Two underwater curtains made entirely of bubbles are being used during the construction of Aberdeen South Harbour to limit disruption to marine mammals.
Two underwater curtains made entirely of bubbles are being used during the construction of Aberdeen South Harbour to limit disruption to marine mammals.
The ‘double-bubble’ curtain is believed to be the first in the UK and reduces the underwater sound levels from construction. Two 850-meter-long perforated hoses run along the seabed at the mouth of the new port. These hoses are connected to a bank of 10 compressors on land and are turned on when underwater construction is taking place that has the potential to disturb marine mammals.
This is just one environmental mitigation step taken during the construction of the new port. Other measures include underwater noise monitoring and marine mammal observers, who are onsite to ensure construction work remains a safe distance from the animals. “