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Davie, Innovation Maritime and the Université de Sherbrooke partner to reduce underwater noise radiated by ships

Photo: Davie.

LÉVIS — Davie announced a $50, 000 financial contribution to a research and development project in partnership with Innovation Maritime (IMAR), an applied research centre, and the Université de Sherbrooke.

The project aims to design and build a test platform in a controlled environment for the evaluation of different technologies used to reduce underwater noise radiated by ships. The project focuses on both traditional and innovative means of noise reduction and will ultimately improve the St. Lawrence River’s marine mammals’ sound environment. A $218, 000 budget has been allocated to the project, including $150, 000 from Transport Canada as part of the Quiet Vessel Initiative, and $18, 000 from the Université de Sherbrooke.

“With this project, we are looking to develop sizing methodologies and to better document how these solutions are applied to make it easier for shipowners and their engineering teams to adopt them right from the design phase,” said Kamal Kesour (PhD), project leader, IMAR.

To achieve this, IMAR will design and manufacture a platform equipped with controlled vibro-acoustic reference sounds to reproduce the expected acoustic and vibratory excitations. Several underwater noise reduction solutions will then be investigated as part of the project. The results will be used to compare each method’s ability to decrease underwater noise pollution. The opportunity to work with a small-scale platform will significantly reduce the overall cost of conducting these assessments, rather than procedures mobilizing an actual ship.

“The key advantage of this laboratory tool is to be able to evaluate several independent means of mitigation in a controlled environment, using only one system,” said Olivier Robin (PhD), professor at the Université de Sherbrooke and member of the Centre for Research in Acoustics-Signal-Human.

IMAR has access to a 15-metre-long, six-metre-wide, 20-metre-deep diving pool that will be used to deploy the platform.

“Davie is a forward-looking company. For us, the ship of the future is a green ship, in every respect, and that includes underwater noise reduction. This was an opportunity for us to concretely support a project that matches our intentions. We look forward to the seeing the results of the experienced researchers who will be involved in this project,” said Lindsey Kettel, senior vice-president, strategic development, Davie.