Underwater Noise Measurement Standard Working Group Forming

The development of an entirely new commercial standard for “Underwater Noise Measurement of Ships” will commence in early 2007. ANSI-Accredited Standards Committee S12 Committee on Noise recently voted unanimously to form a Working Group (WG) for the development of an underwater noise measurement standard.

Currently, no voluntary consensus standard exists for performing underwater noise measurements of ships. For many years, the field of underwater noise from ships has been the exclusive specialty of the Navy. However, non-navy vessels are looking to be just as quiet so that they can perform better science. “Green Ships” are being conceived in order to have less emission into the ocean. One such quiet ship is the new Fisheries Research Vessels (FRV) that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is building in Mississippi. The goal of this project is to develop an American National Standard for the measurement of underwater noise levels of ships using commercial technology. One aim is that the standard would be applicable to any open ocean site in the world and not require traveling to a special acoustic test range.

However, the committee’s scope of work will include neither regulatory actions nor the development of any underwater noise level limit. (Since 1995, recommendations for underwater noise levels for these types of research vessels have been available [ICES CRR209]). Organizations procuring or operating quiet ships, naval architects, and acoustical engineers should be interested in helping to develop this new standard. The Working Group is being formed at this time. If your organization is interested feel free to contact the new S12 Working Group chair, Michael Bahtiarian, at phone and email below.

Accredited Standards Committee S12 is administered on behalf of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) by the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) as a public service. All directly and materially affected parties are encouraged to participate in the Working Group. Organizational membership in S12 is also available to organizations and companies wishing to participate. Contact Susan Blaeser for details at (631) 390-0215 [email protected]. Learn more by clicking the "Standards Info" button at http://asa.aip.org.

The Acoustical Society of America is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1929. It is the premier international scientific society in acoustics, dedicated to increasing and diffusing the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) coordinates the development and use of voluntary consensus standards in the United States and represents the needs and views of U.S. stakeholders in standardization forums around the globe.