RS Aqua Launches Enhanced Marlin Underwater Acoustic Monitoring System

As offshore wind development accelerates across the UK and Europe, developers face increasing pressure to balance project delivery with environmental and regulatory requirements. To support this challenge, RS Aqua has introduced an enhancement to its Marlin underwater acoustic monitoring system, bringing together three critical compliance capabilities.

Designed specifically for offshore wind developers, subsea construction contractors, and marine environmental teams, the latest Marlin update combines:

• Harbor Porpoise Detection
• Acoustic Anomaly Detection
• Impulsive Noise Metrics Monitoring

Supporting marine mammal protection

Harbor porpoises are a protected species and remain one of the most sensitive and closely monitored marine species within offshore development zones. During activities such as seabed piling and construction, underwater noise can disrupt migration routes, feeding behaviors and breeding patterns.

Marlin's enhanced harbor porpoise detection capability continuously monitors for the high-frequency clicks produced by these marine mammals, providing operators with near real-time awareness of their presence within the project area.

This data helps developers demonstrate compliance with marine mammal protection requirements while supporting informed operational decision-making during critical construction phases.

Automated detection of acoustic anomalies

In addition to marine mammal monitoring, Marlin can now continuously profile the underwater environment to establish a baseline sound signature.

The system automatically identifies and flags unexpected acoustic events. These could include illegal vessel activity for example, or security-related disturbances.

Measuring what matters for compliance

Impulsive noise generated during offshore construction remains a key regulatory concern. Marlin automatically measures and logs the metrics required for environmental assessments including variation of:

• Sound Pressure Level (SPLO-pk, SPLpp))
• Sound Exposure Level (SEL / Fixed-window SELss)
• Power Spectral Density (PSD)
• 1/3₫ Octave Band SPL Analysis

The thresholds are customisable, when noise levels exceed the set threshold, operators will be notified via the app or email.

Together, these metrics provide the acoustic evidence required to support environmental reporting and compliance obligations under UK and EU offshore development laws.

End-to-End monitoring 

Unlike systems that rely on multiple vendors or disconnected datasets, Marlin is calibrated and connected across the entire monitoring chain, including:

• Hydrophones
• Data Acquisition Hardware
• Processing Software

This secure, end-to-end service provides confidence in data quality and traceability throughout the project lifecycle.

Operators can access live and historical monitoring data remotely through the Marlin Connect desktop application, enabling project teams to review acoustic information from anywhere in real time.

The Marlin system consists of three integrated components:

• Marlin Link: The self-contained telemetry hardware deployed in the field. It connects to our acoustic recorders, captures data and transmits it securely for processing. Rugged and built for real-life marine environments, its reliable and requires minimal intervention.
• Marlin Cloud: The secure processing layer. It receives and stores incoming acoustic data, runs Al-enabled analytics and generates real-time alerts, turning raw sound and data into tangible, structured information.
• Marlin Connect: The desktop application where users interact with the system. It provides live and historical data visualisation, detection results, analysis tools and export functionality, turning information into action.

With Marlin Link installed directly onto a buoy or fixed platform, the system operates autonomously without the need for dedicated vessels or onboard crews, helping reduce monitoring costs while maintaining continuous environmental oversight.

The technical capabilities of Marlin have also been evaluated in a peer-reviewed study demonstrating its near real-time adaptive acoustic monitoring approach. Read the paper Marlin: A Near Real-Time Adaptive Framework for Intelligent Marine Acoustic Monitoring here.