As the international shipping industry continues to explore measures to conserve and protect underwater life, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is proposing the future monitoring of Underwater Radiated Noise (URN), which may lead to the establishment of thresholds combined with long-term monitoring requirements for certain regions.
Underwater noise from ships can significantly impact marine life by disrupting communication, navigation, and feeding behaviors in various species. This noise pollution can cause stress, disorientation, and even physical harm to marine animals, particularly those that rely on sound, such as whales, dolphins, and fish, leading to potential long-term consequences for their populations and ecosystems.
In the HyPNoS (Hydrodynamic Propeller Noise Monitoring System) research project, international propulsion specialist SCHOTTEL, together with project funder Transport Canada and partner BC Ferries, investigated the emission of URN from ship propulsion systems in the waters off Vancouver, Canada. The focus was on developing methods for measuring, predicting and reporting URN and deriving optimized design measures to reduce it. The research now culminates in the development of an on-board, real-time URN reporting system for crew and vessel operators.
Development of a unique URN monitoring system
The establishment of environmental protection zones regarding URN emissions or the sighting of endangered marine life currently forces ships to avoid certain areas or to reduce their speed when passing through them. However, reducing speed does not always guarantee a reduction in URN. Hull vibration above the propeller is known to correlate directly with underwater noise. HyPNoS investigated the possibility of reducing underwater noise on a series of double-ended ferries in Canada, with the aim of developing a unique URN monitoring system based on state-of-the-art machine learning technology. The immediate motivation for the HyPNoS project was the protection of whale species, specifically the Southern Resident Killer Whales in the Strait of Georgia near Vancouver.
The research was carried out as part of Transport Canada's Quiet Vessel Initiative (QVI). The research focused on developing and installing a working prototype of a calibrated live on-board URN monitoring system. This system provides live feedback to the crew and operator on the underwater noise emissions of their vessels during operation, allowing operational measures to be used to influence the emitted noise.
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