Underwater radiated noise from ships is a significant source of continuous acoustic pollution, posing a serious threat to marine ecosystems by disrupting essential behaviours of marine species such as communication, navigation and reproduction. This is particularly critical for species that rely on sound to survive, including whales, fish and invertebrates. The European Commission has highlighted this issue in its Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which mandates that 80% of the habitat area of threatened species must remain free from biologically harmful noise levels.

To address this challenge, the LOWNOISER consortium has been created, with the participation of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) through the Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics (LAB). With 6.3 million euros in funding from the European Union, the 15 project partners aim to develop innovative noise reduction technologies, establish regulatory standards and advance industry practices to protect marine habitats.

Innovative technologies for quieter oceans
The project includes five large-scale demonstrators, among them the Roald Amundsen cruise ship from HX Hurtigruten Expeditions and the Montesperanza oil tanker from Ibaizabal. These vessels will serve as testing platforms to validate the effectiveness of noise reduction technologies and their benefits for marine species, such as improving communication spaces for whales. Over four years, the project will demonstrate practical and lasting methods to reduce underwater noise from ships. These solutions can be applied to both new ship designs and retrofitted vessels, ensuring accessibility and scalability for the maritime industry.

Some of the innovative solutions include:

• Air lubrication systems (ALS), creating a layer of bubbles beneath the ship to reduce drag and noise while also decreasing fuel consumption.
• Low-noise bevel gears and engine mounts, designed to minimise vibrations and structural noise emitted by engines and propellers.
• Onboard monitoring systems, cutting-edge technology for real-time tracking and adjustment of ship noise emissions.
• Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), an innovative method using fibre optic cables to monitor underwater noise in busy maritime areas without disturbing the marine environment.

At the LAB, researcher Marta Solé leads a team responsible for verifying the effectiveness of these measures in mitigating acoustic impact on marine invertebrates. As the researcher explains, “We will work at a laboratory scale using Aquavib, a device that allows us to differentially separate the effects of the two components of sound (pressure level and particle motion). We will also conduct field studies on animals in modified ships that produce less noise and vibration.”

Building a framework for industry change
LOWNOISER aims to leave a lasting legacy by creating tools and guidelines to shape international standards for reducing underwater noise. These guidelines will help shipbuilders, equipment suppliers and regulatory bodies adopt sustainable practices and comply with new environmental benchmarks.

Additionally, the project will engage key stakeholders in the shipping industry to raise awareness about the impact of underwater noise pollution and the solutions available to mitigate it. By combining cutting-edge science with industry collaboration, LOWNOISER is paving the way for quieter and greener oceans.