©2016 American Bureau of Shipping. All rights reserved.

Shipping Noise
& Emerging Noise Legislation

Stamatis Fradelos
Principal Engineer, Operational & Environmental Performance

Athens, Greece
27 January 2016

HELLENIC INSTITUTE OF MARINE TECHNOLOGY

Agenda

 Sources of Underwater Sounds in Marine Environment

 Shipping Noise and Sounds of Marine Life
 Underwater Noise Regulations
 Sources of Underwater Radiated Noise from Ships
 Ship Source Radiated Noise Levels
 Underwater Noise Prediction Methods
 Underwater Noise Standards
 Measurement of Underwater
Ship Noise

2
Sources of Underwater Sound

 Natural sound sources

 Wind, rain, waves, lightning, subsea
volcanic eruptions, earthquakes
 Marine mammals, vocalization of
marine mammals and fish
 Anthropogenic (Man-made) noise
sources
 Commercial shipping (ports, harbors

and shipping lanes)

 Seismic exploration

 Offshore construction (TNT, pile

driving) and industrial activities

(dredging, drilling, wind turbine)
 Fishery, research and military related

activities - sonar of various types

(military sonar, echo sounders) and
acoustic deterrent devices

3
Marine Animals Sounds & Shipping Noise

Frequency Relationship Between Marine Animals Sounds and Shipping Noise

(Source: OSPAR 2009, Overview of the impacts of anthropogenic underwater sound in the marine environment)

4
Man-made Noise Impact on Marine Wildlife

 Depend on sound frequency, intensity and duration and the hearing ability of
marine wildlife concerned
 Scientific Committee of International Whaling Commission agreed on 3 areas of
concern
 Death or physical injury due to intensive noise exposure leading to detrimental
consequences for animals’ immune systems and reproductive health
 240dB and above: Lethal effect may occur
 220dB and above: Physical injury may occur
 130dB and above: Possibility of traumatic hearing damage from single event
 Masking of sounds that are vital to marine animals – communication signals and
echolocation clicks
 90dB and above: Strong avoidance reaction by virtually all individuals
 Behavioral changes from minor to severe, interruption of normal behavior such as
feeding and nursing, displacement of historical migration routes and feeding grounds
 75dB and above: Significant avoidance reaction by the majority of individuals

5
Underwater Noise Regulation: Overview

 Currently no “specific” global or regional agreement that specifically addresses underwater sound and
its impact on marine mammals
 To date, regulation on the extent of anthropogenic noise has been subject to a few treatments of a
jurisprudential nature under the existing international/regional agreements
 UNCLOS, United Nation Convention on Law of the Sea
 ICRW, International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
 CBD, Convention of Biological Diversity
 FSA, U.N. Fish Stocks Agreement
 CMS, 1979 Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
 ASCOBANS, Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas
 ACCOBAMS, Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea
and Contiguous Atlantic Area
 Current State/Coutries practices
 Geographic and seasonal restrictions on noise generating activities – designation of Marine
Protected Areas (MPAs) and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs)
 Requiring environmental impact assessment prior to implementation marine activities
 In the US, activities with potential to impact marine mammals, including UW noise, are regulated by both
National Marine Fisheries Service and US Fishery & Wildlife Service.
 IMO Res. A.927(22), Res. A.982(24) and MEPC.1/Circ.778/Rev.1 – waterborne noise impacts to marine
environment for the evaluation of application for PSSA designation

6
Emerging Noise Regulations

 EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC)

 To protect more effectively the marine environment across Europe
 A supranational legal act setting out general objective(s) for individual
Member States to achieve
 Environmental platform for a number of EU legislative instruments – IMP,
Habitats and Birds Directives, and CFP
 Descriptor 11 – underwater noise as a pollution that needs to be controlled
for achieving the GES and 2 indicators given for GES assessment
 GES noise targets – no noise targets prescribed, leaving to individual
Member States to determine based on guidance in MSFD TSG report
 IMO MEPC.1/Circ.833, Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater
Noise from Commercial Shipping to Address Adverse Impacts on Marine
Life – non mandatory technical advices
 Regulatory framework for baseline underwater noise levels for ship
types/sizes and regional ambient noise criteria – future initiates

7
IMO MEPC Noise Regulation

 MEPC.1/Circ.833, “Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater

Noise from Commercial Shipping to Address Adverse Impacts on
Marine Life”
 Non-mandatory technical guidelines for the designers, shipbuilders
and ship operators
 Common technologies and measures to minimize underwater
radiated noise from ships:
– 4 key areas: Propellers, Hull Design, Onboard Machinery and
Operational and Maintenance
 Regulatory framework for establishing baseline noise levels for each
ship type under different operating conditions and quantifying the
relationship between individual ships noise and regional ambient
noise level reductions, and others is future work.

8
EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive

 MSFD 2008/56/EC – adopted on 17 June 2008 and entered into force on 15 July
2008
 Outlines a transparent, legislative framework for an ecosystem approach to the
management of human activities that supports the sustainable use of marine
resources
 Requires the EU Member States to transpose the Directive into their national law
by 15 July 2010
 Aims at achieving Good Environmental Status (GES) in the EU marine waters by
2020

Source: www.msfd.eu/knowseas/msfd.html

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EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Cont.)

