LR joins LOWNOISER to combat underwater noise

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has become a partner in the LOWNOISER project, an initiative aimed at addressing the issue of underwater noise pollution caused by maritime traffic.

The European Union (EU) is funding the project with US$6.5 million, bringing together 15 partners to create innovative noise reduction technologies, set regulatory standards, and improve industry practices to protect marine environments.

Underwater noise from ships is a major contributor to ongoing noise pollution beneath the surface. This disturbance affects marine species that depend on sound for survival, including whales, fish, and invertebrates. The European Commission (EC) has emphasized the importance of this issue in its Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which mandates that 80% of the habitat sizes for target species must remain free from biologically harmful noise.

Furthermore, the LOWNOISER project, running for four years, will showcase practical, long-lasting solutions to reduce underwater noise from ships. These strategies will apply to both new vessels and retrofitted ships. Some of the proposed technologies include air lubrication systems, low-noise bevel gears and engine mounts, onboard monitoring systems, and distributed acoustic sensing.

In addition, five full-scale demonstrators, such as the HX Hurtigruten Expedition’s Roald Amundsen cruise vessel and Ibaizabal’s Montesperanza oil tanker, will validate the effectiveness of these noise reduction technologies and assess their benefits to marine life.

LR will lead Work Package 7, focussing on regulatory aspects and creating guidelines for stakeholders and authorities. LR will also contribute to other work packages, helping to develop numerical models and analytical methods for underwater radiated noise, as well as assessing the efficiency of the tested noise mitigation technologies.

Per Trøjgård Andersen, Technical Lead in Engineering Dynamics at Lloyd’s Register, said: “LR’s involvement in the LOWNOISER project demonstrates our commitment to creating sustainable, long-term solutions for protecting marine ecosystems and safeguarding our oceans for future generations.”

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