Summary
LOWNOISER addresses underwater noise pollution from maritime transport, a growing threat to marine ecosystems that interferes with communication, navigation, and reproduction of marine species. The project develops and demonstrates innovative and scalable solutions to reduce Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) from ships, combining engineering technologies, operational strategies, and monitoring systems. CNR-ISP contributes by assessing the environmental impact of noise through acoustic monitoring, modelling sound propagation, and evaluating effects on marine biodiversity. Special emphasis is placed on low-frequency noise and its impact on cetacean communication, including masking effects and changes in acoustic communication space. 

Objectives
The main objectives of LOWNOISER are: (i) to develop and demonstrate effective and durable solutions for reducing underwater radiated noise from ships, applicable to both new vessels and retrofits;(ii) to develop monitoring and predictive tools for ship noise emissions and validate them in real operational scenarios; (iii) to quantify the impact of noise reduction measures on marine ecosystems and biodiversity, including effects on acoustic communication and masking in marine mammals; (iv) to support the development of standards, guidelines, and regulatory frameworks for quieter shipping.

Project Partners

European consortium (~15 partners) including research and industry:
• Maritime CleanTech (Coordinator)
• Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-ISP)
• Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd; SINTEF Ocean AS; Técnicas y Servicios de Ingeniería S.L. (TSI); Kongsberg Maritime AS; Lloyd’s Register Group Ltd; Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC); Ibaizabal Tankers S.L.; Alfa Laval Rotterdam B.V.; Vibrol Oy; Bergen Engines AS; Bureau Veritas Portugal; Associated: HX Hurtigruten Expeditions; Havila Voyages

Other information
Website: https://lownoiser.eu/
CNR-ISP activities within LOWNOISER include:
· validation of underwater noise prediction methodologies and mitigation solutions;
· long-term acoustic data analysis and shared database development;
· assessment of environmental impacts of mitigation measures on marine species and biodiversity;
· development of acoustic communication and masking models for low-frequency cetaceans;
· application of innovative monitoring approaches such as Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) for large-scale marine soundscape observation.