The New Standard in Marine Noise Control

Noise control in the marine industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation. For decades, shipbuilders relied on empirical and semi-empirical prediction methods derived from operational experience. While effective for conventional vessel designs, these approaches are increasingly challenged by modern shipbuilding realities. Lightweight structures, advanced propulsion systems, hybrid powertrains, new materials, and highly integrated layouts introduce complex vibration and acoustic behaviors that traditional rule-based methods struggle to capture — particularly during early design stages when decisions carry the greatest impact.

At the same time, noise performance has become a defining metric of vessel quality and compliance. Commercial and industrial ships must meet stringent occupational noise regulations and classification society requirements. Passenger and leisure vessels face heightened expectations for acoustic comfort, where cabin noise and vibration levels directly influence customer satisfaction and brand reputation. Identifying noise issues late in the development cycle — often during sea trials — can result in costly retrofits, schedule delays, and compromised design solutions.

Beyond onboard considerations, underwater radiated noise is rapidly emerging as a major regulatory and operational concern. Growing global scrutiny of anthropogenic underwater sound is leading to new environmental standards, monitoring requirements, and potential operational restrictions in sensitive marine regions. For naval and defense vessels, underwater acoustic signatures are also mission-critical, affecting detectability, survivability, and strategic effectiveness. These combined pressures demand predictive tools capable of accurately modelling structural vibration, acoustic radiation, and fluid-structure interaction under realistic operating conditions.

This whitepaper outlines how modern vibroacoustic simulation is establishing a new standard in marine noise control. By providing a physics-based, full-frequency modelling framework, simulation enables engineers to evaluate onboard and underwater noise performance early in the design process, explore design alternatives, and optimize mitigation strategies before construction begins. The result is faster decision-making, reduced technical risk, and improved cost efficiency across the vessel lifecycle.

The paper also highlights how Keysight CAE’s VA One platform delivers an integrated vibroacoustic environment tailored to marine applications. Combining Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Boundary Element Methods (BEM), Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA), and hybrid techniques within a single framework, VA One enables comprehensive noise and vibration assessment from low to high frequencies. With scalable computation and workflows designed for early-stage and detailed design alike, VA One empowers shipbuilders and naval architects to meet evolving regulatory demands, enhance passenger comfort, reduce underwater acoustic impact, and deliver competitive, future-ready vessels — on time and with confidence.