today, a constant hum of human machines is drowning them out.

Commercial shipping tops the list. With over 250,000 vessels sailing the seas, engines and propellers create persistent noise that travels far underwater.

Seismic air guns, used in oil and gas exploration, fire powerful blasts every few seconds.

Naval sonar for military use, pile-driving for ports and wind farms, and even fishing boats contribute significantly.

Sea animals rely heavily on sound in the dark underwater world.

Whales use low-frequency songs to communicate over hundreds of kilometres. Dolphins echolocate to hunt.

When human noise masks these sounds, animals struggle to find mates, food or avoid danger.

It causes stress, temporary or permanent hearing loss, disrupted migration and feeding. Severe cases lead to panic dives, decompression sickness or beach strandings.