Port of Seattle invests in research and technology to reduce underwater noise

To protect the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales in Puget Sound, the Port of Seattle has prioritized reducing underwater noise.

Port commissioners have authorized investments to help quiet Puget Sound and its waterways to reduce the impacts on marine life through various concrete actions. For example, a double-wall piling system designed to reduce the how far underwater noise travels was tested during a pier’s construction as part of a pilot study.

The port also plans to develop an Underwater Noise Mitigation and Management Plan (UNMMP), which would further advance the port’s ranking in terms of Green Marine’s underwater noise environmental performance indicator.

Last year, the Port of Seattle also became a founding member of Quiet Sound, a collaborative program launched under the operational leadership of Maritime Blue, which is a Green Marine association member. The port has committed financial support for Quiet Sound over the next three years, in addition to participating in the decisions of its working groups.