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After an intensive tender process, our colleague Koen van der Nat signed the contract on December 7 to monitor the auxiliary engine noise of ships in the Port of Rotterdam. Auxiliary engine noise refers to the sound generated by engines running to produce electricity on ships moored at a quay. The monitoring project involves measuring the sound power of hundreds of ships in real-world conditions at various locations in the Port of Rotterdam over a period of two years.
For this purpose, Peutz has developed an innovative monitoring system in which the determination of sound power is largely automated using Artificial Intelligence. This project is carried out on behalf of the Municipality of Rotterdam, Port of Rotterdam Authority, Province of South Holland, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
In a small yet bustling country like the Netherlands, disruptive noise is an issue of growing importance. Anyone living near a highway, railway, or airport knows the impact firsthand. One source of noise that often goes unnoticed is the sound produced by moored ships—what we call “berth noise.” To maintain onboard power, these ships frequently run large engines at low capacity, supplemented by systems like fans and pumps. With more residential developments emerging near the port of Rotterdam, the potential nuisance—especially from low-frequency noise—is increasing. That’s why it’s essential to accurately map berth noise.
Until recently, manual measurements were the only way to gather data on ship noise emissions. But to achieve a representative picture of the global fleet, hundreds of ships would need to be measured—an enormous task.
That’s where we come in. At Peutz, we developed a fully automated method called noise emission mapping. This system maps noise from ships and other sources by combining acoustic measurements with algorithms and environmental data—such as wind direction and speed—and ship movement patterns. The result is a continuous, automated stream of data that transforms raw sound levels into actionable insights, especially valuable for policymakers and urban planners.
So far, we’ve installed eight monitoring networks near berthing locations, each consisting of seven sound meters. Our system automatically detects when a ship is moored near one of these networks. It then assesses whether environmental conditions are suitable for reliable measurements and identifies the ship’s characteristic noise output and spectrum.
The heart of our innovation lies in the fusion of AI algorithms with physical environmental models. By leveraging artificial intelligence, our system can determine the location and intensity of noise sources based on acoustic data and physical modeling. This gives us deep insights into the berth noise profiles of various types of sea vessels.
We believe our technology is ideally suited for global deployment in ports and industrial zones. Recently, we’ve also launched a new project using our noise emission mapping technique to monitor and manage sound levels from music festivals near residential areas.
