Transport Canada-Quiet Vessel Initiative-Industry & Academia – Call for Proposals

Environment, Energy and Natural Resources

Oceans, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Deadlines

Academic Unit: Inquire with your unit

Memorial Deadline: Wednesday 23rd, June 2021

External Deadline: Wednesday 30th, June 2021

Description

Transport Canada’s Quiet Vessel Initiative (QVI) is soliciting research proposals from stakeholders across the maritime sector. Contribution funding will be available for projects that will help reduce the impacts of vessel navigation on marine mammals and the marine environment. The Program will help to advance the testing and development of quiet vessel solutions for Canada’s domestic fleet.

Up to $150,000 per project is available to support eligible project activities. You may only begin incurring costs once a project is approved. All projects must be completed by March 31, 2024.

Examples of projects include (non-exhaustive list):

* Developing and maintaining an online resource about effective and proven technologies to reduce underwater vessel noise for naval architects, vessel owners/operators, and other stakeholders – based on best available evidence.
* Developing, or increasing the technology readiness level of a novel approach or technology for the reduction of underwater vessel noise; for example, underwater noise reduction of outboard propulsion systems.
* Tests, trials or other field research to quantify the effectiveness of new vessel designs, retrofits or operational practices aimed at reducing underwater vessel noise.
* Development of onboard, real-time underwater vessel noise monitoring, or propeller cavitation monitoring systems for vessels.
* Development of vessel design and engineering tools to facilitate the consideration of underwater radiated noise (URN) mitigation as a design criteria for vessels (e.g. software prediction tool for propeller-related underwater radiated noise).
* Studies to support the development of adaptive noise management plans for ferries that operate in endangered marine mammal habitat (i.e. Southern Resident killer whale, North Atlantic right whale, St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga).
* Studies to support the development of adaptive noise management plans for whale watching vessels that operate in endangered marine mammal habitat (i.e. Southern Resident killer whale, North Atlantic right whale, St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga).
* Studies to support the development of a whale-watching vessel design, to reduce their underwater noise impacts on endangered marine mammals.
* Developing a post-secondary training initiative for marine engineers and other functional specialists (e.g. policy officers) to increase the understanding of underwater vessel noise and its impacts on the marine environment.

Should you wish to submit a proposal, please use the attached Project proposal template and budget and cash flow template. The Applicant’s Guide will help you prepare your proposal and includes key details. Please review carefully.

Please note that this is only a call for proposals. Once received, eligible project proposals will be reviewed against the Program’s Merit Selection Criteria. You will be notified if your project has been approved for funding.

If you have any questions, need assistance, or wish to submit your application, please contact the Program at the following address: QuietVesselInitiative-InitiativeDeNaviresSilencieux@tc.gc.ca

Please note that all applications must be submitted by June 30, 2021 (12:00 AM Pacific Standard Time).

More information can be found here.