UK-based classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has joined the LOWNOISER project, a new initiative aimed at tackling underwater noise pollution caused by maritime traffic.
Funded by €6.3 million from the European Union (EU), the four-year project brings together 15 partners to develop innovative noise reduction technologies, establish regulatory standards and advance industry practices to protect marine habitats.
Underwater radiated noise from ships is said to be a source of continuous underwater noise pollution. It, reportedly, impacts marine species that rely on sound for survival, such as whales, fish and invertebrates.
This new LOWNOISER project seeks to demonstrate practical and durable methods to reduce the noise in question, applicable to both new ship designs and retrofitted vessels. Some noise-mitigation strategies and environmentally friendly technologies include air lubrication systems, low-noise bevel gears and engine mounts, onboard monitoring systems, as well as distributed acoustic sensing.
Five full-scale demonstrators, including HX Hurtigruten Expedition’s Roald Amundsen cruise vessel and Ibaizabal’s Montesperanza oil tanker, will validate the effectiveness of these noise-reduction technologies and measure their benefits for marine species, Lloyd’s Register said.
As disclosed, LR will lead work package 7, focusing on regulatory aspects and the development of guidelines for stakeholders and authorities. Additionally, the classification society will participate in other work packages, developing numerical and analytical methods and models for underwater radiated noise and assessing the efficiency of tested noise mitigation measures.
Other project partners include: Maritime CleanTech (Norway), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, SINTEF Ocean (Norway), Técnicas Y Servicios De Ingeniería (Spain), Kongsberg Maritime (Norway), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain), Ibaizabal Tankers (Spain), Alfa Laval Rotterdam (Netherlands), Vibrol (Finland), Bergen Engines (Norway), Istituto Nazionale Di Fisica Nucleare (Italy), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy), Bureau Veritas (Portugal) and HX Hurtigruten Expeditions (Norway).
To note, the issue of underwater noise has been highlighted in the European Commission’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive, requiring 80% of habitat sizes for target species to remain free from biologically harmful noise levels.
As for activities in other parts of the world, in 2024, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada, one of Canada’s largest conservation organizations, urged its federal government to deliver a strong plan to protect marine species from underwater noise pollution. Furthermore, the Clean Arctic Alliance called on the maritime sector to reduce the impact of underwater noise from shipping on Arctic wildlife.
“Significantly tackling underwater noise is a key measure in prioritising actions within the marine sector which together have the co-benefits of combating the climate crisis and reversing biodiversity loss,” Andrew Dumbrillle , Clean Arctic Alliance’s Advisor, claimed.