THE DILEMMA OF VESSEL NOISE SmartComp Consultation Day

Transcription

1 THE DILEMMA OF VESSEL NOISE SmartComp Consultation Day at Meriton Grand Conference and Spa Hotel, Tallinn Maria Mustonen, TFK Transport Research Institute

2 Agenda Noise as an environmental problem The effects of vessel noise Regulation of noise levels from maritime traffic Noise sources on a vessel Making vessels quieter Conclusions Photo: Per Erik Adamsson Stockholms Hamnar

3 The PENTA project An European Union Central Baltic Interreg IV A programme project 5 seaports in the Baltic Sea Region Stockholm Helsinki Tallinn Turku Naantali 3 research institutes Turku university, Centre for Maritime Studies (lead partner) TFK Transport Research Institute, Stockholm Estonian Maritime Academy, Tallinn

4 Noise as an environmental problem One of the most wide spread environmental problems in Europe 30% of the EU population is exposed to noise levels hazardous to health (55 db) WHO: at least one million healthy life years are lost annually in Western Europe due to environmental noise Noise has serious health effects Road and street traffic is the most important noise source No reliable statistics available on noise from maritime transports and ports On population level, it cannot be seen as a major problem

5 Noise has serious health effects Source: WHO, Burden of disease from environmental noise, 2011

6 Underwater noise and marine fauna Compared to the research regarding the health effects of noise to humans, little is known about its effects to animal life forgotten environmental problem Environmental legislation is to protect humans from noise Marine mammals such as harbour porpoises, and fish arts with swim bladder are most sensitive to noise Effects of noise: hearing defects, escape behaviour, disturbed reproduction, disturbed communication Harbour porpoise, Picture: WWF

7 Regulation of the vessel noise The Environmental Noise Directive, 2002 Obligatory noise mapping and actions plans for noise abatement in cities IMO, ILO, EU, and national legislation regulate noise levels inside the vessels as an occupational health question Voluntary comfort classification for passenger vessels Noise emissions to the air are regulated through the environmental permits of the ports, but not internationally Noise emissions to the water are not regulated at the moment, IMO is working on recommendations

8 Vessel noise as industrial noise Ports noise is classified as industrial noise Vessel noise becomes industrial noise as soon the vessel enters the dock The port authority becomes responsible for the noise from the vessel SWEDEN General guidelines for industrial noise Residential areas: Daytime 50 db Evening 45 db Night 40 db FINLAND General guidelines for all noise Residential areas: Daytime 55 db Night 50 db (old areas) / 45 db (new areas) ESTONIA Target levels for industrial noise Day 55 db Night 40 db Limit levels for industrial noise Day 60 db Night 45 db

9 Noise sources on a vessel Engines Engine room ventilation Exhaust funnels and ventilation Ventilation and A/C systems Hydraulics Vessel quay interface: ramps and hull ports Photo: Port of Tallinn

10 Vessel noise: technical challenges Outdoors environment: more difficult to stop the spreading Water: conducts sound very well Multiple sources On shore power supply is only a partial solution Noise sources in different heights Engine noise is low frequent More annoying to hear than average traffic noise Requires big silencers Standard sound proof building techniques are insufficient to hinder it penetrating the nearby dwellings Improvements on existing vessels take away space from other functions (cargo, passengers) and increase the weight

11 Vessel noise: challenges Not the biggest environmental challenge to ship owners in the Baltic Sea Region (sulphur regulations) Existing vessels: requires relatively big investments from the ship owners but gives no direct revenues Not regulated internationally Not prioritized by IMO Polluter Pays principle: who is the polluter? Cargo vessels: varying routes, no pressure from the transport buyers Cruising vessels: different regulations in different ports, varying routes + Consumer pressure + Comfortable ships are often more silent

12 Inner city harbors South Harbour, Helsinki Old City Harbour, Tallinn Värtahamnen, Stockholm Stadsgården, Stockholm

13 Cities are growing into the ports Picture: Stockholm Royal Seaport / Aaro Designsystem

14 Solutions on existing vessels Installing silencers in machine room, funnels, vents etc. In ports On shore Power Supply Berthing noisier vessels further away from the dwellings Using help engines turned away from the dwellings Picture: Port of Helsinki

15 Easier to do it right from the beginning Viking Grace, launched in January 2013

16 Building a quiet vessel Paying attention to the noise question in every detail The same techniques which improve the passenger and crew comfort also decrease noise emissions Examples of the solutions: Flexible installation of the engines decreases the vibrations from the hull and thereby noise emissions Exhaust pipe resonators In and out air noise reduction Choosing quieter machines wherever they are available This is somewhat more expensive than using standard techniques Extra weight Solutions require space Noise is only one of the environmental aspects in need of attention

17 Picture: Port of Helsinki / Heikki Nissinen Thank you! More info: maria.mustonen@tfk.se