LR joins LOWNOISER project to help protect marine ecosystems from underwater noise pollution

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, the 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 a significant source of continuous underwater noise pollution. It impacts marine species that rely on sound for survival, such as whales, fish, and invertebrates. The European Commission has highlighted this issue in its Marine Strategy Framework Directive, requiring 80% of habitat sizes for target species to remain free from biologically harmful noise levels. 

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. Some of the noise-mitigation strategies and environmentally friendly technologies include air lubrication systems, low-noise bevel gears and engine mounts, onboard monitoring systems, and 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. 

LR will lead work package 7, focusing on regulatory aspects and the development of guidelines for stakeholders and authorities. Additionally, LR 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.  

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.” 

The LOWNOISER project partners: 

Maritime CleanTech (Norway), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, SINTEF Ocean (Norway), Técnicas Y Servicios De Ingeniería (Spain), Kongsberg Maritime (Norway), Lloyds Register (UK), 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); Associated Partner: HX Hurtigruten Expeditions (Norway 

Source: Lloyd’s Register