 Use of 11 qualitative descriptors to determine Good Environmental Status

Descriptor 1 Biological diversity Descriptor 2 Non-indigenous species

Descriptor 3 Population of commercial Descriptor 4 Elements of marine food webs

fish/shell fish
Descriptor 5 Eutrophication Descriptor 6 Sea floor integrity

Descriptor 7 Alteration of hydrographical Descriptor 8 Contaminants

conditions
Descriptor 9 Contaminants in fish and seafood Descriptor 10 Marine litter
for human consumption
Descriptor 11 Introduction of energy, including
underwater noise

 Achievement of GES measured at the scale of Marine Regions or

Sub-regions

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GES Descriptor 11: Energy incl. UW Noise

 Commission Decision 2010/477/EU: Forms of energy input include thermal

energy, noise, electromagnetic fields, light, radio waves, etc.
 Two criteria specifically for underwater noise formulated by the Technical
Subgroup on Underwater Noise for assessing descriptor 11
Criterion 11.1 Distribution in time and space of loud, low and mid frequency impulsive
sounds

Indicator 11.1.1 Proportion of days and their distribution within a calendar year over areas of
a determined surface, as well as their spatial distribution, in which
anthropogenic sound sources exceed levels that are likely to entail
significant impact on marine animals measured as Sound Exposure Level (in
dB re 1Pa2.s) or as peak sound pressure level (in dB re 1 Pa peak) at one
meter, measured over the frequency band 10 Hz to 10kHz (11.1.1)

Criterion 11.2 Continuous low frequency sound

Indicator 11.2.1 Trends in the ambient noise level within the 1/3 octave bands 63 and 125 Hz
(center frequency) (re 1Pa RMS; average noise level in these octave bands
over a year) measured by observation stations and/or with the use of models
if appropriate (11.2.1)

11
Multi-national Collaborative Projects in EU

 2009 – 2012: Ships Oriented Innovation Solutions to Reduce Noise and Vibration
(SILENV) Project. Aim to establish target levels for:
 The noise and vibrations onboard ships (NVB),
 Airborne noise radiated to harbor (ARN)
 Underwater radiated noise (URN)
 2009 – 2013: Breakthrough in European Ship and Shipbuilding Technologies (BESST)
Project. Aim to develop:
 Life cycle assessment methods for life cycle cost, environmental impact, safety and societal needs
 Innovative technical solutions for important ship systems and to combine them in an optimal way
on ship level
 2012 – 2015: Suppression of Underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation (SONIC) Project.
Aim to mitigate the effects of UN and to develop:
 A “noise footprint” of the underwater noise level of an individual ship
 A “noise map” in a spatial distribution of underwater noise from a larger number of marine vessels
in a given sea region of interest
 2012 – 2015: Achieve Quieter Oceans by Shipping Noise Footprint Reduction (AQUO)
Project. Aim to develop:
 Computer modeling of radiated noise and UN measurements at sea
 Bio-acoustic studies on different marine species for developing criteria regarding shipping
underwater noise acceptable limits
 Development of a “noise footprint assessment” tool

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Sources of Underwater Noise from Ships

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Noise Transmission Paths Onboard a Ship

 Airborne Noise (ABN) Path  Fluidborne Radiated Noise

Path
 Structureborne Path
 First Structureborne (FSB)
 Secondary Structureborne (SSB) Path

Pump

14
Major Groups of Radiated Noise Sources

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Underwater Noise from Shipping

Underwater Sounds from Shipping

300 Ambient Noise

Noise Level dB re 1 micro-Pa @ 1m

250

200

150

100

50
Container Ship Supertanker Offshore Drill Rig Offshore Dredge Quieted R/V

Source: NCE Presentation to ABS, 2012

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Merchant Ship Radiated Noise Signature
Measured UWRN of M.V. Overseas Harriette
Merchant Ship Radiated Noise
200
8 kts, 68 rpm, 178 dB OA

190 12 kts, 105 rpm, 184 dB OA

16 kts, 140 rpm, 192 dB OA

180 Prop 16 kts

Empirical
Lp dB re 1 microPa @ 1m

8 kt prop predictions
170 (Greeley/Brown)
12 kts prop

160

150

140

Machinery controlled Propeller controlled

130

120
10
12.5
16
20
25
31.5
40
50
63.5
80
100
125
160
200
250
315
400
500
635
800
1000
1250
1600
2000
2500
3150
4000
5000
6350
8000
10000
12500
16000
20000
25000
31500
40000
Third Octave Band Freq., (Hz)

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Guidelines for Underwater Noise Measurements

