01-05 December 2025
INCOIS, Hyderabad, India.
| Abstract Submission No. | ABS-07-0355 |
| Title of Abstract | Marine Spatial Planning with Integrated Shipping Radiated Noise and Habitat Suitability Modelling in the Indian Ocean |
| Authors | Arnab Das*, Shridhar Prabhuraman |
| Organisation | Maritime Research Center |
| Address | Maritime Research Center, Koregaon Bhima, Pune, Maharashtra 412216, India Pune, Maharashtra, India Pincode: 412216 E-mail: shridhar.prabhuraman@maritimeresearchcenter.com |
| Country | India |
| Presentation | Oral |
| Abstract | Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) highlights the urgent need to reduce anthropogenic pressures on marine ecosystems while ensuring sustainable use of ocean resources. Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) from shipping, is increasingly recognized as a chronic stressor that disrupts acoustic communication, navigation, and foraging behaviours of marine fauna. To address this challenge, we propose a dynamic, real-time Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) framework that integrates Shipping Radiated Noise Estimation (SRN) with Habitat Suitability Modelling (HSM). The SRN estimation in MSP, ingests AIS vessel data, machinery (engine) parameters, and environmental inputs (bathymetry, salinity, temperature) to produce instantaneous and cumulative noise maps across the Indian Ocean. These visualizations capture spatio-temporal variability in shipping noise and allow evaluation of cumulative stressors. Complementing this, species-specific HSMs have been developed using MaxEnt and environmental predictors such as sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a, Net Primary Productivity (NPP), and bathymetry. This work demonstrates HSM for sea turtles, whales, and dolphins, however the framework can be generalised to a broad range of marine species and habitats. By overlaying noise propagation with predicted biodiversity hotspots and migratory corridors, the integrated system enables identification of high-risk conflict zones and supports interventions such as re-routing, speed regulation, and precision design of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), thereby contributing towards the sustainability goals. |
| Are you part of IIOE-2 endorsed project | no |
| Keywords | SDG-14, Marine Spatial Planning, Shipping Radiated Noise, Habitat Suitability Models, Indian Ocean, UN Decade of Ocean Science |
| For Awards | no |