Engineers build quietest ship propellers to save marine life

German researchers at HAW Kiel have launched the MinKav project, funded by a €390,000 grant from Schleswig-Holstein, to develop quieter ship propellers aimed at reducing underwater noise pollution that disrupts marine life. The project, which began in January 2026 and will run until the end of 2028, focuses on mitigating noise caused by cavitation—a process where vapor bubbles form and violently collapse on propeller blades, generating loud sounds that interfere with marine mammals’ communication, feeding, and mating behaviors. Using advanced tools such as cavitation tunnels, high-speed cameras, and underwater microphones, the team seeks to understand and slow down bubble collapse to reduce noise without compromising ship efficiency or speed. Led by Prof. Jörn Kröger and doctoral researcher Leonie Föhring, the project addresses a critical gap in maritime engineering, where noise reduction has not been a priority despite environmental concerns. Unlike current solutions that often require ships to slow down—resulting in longer travel times and higher costs