News
On this page, you can follow the progress of the InciteShip project. We continuously post news and updates.
2025-04-22: The planned measurement site outside Gothenburg in spring sunshine
This spring, we made two field visits to the planned measurement site off the coast of Gothenburg. The aim was to gather basic information ahead of upcoming measurements and the deployment of the measurement system.
With the help of Njord Survey
External link, opens in new window., we were able to reach the area north of Galterö to examine the local conditions on site. Among other things, we measured how the speed of sound varies with depth, a factor that influences how underwater noise spreads below the surface.
Many thanks to Anders Wikmar, Moje Holmén and Joakim Nilsson for two safely executed trips!
Sound speed in water as a function of depth, measured at the planned buoy position outside Gothenburg during two visits in spring. The earlier measurements from early March (grey lines) show a distinct layer, with a rapid increase in sound speed with depth. In the later measurement from April (blue line), the surface water had warmed up and the variation in sound speed with depth is less pronounced.
2025-04-11: Conference: Tillsammans för Öresund!
On 9 April, FOI researcher Mathias Andersson participated in a conference in Helsingborg, where he gave a presentation on underwater noise from ships and its impact on marine life. The issue is particularly relevant in the Öresund region due to the intense commercial shipping traffic. InciteShip’s work to measure underwater noise and develop incentives for its reduction also attracted considerable interest among the participants. The conference was organised by the Öresundssamarbetet, a network of municipalities and public authorities on both the Swedish and Danish sides of the strait, collaborating on shared regional challenges. Read more about the conference (available in Swedish and in Danish) External link, opens in new window..
2025-04-04: Sea trials with measurement buoys in the Stockholm Archipelago
In early April, researchers from IVL, FOI and SMHI carried out an important sea trial in the southern part of the Stockholm Archipelago. The three organisations are jointly developing InciteShip’s measurement system, and during the week they worked together on site to test the system ahead of the upcoming measurement period this summer.
The buoys were deployed without any issues, and the systems performed largely as expected. The tests included data transmission to shore, acoustic data collection under different conditions, and recordings of vessel passages, using one of FOI’s boats to pass by the hydrophones at varying distances.
SMHI has developed a specially designed low-noise mooring system tailored for underwater acoustic measurements. During the trial, IVL and FOI received a detailed walkthrough of how it works and how to deploy it in practice.
These sea trials mark an important milestone for the project and represent a step forward in developing resource-efficient methods for measuring underwater noise from ships.
One of the measurement buoys recently deployed for system testing. The system is powered by two solar panels and includes batteries housed inside the buoy. The white rod is an AIS antenna, and the white rectangular box contains the 4G modem for communication with shore.
A lot of equipment is needed to anchor the measurement system in place so it can remain fixed and record the ship noise required for the project. On the left is the orange 500-meter hydrophone cable. The blue and black ropes, buoys, and weights are all parts of the mooring system.
2024-12-03: Early Christmas gifts to InciteShip
Christmas came early for InciteShip this year! Our buoy hulls have finally arrived at FOI, marking the start of the exciting work to customize and equip them. One of the critical components to be installed is the waterproof box, being crafted onsite in FOI's workshop, which will protect the electronics from moisture and other challenges the buoys will face during the measurement periods. Having the buoy hulls on site is a tangible step forward for the project, and we’re eagerly looking ahead to late winter 2025, when the measurement systems will be tested in the field.
2024-10-30: Bioacoustics day 2024
InciteShip’s researcher Anna-Sara Krång participated in a workshop during Bioacoustics Day 2024 in the Netherlands, as a member of the European Interreg North Sea project DEMASK. A part of the project involves evaluating the impact of underwater noise on marine organisms in the North Sea, based on modeled sound levels under different policy scenarios. Anna-Sara presented the work she is leading within DEMASK, which assesses.
The goal is to identify so-called indicator species across several animal groups, which will be used for risk assessment. The subsequent discussions included, among other things, the idea of incorporating factors that assess the species' overall sensitivity and impact on the population level, in addition to the direct noise sensitivity.
A report presenting the choice of indicator species and the methodology behind it is anticipated to be delivered in January 2025. We expect valuable synergies of the outcomes from DEMASK with the incentive system we are developing in InciteShip.
Foto: Merel den Held
2024-10-28: Electronics development
Work on InciteShip's advanced measurement system is in full swing!
The external parts such as hydrophones, batteries, sound velocity meters and solar panels will be controlled by a protected electronics unit with a microprocessor and several small components that must communicate seamlessly with each other. Right now, we are in a focused programming phase of testing and fine-tuning - a magnifying glass is high on the shopping list!
2024-09-25: Webinar on standardization
InciteShip researcher Carl Andersson participated in a webinar organized by the European research project Saturn on the topic of standardization in underwater acoustics.
We aim that the work within InciteShip and the results of our project will be able to contribute to the development of a measurement standard for opportunistic measurements of underwater noise from ships..
Click here to watch the recording. External link, opens in new window.
2024-06-21: Conference contribution
Researcher Carl Andersson participated in the International Conference on Underwater Acoustics in June 2024 with a contribution on measurements of a ship's radiated underwater noise in shallow water.
This work has given us knowledge and experience that we take with us in the planning of the measurement setup in InciteShip.
Referens: Andersson, C., Linné, M., Johansson, T., Andersson, M. ”Measuring ship underwater radiated noise in shallow waters - why not in the near fieldPdf, 334.8 kB.
Pdf, 334.8 kB.?”. (2024). Proceedings of the Institute of Acoustics, Vol. 46, Pt.1 2024. DOI: 10.25144/22211
2024-06-10: Reference group meeting
InciteShip's first reference group meeting was held in early June with work package leaders and representatives from different fields of interest.
The project was presented and discussed in detail, and the meeting provided valuable insights and perspectives that will contribute to the further development of the project. We are already looking forward to the next meeting planned for the fall of 2025, where we will present and review preliminary results.
2024-05-30: Events in Copenhagen
Julia Winroth represented InciteShip at two events organized by Danske Rederier in Copenhagen at the end of May.
These events included a seminar on underwater noise emissions from ships and a workshop on biodiversity and route planning, where underwater noise was one of several aspects discussed. There was significant interest in InciteShip’s measurement system, and we look forward to future collaborations.
2024-05-28: ADC-programming
To translate the analog signal from a hydrophone to a digital signal, we use an ADC, analogue-to-digital converter.
Here, the ADC is programmed by Carl in the technology lab at IVL.
Carl i tekniklabbet på IVL.
2024-05-02 : IVL explores measures to reduce environmental impact of underwater noise
Underwater noise in the oceans is a growing environmental problem. Increased shipping and heavy recreational boat traffic have a negative impact on wildlife and the environment. Despite this, effective measures to reduce this noise are lacking. With two recently launched projects, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and partners want to change this.
2024-03-28: Kick-off for the project
The project team gathered in Gothenburg on March 19–20 2024, for an official project kick-off.
The purpose was to build consensus and understanding of the project and what we aim to achieve, both within the project team with IVL and FOI, and with collaborating partners such as SMHI, Aarhus University, Stena Teknik, and Terntank.
Project team after sandy collaboration exercise, from left: Emilia Lalander, Mathias Andersson, Torbjörn Johansson, Anna-Sara Krång, Carl Andersson, Markus Linné, Julia Winroth and Elin Malmgren. Henrik Samuelsson is missing from the photo.