Multi-Faceted Analysis of Airborne Noise Impact in the Port of Split (III)

Abstract

Marginal and neglected until recently, noise pollution is a significant topic of sustainable development today. Port noise has become an increasingly critical problem for the environment. The public and the scientific community have gradually become aware of the harmful impact of noise emissions on residents living near port facilities. It coincides with the increase in complaints from the population about excessive noise pollution in ports, especially in residential areas near the cargo terminals in Split. This paper seeks to empirically investigate overall port noise and assess the significance of the reported disturbances. The methodology includes the measurement of noise in zero state conditions, residual noise and noise during specific work processes, and consideration of conditions for possible adjustments of the selected work process during transport operations. The goal is to propose plans for noise reduction by evaluating the results of noise monitoring with the specified limit values, which determine the highest permissible noise levels for industrial and residential zones in the observed area. The values exceed the maximum permitted noise levels during the night. However, this problem can be reduced through operational and technical adjustments in cargo handling processes, acting as objective mitigation measures. The effectiveness of the defined procedure is demonstrated by its application in the Port of Split, contributing to the port’s sustainability located near the residential area.