Noisy ships are susceptible to increased hull fouling
Noisy ships are susceptible to increased hull fouling, costing shipowners dearly in terms of fuel consumption, according to new research.
Scientists at New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) have found that vessel fouling by marine invertebrates was ‘greatly enhanced’ by the underwater noise generated by ship’s running generators and machinery in port.
In tests, scientists recorded the noise generated from a number of different ship types and then played it back to mussel larvae in a controlled environment at the Leigh Marine Laboratory, at the University of Auckland. It was found that when they were exposed to noise, mussels and barnacle settled and metamorphosed significantly faster that those organisms exposed to lower levels of noise. The findings were substantiated by the higher level of biofouling and species diversity on the hulls of those vessels researched.
Presenting the study’s findings to delegates at a recent conference, NIWA biosecurity scientist Dr Serena Wilkens said the results could have ‘important and wide-ranging implications’ not only for vessel efficiency but also for the spread of invasive species.
Source: IMAREST
