Submarines and environmental protection: a concrete commitment in the Mediterranean through the collaboration between ISPRA and the Italian Navy

On 14 January, at the Navy General Staff, the ISPRA President, Stefano Laporta, and the Head of the 5th Submarine Department of the General Staff,  Admiral Vito Lacerenza, discussed the collaboration activities between ISPRA and the Italian Navy provided for by the memorandum of understanding signed in December 2019. The agreement aims to strengthen synergies for the protection of the marine environment and, in this context, a significant contribution can also come from the monitoring of marine habitats through the acoustic sensors of submarines. ISPRA and the Navy also collaborate in the development of Artificial Intelligence algorithms for the classification of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic noise. The close collaboration with ISPRA has also allowed the inclusion of a submarine officer, as an expert in the sector, in the Technical Group on Underwater Noise established under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive aimed at protecting the seas of the European Union. The new generation submarines, thanks to a range of technologically advanced sensors, in addition to ensuring deterrence, safety and protection of national interests in the Mediterranean, contribute to scientific research and the protection of the marine environment.