In 2014, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) published the Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater Noise from Commercial Shipping to Address Adverse Impacts on Marine Life (the Guidelines) to provide guidance to industries on the issue of underwater vessel noise. Since then, there has been growing international attention on the issue of anthropogenic underwater noise within the scientific, political and public fora. In order to further inform discussions underway at the IMO’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC), a benchmarking study was conducted in 2019 which involved one-on-one interviews with international stakeholders, including shipping industry representatives. The report highlights various issues and recommendations regarding awareness and uptake of the Guidelines.