Mitigation of noise and vibration is an ever-more pressing consideration in ship design and engineering due to the heightened environmental dimension to regulatory controls.

While the complex technical issue has commanded greater attention over the years in acknowledgement of the influence of these elements on structural integrity, equipment malfunction, passenger comfort and crew habitability, the effect of underwater radiated sound on sea life has increasingly come under the spotlight from outside the industry.  

The average level of noise in the most heavily trafficked seas has increased by nearly 20dB since the start of the 1970s, signifying 100 times more sound power and 10 times wider range. This considerable upturn in noise impact reflects the growth in the size of the global fleet, as regards both number and tonnage of ships, more than any other factor.