 International Organization for Standardization, ISO/PAS 17208-1

– Acoustics – Quantities and procedure for description and
measurement of underwater sound from ships – Part 1: General
requirements for measurements in deep water
 International Organization for Standardization, ISO/DIS 16554 –
Ship and marine technology – Measurement and reporting of
underwater sound radiated from merchant ships – deep water
measurement
 American National Standard, ANSI/ASA S12.64-2009/Part 1,
Quantities and Procedures for Description and Measurement of
Underwater Sound from Ships – Part 1: General Requirements
 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES),
Cooperative Research Report No. 209, Appendix 1 –
Measurement of Vessel Noise
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International Council for the Exploration of the
Sea (ICES) Noise Standard for Research Vessels

Source: NCE Report 2011-006

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ANSI/ASA S12.64-2009 Measurement Standard

 General measurement setups

 Three grades of measurement
 Type A – precision method
 Type B – engineering
method
 Type C – survey method
 Post-processing
 Reporting

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Underwater Noise Predictions

A. Semi-empirical Prediction for Ship Source Noise Levels

 Estimate a ship’s radiated noise based on generalized parameters
 Crude at best and only as a yard-stick
 Typical models
Ross & Alvarez Lp dB re 1 μPa @ 1m = 190.5 + 50 log (V/10) +20 log (L/150) – 20 log f
Model where V in knots & L in m

Ross Model Lp dB re 1 μPa @ 1m = 170 + 53 log10 (Ut/10 kt) + 10 log10 (B/4) – 20 log10 f
where propeller tip speed Ut in knots & B = number of blades

Wales & Heitmeyer Lp dB re 1 μPa @ 1m = 230 – 10 log (f)3.594 +10 log {[1 + (f/340)2]0.917}

Comparison of “Wales & Heitmeyer”

model prediction and measured ship
noise on representative commercial
vessels

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Underwater Noise Predictions (Cont.)

B. Computer Aided Design Methods

 More accurate prediction considering multiple pieces of machinery and account
for the three major noise paths
 Employ the use of specialized computer programs and algorithms
 Capability to analyze and predict noise or vibration levels in the rest of the ship
interior
 Enabling optimal noise control approaches
 Types of CAD methods for URN analysis/prediction
 CFD – flow characteristics around hull and appendages and cavitation prediction
 Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) – high frequency transmitted noise and vibration
 Finite Element Method (FEM) and Boundary Element Method (BEM) – low frequency
noise and vibration
 Novel methods:
− Energy Flow Analysis (EFA) – high acoustic frequency ranges
− Energy Flow FEM (EFFEM) – vibro-acoustic analysis of beam-plate coupled structures
− Energy Flow Boundary Element Method (EFBEM) – noise analysis of radiation and scattering
problems
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ABS Future Guide & Notation for UWN

 Guide to be published by Q3 of 2016

 Guide includes the development of assessment criteria for new
built vessels designed and constructed for control and reducing
underwater noise emitted in the sea
 Optional underwater noise notation includes:
 UWN/TBC (for Tankers and Bulk Carriers)
 UWN/CS (for Containerships)
 UWN/LNGC (for LNG Carriers)
 UWN/RV (for Research Vessels)
 UWN+ (more stringent limits for the vessel that are designed and
built with advanced control measures

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Path to obtaining the ABS UWN Notation

 Detailed plan for the procedures of the UWN measurements is to

be submitted to ABS engineering prior the sea trial
 Measurement protocols
 Type of Instrumentation
 Data processing
 The actual measurement on site is to be witnessed by the
attending Surveyor
 Test site requirements (Water depth, sea bottom, weather conditions)
 Operating Conditions
 Post processing of measured data
 Granting of the ABS UWN notation is made on the basis that the
measurement criteria is met and that the actual measurement on
site is performed to the satisfaction of the attending Surveyor

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Underwater Noise Reduction Considerations

 Machinery
 Resilient mounting of equipment with flexible pipe couplings
 Match machinery frequencies with the natural frequencies of mountings/connections
 Effective balancing of machinery
 Optimization of tooth pitch and helix angle in gearing, and precision in gear fabrication
 Pumps can be chosen and designed to work at or near design point
 Electrical equipment dynamically balanced with quieter cooling fans
 Hull Design
 Reduction of turbulence bow shape
 No abrupt changes of shape in the waterline
 Minimization and alignment with flow of appendages and fittings
 Flush welds, undistorted plates and smooth paintwork
 Propeller
 Good design optimizing load.
 Ensuring uniform water flow into propellers which can be influenced by hull design
 And careful selection of propeller diameter, blade number, pitch, and skew

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Summary

 Underwater radiated noise associated with various types of ships can be

significant and is distributed throughout the ocean
 The radiated noise levels from commercial shipping can have adverse
impacts to marine environment and wildlife
 Two emerging noise regulation/event relate to the underwater noise
emissions from ships and the adverse impacts to the marine environment
and marine life
 IMO MEPC.1/Circ.833 offers non-mandatory technical guidelines on the
reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping
 EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires all waters in EU
achieving the Good Environmental Status (GES) and Descriptor 11
addresses specifically on underwater radiated noise from shipping
 Objective standards for measurement of underwater radiated noise exist.
 Existing noise standard/criteria for adverse effects of underwater radiated
noise from ships are very limited

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 ©2016 American Bureau of Shipping. All rights reserved.

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