LR joins four-year-long underwater noise project

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has joined the European Union-funded LOWNOISER project, an initiative in which 15 partners aim to develop noise reduction technologies, establish a regulatory framework, and promote new industry practices to protect marine habitats. The EU has provided EUR 6.3 million towards the project.

The European Commission has drawn attention to the issue in its Marine Strategy Framework Directive in which it requires 80% of habitat sizes for target species to remain free from biologically harmful noise levels. A significant source of underwater noise comes from ships and is detrimental to various marine species including whales, other species of fish, and invertebrates.

The LOWNOISER project will identify ways to reduce underwater noise from ships that can be applicable to both new designs and existing vessels. The technologies are likely to include air lubrication systems, which are intended primarily as a means of saving fuel but also reduce waterborne noise, as well as low-noise bevel gears and engine mounts, shipboard monitoring systems, and distributed acoustic sensing.

Five full-scale demonstrators will include HX Hurtigruten Expedition ship, Roald Amundsen, and the tanker, Montesperanza, owned and operated by Spanish tanker firm, Ibaizabal. The classification society will contribute by leading work package 7, focusing on regulatory aspects and the development of guidelines for stakeholders and authorities. It will also participate in other aspects of the project, developing numerical and analytical methods, and models for assessing underwater noise and the efficiency of noise mitigation measures.

LR’s technical lead in Engineering Dynamics, Per Trøjgård Andersen, commented: “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.”