Standards Development

Scope

Standardize procedures for measurement of sound radiated by ships under test in shallow water

Purpose

The scientific research on the impact of underwater sound on the marine ecosystem necessitates the accumulation of reliable acoustic output data for common sources such as surface vessels. These data may be obtained through at-sea measurement by relevant organizations, such as research institutes, by applying the measurement methodology described in the ISO 17208 series of standards. The methodology and measurement configuration must be sufficient to give technically sound acoustic data, but also suitable for end-users to conduct the measurements in-situ in the ocean without access to large, fixed noise ranges. The 17208 series currently has two parts covering measurements of radiated noise level in deep water, and the calculation of source level from the deep-water data. There is a need to develop a part 3 standard to cover measurements in shallow water, one reason being that deep waters maritime areas are sometimes far away the zone of operation of the ships considered. The topic of noise pollution from ships is very timely. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recognised the importance of noise radiated by ships and in 2014 produced guidelines for the reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life. The IMO Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) has recognized the importance of standardization in measurement, highlighting the issue at the 2019 conference in London (attended by over 140 delegates from 24 countries). Since then, IMO MEPC proposal MEPC 75/14 submitted by Australia, Canada and United States outlines next steps, including “identifying an acceptable means of measuring existing ship noise profiles following ISO or international standards”. In addition, there are several ship classification societies (DNV, Lloyds, etc) that have produced classification documents for vessels which designate categories according to noise output, and this process needs to be underpinned by common standards of measurement. There are several research projects looking at the assessment of noise radiated by ships, including projects funded by Transport Canada (eg ECHO project) and by the EU (eg project SATURN). These projects will examine different measurement configurations, with results feeding directly into the drafting of this standard (providing the potential for some real-world validation of methods and procedures).

With the projected increase in global shipping, technological advances, increased scientific evidence of the impact on the marine environment, recent international focus on sustainable oceans and the blue economy, and the potential co-benefits between greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, improved energy efficiency and noise reduction, it is an opportune time to advance work on this topic. Developing international standards for the measurement of sound from ships in shallow water would be of mutual benefit for both EU Member States, North America, Australia, and Asia Pacific countries. It would benefit both regulators and environmental researchers, but also ship builder and operators needing to test new builds. This standard will facilitate compatibility between measurements in US, EU, Australia, Asia Pacific and Canada.

Developing international standards for the measurement of sound from ships in shallow water would be of mutual benefit for countries of Europe, North America, Australia, and Asia Pacific countries. It would benefit both regulators and environmental researchers that need to measure ship radiated noise for environmental assessment, and also those producing ocean noise maps which require accurate data for ship source levels as model inputs. Also ship builders and operators needing to test new builds for radiated noise will directly benefit. It will benefit those undertaking tests to determine ship classification and will encourage ship classification societies to harmonize their quiet ship certification procedures based on the new ISO standard. The new standard (part 3) will not require access to deep water in order to conduct measurements and so will enable ship noise measurements to be made by a wider variety of stakeholders.