The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) is developing an artificial intelligence-based acoustic monitoring network that will identify and classify noise sources in the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa. The initiative, called SonaGrid, involves deploying 12 autonomous nodes equipped with intelligent processing technology to analyze the sound environment at both facilities and provide information about acoustic events associated with port activity.
The project builds on an initial technology validation phase and is now entering a new stage aimed at testing the operation of a distributed acoustic intelligence infrastructure under real operating conditions. The goal is to have a system that does more than simply record noise levels: it will also determine where the noise comes from, identify different types of sound emissions, and provide data for environmental and operational management.
The initiative addresses the acoustic characteristics of port facilities, where maritime activities, cargo-handling operations, vehicle traffic, and machinery all converge. These sources are compounded by natural and weather-related factors that can interfere with measurement systems and make it harder to identify certain events.
To address this complexity, the APBA plans a multi-port network comprising 12 autonomous devices distributed between Algeciras and Tarifa, equipped with local processing capabilities using Edge AI technology. The devices will have hybrid LoRaWAN and 5G connectivity, as well as autonomous power systems, with the aim of ensuring continuous monitoring without relying exclusively on conventional communications and power infrastructure.
One of the project's technical features is the incorporation of Machine Listening models, an artificial intelligence application designed for the automatic recognition and analysis of sounds. This technology will distinguish between acoustic sources and classify specific events, enabling the system to provide information about the nature of the detected noise in addition to recording its intensity.
The algorithms will be trained using data captured directly in the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa so that they can be adapted to the characteristics of both facilities. This process will also aim to reduce false alerts associated with environmental factors, including wind and the presence of wildlife, which can alter acoustic recordings without necessarily being related to port operations.
Processing data on the devices themselves is another element included in the technological architecture. With this system, known as Edge Computing, some of the analysis takes place where the information is collected, without the need to continually send acoustic signals to a central infrastructure for processing. The technology developed by SonaGrid uses this approach to identify sound patterns and characterize emission sources.
The network will need to operate in an environment subject to specific conditions, such as exposure to salinity, adverse weather events, and noise variations caused by maritime traffic and land-based operations. Validation will allow the equipment and algorithms to be tested to ensure they continue to function under these circumstances.
Planned outcomes include the creation of an acoustic intelligence platform capable of generating real-time alerts and providing context for detected events. The resulting information will be incorporated into APBA's corporate systems, where it can be viewed through dashboards and used in analysis and decision-making processes related to port activity.
This integration would provide continuous records of the facilities' acoustic behavior, identify the types of events that occur, and link the data to environmental and operational management needs. The initiative also includes gathering technical evidence to assess a possible future expansion of the network and its application to other areas of environmental monitoring.
The technology company SonaGrid, which originated in Algeciras, has prior experience developing distributed acoustic intelligence solutions. As reported by El Estrecho Digital last July, its Deep Noise project, developed by company founder Víctor Manuel Díaz, won the 2026 atrÉBT! award in the Projects category from the University of Cádiz. The proposal uses IoT sensor networks and artificial intelligence to identify noise sources in urban and industrial environments and critical infrastructure.
SonaGrid's connection with the port ecosystem of Algeciras predates this new validation phase. The company presented its technology on March 26 at a meeting of the Innovation Committee of the Port of the Bay of Algeciras, held at the R&D&I building of the Algeciras Technology Campus Foundation. It is also part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the Digital Entrepreneurship Center for Port Logistics, established under the Misión Andalucía initiative, promoted by the Regional Government of Andalusia through the Andalusia Digital Agency.
The SonaGrid project is part of the APBA's open innovation and digital transformation strategy, through which the port authority is working to validate technologies applicable to maritime and logistics activities. In this case, the initiative focuses on testing the ability of artificial intelligence to facilitate the monitoring of acoustic emissions, improve the information available about their origin, and contribute to environmental management goals and efforts to reduce the impact of port activity on its surroundings, particularly in the relationship between the ports and the cities of Algeciras and Tarifa.
