AQUO
Achieve QUieter Oceans by shipping noise footprint reduction
AQUO project is developed in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)
adopted in 2008 by the European Union, in order to contribute to marine environmental
protection. Recent researches outline the need to mitigate underwater noise footprint due
to shipping, to prevent adverse effects to marine life. In this context, the project is expected
to achieve important scientific and technical advances, and to bring significant impacts by
providing policy makers with practical solutions. |
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AQUO project will propose solutions regarding
ship design, including propeller and cavitation
noise, and solutions related to shipping
control and regulation. Main objectives are the
following: • develop and validate a shipping underwater noise footprint assessment tool related to AIS (Automatic Identification System) data, • improve and/or validate models and methods to predict radiated noise from ship propellers, taking into account cavitation phenomena and interaction effects, • propose a standard for ship underwater radiated noise measurement method, | • develop new vibro-acoustic measurements
tools and methods applied to real
experiments at sea, • establish criteria and good practices for noise protection on marine life, based on analysis of available data and specific bioacoustic experiments on representative marine species, • establish a list of design improvement solutions to reduce ship underwater radiated noise, without reducing fuel efficiency of the ship, • establish practical guidelines to reduce shipping noise for a quieter ocean, providing responses to the needs of policy makers. |
Most technical results will be available to general
public through the publication of reports, the
website and the scientific community. Wide dissemination
of results will be done through technical
reports, scientific papers, and a dedicated
conference on ship vibro-acoustics and impact
on marine life. In addition, links are being established
with stakeholders in the maritime sector
(e.g. shipyards, ship owners, end users) in order
to discuss the research results and their applicability.
The project is expected to have a large
impact on design guidelines for new ships and
on ship traffic control. |
The project is supported by different methods
and tools, which will be used to assess the effectiveness
of noise mitigation measures in order to
select the most appropriate ones. For example,
we can outline the underwater noise footprint
assessment tool derived from an existing operational
system, connectable with AIS shipping
data and able to run in real time, dedicated bioacoustic
studies conducted on different marine
species in order to derive criteria regarding shipping
underwater noise acceptable limits, and
experiments at sea on different ships, including
commercial vessels. AQUO will closely cooperate
with the SONIC project, which will adopt a complementary
approach on cavitation noise. |
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