The subject of port noise is increasingly gaining attention due to the higher number of com-plaints from people living in the nearby urban areas. Moreover, unlike other kinds of transport noise, such as the one due to railways, airports or roads, the current normative framework in this sector is lacking a proper structure and is in general inadequate. Aim of this paper is to analyze the state of the art and, in particular, the available instrumentation and technologies that can be adopted in the field of harbor noise monitoring. In addition, the main norms and standards related to this topic will be summarized in order to establish which conditions are required for a proper evaluation of the port noise impact on the surrounding urban areas. New features of monitoring instruments and innovative measurement techniques that can successfully be applied to the port noise will be reviewed, in order to identify the best way to characterize the acoustic emissions of the various complex different sources typically present in harbors, and to achieve the goal of a proper and effective monitoring system that can be adopted to control noise in ports and its impact on the inhabitants living in its close proximity.
