Lloyd’s Register (LR) has joined the LOWNOISER project, a new initiative to tackle underwater noise pollution caused by maritime activity.
The initiative, sponsored by the European Union for €6.3 million ($6.5 million), brings together 15 partners to develop novel noise reduction technology, establish regulatory standards, and improve industrial practices to maintain marine habitats.
Underwater radiated noise from ships is a major source of continuous underwater noise pollution. It affects marine creatures that rely on sound to survive, such as whales, fish, and invertebrates.
The European Commission addressed this issue in its Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which requires that 80 per cent of habitat sizes for target species be free of physiologically hazardous noise levels.
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The four-year LOWNOISER project will demonstrate practical and durable methods to reduce underwater noise from ships, applicable to both new ship designs and retrofitted vessels.
Noise-mitigation tactics and ecologically friendly technologies include air lubrication systems, low-noise bevel gears and engine mounts, onboard monitoring systems, and distributed acoustic sensors.
Five full-scale demonstrations, including HX Hurtigruten Expedition’s Roald Amundsen cruise vessel and Ibaizabal’s Montesperanza oil tanker, will test the effectiveness of noise-reduction technology and assess their benefits to marine animals.
LR will lead work package 7, which will focus on regulatory issues and the preparation of recommendations for stakeholders and authorities.
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Additionally, LR will contribute to other work packages, establishing numerical and analytical methodologies and models for undersea radiated noise and evaluating the efficacy of demonstrated noise reduction solutions.
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.”
In January, LR appointed Jim Smith as its new Strategic Business Partner and Senior Representative for LR in Japan.