• Bridges & Piers

    Anthropogenic noise has increased drastically in recent years due to the rise in ocean infrastructure development. Pile driving, the practice of pounding long hollow steel pipes called piles into the ocean floor, is required to support underwater structures such as turbines. Pile driving is used to drill turbines into the ocean floor for the purpose of tapping into natural energy sources such as oil, gas, and wind. Pile driving is also used to build bridges and piers. Pile driving has the potential to produce some of the loudest anthropogenic sounds that enter the marine environment.

    Ocean Sonics produces hydrophones which are specially designed for regulatory compliance with pile driving. The icListen SC2-X2 is specially calibrated to monitor the loud noise levels which come with pile driving. Our complete bundle includes all the required accessories; Launch Box, Cables, Lucy Software, to easily and instantly monitor sound levels while pile driving for bridges and piers. Reach out to our sales team and let them know about your project to have them prepare a custom hydrophone package designed for marine pile driving for your bridge or pier.

  • Offshore Wind Farms

    In some countries, regulators have already made passive acoustic monitoring a permit or license requirement, either throughout the entire year or during potentially sensitive seasons such as when whales are giving birth to their calves.  Over the next few years, scientists will start to reveal more about the effects of sound on marine mammals, and as technology advances, it is safe to assume that passive acoustic monitoring will become a permanent and universal legal requirement.

    Passive acoustic monitoring provides a unique opportunity to track noise levels, biological activities, and to characterize the local marine soundscape before, during and after piling operations. The loud impulses produced during pile driving are believed to be sufficiently powerful to affect the hearing of marine mammals. For this reason, hydrophones are often used to monitor the area before and during piling operations.

    Ocean Sonics manufactures the icListen SC2-X2 which is a reduced sensitivity hydrophone specifically designed for pile driving operations. Combined with the right accessories; cables, Launch Box, and Software, you will easily be able to instantly monitor acoustic levels while pile driving. Reach out to our sales team and tell them about your acoustic listening needs and they can prepare a package of products to suit you.