Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain — At OCEANOISE 2026, the Marine Technology Centre (CTN) presented the Marine Acoustics Data Knowledge Hub, a digital ecosystem designed to become an international reference in the environmental management of underwater noise. The launch took place during one of the leading conferences for the scientific, technical and professional community dedicated to the study, measurement, modelling, assessment and mitigation of ocean noise.
The presentation marks a new step in CTN’s strategy — as a sponsor of OCEANOISE 2026 — to bring rigour, comparability and technical criteria to a growing challenge: the management of underwater noise pollution in the context of expanding maritime activity, offshore development, port traffic, new infrastructure and heightened environmental sensitivity.
The choice of OCEANOISE 2026 as the launch venue reflects the international and specialised nature of the conference, which has gathered the professional community currently working on the very challenges the platform aims to address: how to measure more accurately, how to interpret data using shared criteria, and how to translate acoustic knowledge into actionable decisions for ocean protection.
During the event, CTN hosted a stand in the exhibition area where visitors could explore its services and capabilities, as well as the international projects it is currently involved in. CTN also participated in the scientific programme by delivering sessions focused on acoustic propagation, bubble curtains, metamaterials, impact assessment and applied solutions for the marine environment.
From acoustic data to technical criteria
Underwater noise is no longer solely a scientific issue. It has become a determining factor in environmental, regulatory and operational decisions across ports, offshore projects, environmental impact assessments, conservation strategies, maritime operations and authorisation processes. However, the main challenge is not merely to measure — the real bottleneck lies in transforming complex acoustic signals, obtained using different methodologies, equipment and contexts, into reliable, comparable and interpretable information.
“The Marine Acoustics Data Knowledge Hub was created precisely to respond to this need: to help convert acoustic data into a common technical language capable of supporting decisions with greater rigour, reducing uncertainty, and facilitating more coordinated management of underwater noise,” said Noelia Ortega, Director of CTN. “The platform acts as a gateway to solutions, resources, technical expertise and specialised services for those who need to measure, justify, interpret, model, visualise, validate or reduce the impact of underwater noise in seas and oceans,” she added.
An international meeting point for the sector
CTN’s new hub is aimed at businesses, public administrations, environmental consultancies, engineering firms, offshore developers, port authorities, acoustic equipment manufacturers and integrators, universities and research centres. Its objective is to build an active user community and facilitate access to technical resources, data, tools, webinars, use cases, collaborative opportunities and specialised services related to underwater noise management.
The platform is not conceived solely as a digital space, but as an international meeting point between industry, academia, public administration and applied knowledge — a place to organise capabilities, connect needs and enable different stakeholders to advance using common criteria on an increasingly relevant environmental challenge for the Blue Economy. Key areas coordinated by the hub include measurement and processing of acoustic signals, noise mapping, scenario modelling, marine fauna impact assessment, acoustic equipment calibration, technical consultancy, mitigation support, advanced materials development and access to testing capabilities and specialised infrastructure.
Measuring well to decide better
Underwater noise management increasingly demands a solid technical foundation. In practice, the absence of global standardisation, uneven equipment calibration, methodological diversity and the complexity of models can hinder comparison between studies and weaken decision-making. The platform therefore, centres on a key principle: accumulating data is not enough — it must be converted into useful, comparable and accessible information.
CTN contributes calibration, monitoring, processing, modelling, visualisation, mitigation and technical cooperation capabilities to the ecosystem, ensuring that every piece of acoustic data can serve as a solid foundation for assessing impacts, designing campaigns, anticipating scenarios, defining mitigation measures and supporting environmental, regulatory and operational decisions. In this way, the Marine Acoustics Data Knowledge Hub bridges the gap between technical data and action, making it easier for organisations of all kinds to find the resource, tool or service they need to address their underwater noise challenges.
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A platform aligned with CTN’s vision for the Blue Economy
With this initiative, the Marine Technology Centre consolidates its role as a meeting point for professionals from industry, academia, public administration and the technology sector, cooperating to develop innovative projects and high value-added technology to tackle the major challenges of the Blue Economy. The platform reflects a clear vision: marine sustainability does not depend solely on having more technology, but on building collaborative spaces where knowledge, measurement, validation and decision-making can advance under common criteria.
At a time when underwater noise pollution is gaining growing relevance in port, energy, industrial, scientific and environmental projects, CTN is committed to a model grounded in technical rigour, international cooperation and applied technology transfer.
The Marine Acoustics Data Knowledge Hub is now available at knoisehub.ctnaval.com
Editor at the digital magazine AquaHoy. He holds a degree in Aquaculture Biology from the National University of Santa (UNS) and a Master’s degree in Science and Innovation Management from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with postgraduate diplomas in Business Innovation and Innovation Management. He possesses extensive experience in the aquaculture and fisheries sector, having led the Fisheries Innovation Unit of the National Program for Innovation in Fisheries and Aquaculture (PNIPA). He has served as a senior consultant in technology watch, an innovation project formulator and advisor, and a lecturer at UNS. He is a member of the Peruvian College of Biologists and was recognized by the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) in 2016 for his contribution to aquaculture.
