Airborne sound power levels and third octave band spectra of passenger ships across operational phases in the Port of Split

Mapping airborne environmental noise in passenger ports is increasingly important due to their proximity to residential areas and associated health risks. Predictive models have been limited by the scarcity of reliable airborne sound power data for ships under real operating conditions. This study addresses that gap through a short-term campaign at the Port of Split (Croatia). A-weighted sound power levels and third-octave spectra were derived for ferries, cruise ships, and catamarans during key operational phases: hotelling (at berth), loading/unloading, arrival, and departure. Measurements were conducted by qualified personnel with Class-1 instrumentation under favorable meteorological conditions and processed following established procedures. Results show marked differences among ship types and phases. Small catamarans are generally quiet except for auxiliary ventilation near departure; large catamarans exhibit higher levels at departure due to engine activation. Ferries separate into two behaviors: large units emit continuously during hotelling from ventilation and auxiliary machinery, whereas small ferries can be silent at berth or operate low-mounted engines intermittently. Cruise ships produced significant airborne noise mainly during hotelling, with elevated source heights that may enhance propagation toward urban receivers. The resulting dataset, based on repeated operations in a regular port schedule, offers directly model-ready inputs for noise mapping.