We Attended OCEANOISE 2026 to Bring Underwater Noise Solutions Closer to the Maritime Industry.
There are challenges within the maritime sector that remain largely unseen, yet their impact is becoming increasingly evident. Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) is one of them. At OCEANOISE 2026, we had the opportunity to discuss the latest developments in underwater radiated noise, its consequences, and its growing impact on the marine environment. The increase in global shipping traffic over recent decades has contributed to rising noise levels in the oceans, affecting marine species that rely on sound for communication, navigation, and feeding.
As a result, international organisations and regulatory bodies around the world are paying increasing attention to this issue, and all indications suggest that reducing underwater radiated noise will play an increasingly important role in future maritime regulations.
LOWNOISER Project: Advancing the Reduction of Ships’ Acoustic Impact.
In this context, our R&D Director, Santiago Molins, had the opportunity to present the latest progress of the European LOWNOISER project at OCEANOISE 2026. This initiative pursues an ambitious yet essential objective: helping to ensure that the ships of the future operate more quietly beneath the surface.
What makes LOWNOISER particularly valuable is that it goes beyond theoretical research. The project is working with full-scale demonstrators—including cruise ships, cargo vessels and tankers—to evaluate technologies and methodologies capable of reducing underwater radiated noise under real operating conditions. Understanding the problem is important, but demonstrating that solutions work in practice is even more critical.
During the presentation, several key achievements were highlighted. These included improvements in underwater noise prediction models, the evaluation of new gearbox configurations aimed at reducing propulsion-related tonal components, the assessment of air lubrication systems (ALS), and the incorporation of operational factors such as hull condition, propeller ageing and environmental conditions to obtain more realistic estimates of vessel acoustic performance.
For TSI, participation in projects such as LOWNOISER is a natural extension of our expertise in vibration, noise and condition monitoring applied to the maritime sector. For many years, we have supported shipowners, shipyards and manufacturers in gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamic behaviour of their vessels and systems. Today, this expertise is proving essential in addressing one of the maritime industry’s most significant environmental challenges.
The conversation surrounding underwater radiated noise has evolved considerably in recent years. It is no longer solely a scientific issue; it is also a matter of efficiency, sustainability and preparedness for future regulatory requirements.
Events such as OCEANOISE demonstrate that the sector is moving in the right direction—sharing knowledge, validating results and collaborating to develop solutions that enable the continued growth of maritime transport while protecting marine ecosystems.
➡️ OCEANOISE 2026 Declaration: A Call for Immediate Action on Ocean Noise ⬅️
We would like to thank the OCEANOISE 2026 organisers for the opportunity to present these results and exchange experiences with researchers, shipowners, manufacturers and professionals committed to reducing underwater radiated noise.
We would also like to acknowledge the contribution of all authors and collaborators whose knowledge and expertise have supported the development of the methodologies, models and demonstrators presented during the project.
Special thanks are also due to the LOWNOISER project partners for their commitment and for demonstrating that collaboration between industry, research centres and universities is essential to delivering practical solutions capable of reducing the acoustic impact of maritime transport.
At TSI, we will continue contributing to this objective by transforming data, measurements and analysis into tools that help create more sustainable shipping and quieter oceans.
For more information about our URN-related projects, please visit our R&D section.
Take a look at our URN poster presented at the IMO.
📧 infotsi@tsisl.es
📞 +34 913 459 730
