Transport Canada - Marine Research, Development, & DemonstrationFuture Ship: UBC Marine Systems Initiative 2nd Industry WorkshopMarch 4, 2020 (Vancouver, BC)

RDIMS # 15936711

Introduction

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Introduction

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• Transport Canada (TC)’s Innovation

Centre is an engineering and science

research branch within TC.

• We support research to enhance the

safety, security, efficiency, and

environmental performance of

Canada’s transportation system.

• Our Marine Research, Development

and Demonstration (RD&D) is

comprised of engineers, policy

analysts, naval architects, and marine

biologists.

Innovation Centre Marine RD&D

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CLEAN MARINE – REDUCING EMISSIONS FROM THE MARINE SECTOR

Issues related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), criteria air contaminants (CAC),

and black carbon (BC)

REDUCING UNDERWATER NOISE AND VESSEL STRIKES TO SUPPORT MAMMAL

PROTECTION

Mitigation impacts of shipping on marine mammals and their ecosystem

GOALS

RD&D INITIATIVES

Validate pre-market clean technologies

Investigate technologies to reduce underwater vessel noise and improve marine mammal detection

Collection and analysis of noise data

Support noise mitigation operational measures, such as slowdowns

Improve test methodologies

Support fundamental clean technology research

and demonstrations

Marine Mammal Population At Risk

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Saint-Lawrence

Estuary Beluga

(SLEB)

North Atlantic

Right Whale

(NARW)

Southern

Resident Killer

Whale (SRKW )

EFFECTS OF SHIPPING NOISE

ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT

HUMAN INFLUENCE

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Drivers for Marine Mammal Protection

TC-IC Marine RD&D Projects

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Understanding Anthropogenic Underwater Noise

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• Green Marine is focused on improving the shipping industry's

environmental performance

• This report summarizes the underwater noise situation

KEY FINDINGS

• Underwater noise originates from a range of sources – both

natural and anthropogenic.

• It is essential to have a recording system to monitor ambient

noise in locations considered to be ecologically important.

• Behavioural observations of the marine animals are difficult to

interpret, and likely not the best metric for impacts.

• Identifying acoustic thresholds is difficult, especially in the case

of chronic and continuous noises, such as those produced by

vessels.

• Underwater noise has been a major concern for more than ten

years in Canada and is identified as a major threat for marine

mammals at risk.

Underwater Listening Station

• Installed an Underwater Listening Station (ULS) in Boundary

Pass (Salish Sea) ULS will provide data to assess and validate

mitigation measures as well as individual vessel noise profiles.

• Will be deployed this spring and be in place until March 31 2023.

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Underwater Glider

• Deployed an experimental underwater glider equipped with a hydrophone, used to detect North Atlantic right whales in and near the shipping lanes of Honguedo Strait.

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Underwater Glider in the Honguedo Strait (Photo Credit: UNB)

Real-Time Estimation of Underwater Noise

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(Photo Credit: DRDC)

• Transport Canada is interested in the real-time estimation of underwater radiated noise based on on-board measurements

• Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) performed a trial to measure both on-board vibrations and off-board underwater noise produced by an ORCA-class patrol vessel.

Propeller Projects

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PINOV- 3D model of test setup with improved shaft drive system (Photo Credit: NRC)

CNC Machining (Photo Credit: Dominis Engineering)

Ship Operations Projects

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Echodounder Schematic ( Credit: Vard Marine Inc.)

Simulation of Lowest Safe Navigation Speed CCGS Cygnus (Photo Credit: DFO)

Noise Mitigating Technologies

• Transport Canada commissioned VARD

Marine, Inc. to prepare a report on

available noise mitigation technologies

for quieting commercial ships

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4 Larger 1

Slower Faster

3 Smaller 2

Cruise Ships

LNG Carriers

Vehicle Carriers

FerriesFishing Vessels

Tugboats

Offshore

Supply Vessels

Ferries

Ferries

Bulk Carriers

Tankers

Warships

Crewboats

Container Ships

Ship Types (Credit: VARD)

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Domestic and International Consultations

Ship Noise Mitigation Technologies for a Quieter Ocean (November 2018 – Halifax, NS)

• The workshop was comprised of:

o a short course on underwater noise from ships;

o presentations from leading figures with special

expertise in some aspects of underwater noise from

ships; and,

o breakout brainstorming sessions.

• Reviewed and validated report on Ship Underwater

Radiated Noise (Vard Marine, Inc.)

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Quieting Ships to Protect the Marine Environment (London, UK – January 2019)

• The workshop objectives were to:

o validate current technologies and identify important gaps and

challenges to further progress;

o assess areas by ship class for innovation, and potential to determine

where further research is needed;

o understand whether improvements made to ship design for fuel

efficiency overlap with improvements made to reduce noise; and

o document the conclusions of the workshop to guide future

discussions on reduction of underwater ship noise or as groundwork

for a review of the existing IMO Guidelines

• Reviewed and validated report on Ship Underwater Radiated Noise

(VARD Marine, Inc.) - report is available as document MEPC 74/INF.2817

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Quiet Vessel Initiative (QVI)

Quiet Vessel Initiative (QVI)

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• Making vessels quieter is a relatively new consideration for shipbuilders and operators.

There are significant knowledge gaps about what vessel designs and technologies can be

the most effective in reducing underwater vessel noise.

• QVI will assess safe, environmentally-responsible and effective “quiet vessel”

technologies, retrofits, designs, and operational practices, and promote international

standards to increase adoption.

• It will also provide an opportunity to engage

stakeholders in a dialogue about quiet vessel

solutions.

• A compendium of possible technologies and

measures will be created to help vessel

owners identify solutions to reduce noise.

TC-IC Marine RD&D Request For Proposals

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Marine RD&D Request for Proposals (RFP)

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CLEAN MARINE STREAM

($4.7M)

1) Emerging Technologies:

2) Testing & Validation of

Pre-Commercial and

Commercial Technologies

MARINE MAMMAL

PROTECTION STREAM

($16.4M)

1) Safety Assessments and

Technology Scans

2) Development of Models

and Predictive Tools

3) Testing and Evaluation of

Technologies:

COMBINED STREAM

• TC seeks to identify, test and validate technologies and/or

designs that result in both efficiency improvements and/or

emission reductions (GHG and CAC) and URN reduction

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The objectives of this Request for Proposal (RFP) are to:

• inform the sector of Transport Canada’s research goals;

• provide an opportunity for the sector to put forward projects that they think will help meet the research goals; and

• ensure a transparent and competitive process.

Open to Indigenous groups and

Canadian marine stakeholders,

including industry, not-for-profit groups, and academia

Up to $21.1M for projects under three streams

over the next four years.

Marine RD&D Request for Proposals (RFP)

Contact Information

Jordan O’Reilly

Jordan.O’Reilly@tc.gc.ca

(613) 998-2552

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www.canada.ca/innovation-centre www.canada.ca/centre-innovation