Overview
ISO 2922:2020 - "Acoustics - Measurement of airborne sound emitted by vessels on inland waterways and harbours" - defines conditions and procedures to obtain reproducible, comparable measurements of airborne noise from vessels (sea‑going vessels, harbour vessels, dredgers and other watercraft) in ports, harbours and inland waterways. It excludes powered recreational craft covered by the ISO 14509 series. All results are referenced to a standard reference distance of 25 m and the standard applies irrespective of vessel speed, length or height provided the ship can be treated as a point source at that distance.
Key topics
- Measurement quantities and weighting
- Primary metrics: A‑weighted sound exposure level (LE,A,T) and maximum AS‑weighted sound pressure level (LpASmax).
- Frequency weighting: A; time weighting: slow (S). Octave or one‑third‑octave spectral measurements (unweighted or C‑weighted) are permitted when required.
- Reference distance
- All noise data are referred to 25 m; procedures include provisions to calculate levels at this reference distance.
- Test conditions and site requirements
- Specifications for moving and stationary vessel tests, microphone positions, test course and measurement distance.
- Environmental limits (e.g., recommended sea/weather conditions; surf/weather limitation noted as sea state 1 during survey period).
- Background noise handling, with a recommended 5‑minute integration for background monitoring.
- Operating and loading conditions
- Requirements for engine operating modes (main/auxiliary), doors/windows, vessel loading and other operational variables to ensure repeatable tests.
- Instrumentation, calibration and uncertainty
- Requirements for sound level meters, windscreens, calibrators and verification procedures (referenced IEC/ISO equipment standards).
- Guidance on estimating measurement uncertainty and on producing a complete test report.
Applications
ISO 2922 is used by:
- Acoustical consultants and testing laboratories performing acceptance and monitoring tests.
- Shipbuilders and equipment manufacturers for noise specification verification and compliance testing.
- Port and harbour authorities for environmental noise assessments and operational monitoring.
- Regulators and certification bodies who need standardized, comparable vessel noise data for permitting and enforcement.
Typical applications include acceptance testing on delivery, periodic monitoring after modifications, environmental impact assessments, and noise control planning in harbour areas.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 2922, vessel noise measurement, acoustics, airborne sound, inland waterways, harbours, sound pressure level, A‑weighted, sound exposure level, measurement uncertainty.
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