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In higher education institutions, there is a strong interaction between research and teaching activities. This paper presents a case study on the research–teaching nexus based on an analysis of academic results related to the course "Instrumentation and Data Analyses in Marine Sciences" within the Marine Sciences and Technologies Bachelor's Degree at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), taught at the Vilanova i la Geltrú campus (Barcelona, Spain). The start of this degree in the academic year 2018–2019 allowed the assignment of technological subjects in the degree to a research group with extensive experience in the research and development of marine technologies. The first section of this paper aims to provide a justification for establishing the Marine Sciences and Technologies Bachelor's Degree. It highlights the necessity of this program and delves into the suitability of the profiles of the professors responsible for teaching marine technology subjects. Their entrepreneurial research trajectory and their competence in electronic instrumentation are strong arguments for their appropriateness. The next section of the paper explores a detailed analysis of academic results based on surveys and student performance indices. Through a thorough examination of these data, this case study demonstrates, within the context of all UPC degrees, that assigning a research group made up of experienced professors and researchers in the field who are accustomed to working as a team produces superior academic results compared to assignments to professors who do not work as a team. Teamwork presents specific skills necessary for operating the infrastructures and equipment associated with an experimental degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In higher education institutions, there is a strong interaction between research and teaching activities. This paper presents a case study on the research–teaching nexus based on an analysis of academic results related to the course “Instrumentation and Data Analyses in Marine Sciences” within the Marine Sciences and Technologies Bachelor’s Degree at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), taught at the Vilanova i la Geltrú campus (Barcelona, Spain). The start of this degree in the academic year 2018–2019 allowed the assignment of technological subjects in the degree to a research group with extensive experience in the research and development of marine technologies. The first section of this paper aims to provide a justification for establishing the Marine Sciences and Technologies Bachelor’s Degree. It highlights the necessity of this program and delves into the suitability of the profiles of the professors responsible for teaching marine technology subjects. Their entrepreneurial research trajectory and their competence in electronic instrumentation are strong arguments for their appropriateness. The next section of the paper explores a detailed analysis of academic results based on surveys and student performance indices. Through a thorough examination of these data, this case study demonstrates, within the context of all UPC degrees, that assigning a research group made up of experienced professors and researchers in the field who are accustomed to working as a team produces superior academic results compared to assignments to professors who do not work as a team. Teamwork presents specific skills necessary for operating the infrastructures and equipment associated with an experimental degree.

Conducting sea-going ocean science no longer needs to be limited to the number of berths on a ship given that telecommunications, computing, and networking technologies onboard ships have become familiar mechanisms for expanding scientists' reach from onshore. The oceanographic community routinely works with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and pilots to access real-time video and data from the deep sea, while onboard a ship. The extension of using an ROV and its host vessel's live-streaming capabilities has been popularized for almost 3 decades as a telepresence technology. Telepresence-enabled vessels with ROVs have been employed for science, education, and outreach, giving a greater number of communities viewing access to ocean science. However, the slower development of technologies and social processes enabling sustained real-time involvement between scientists on-ship and onshore undermines the potential for broader access, which limits the possibility of increasing inclusivity and discoveries through a diversity of knowledge and capabilities. This article reviews ocean scientists' use of telepresence for ROV-based deep-sea research and funded studies of telepresence capabilities. The authors summarize these studies findings and conditions that lead to defining the use of telepresence-enabled vessels for "remote science at sea." Authors define remote science at sea as a type of ocean expedition, an additional capability, not a replacement for all practices by which scientists conduct ocean research. Remote science for ocean research is an expedition at-sea directed by a distributed science team working together from at least two locations (on-ship and onshore) to complete their science objectives for which primary data is acquired by robotic technologies, with connectivity supported by a high-bandwidth satellite and the telepresence-enabled ship's technologies to support the science team actively engaged before, during, and after dives across worksites. The growth of productive ocean expeditions with remote science is met with social, technical, and logistical challenges that impede the ability of remote scientists to succeed. In this article, authors review telepresence-enabled ocean science, define and situate the adjoined model of remote science at sea, and some infrastructural, technological and social considerations for conducting and further developing remote science at sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION. Adopted at the end of the 20th century and amidst the need to address the most pressing challenges at the time to regulate international relations in the World Ocean (delimitation of maritime spaces, ensuring equal access of states to ocean resources etc.), the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is an example of a legal text, some basic provisions of which require further interpretation. In addition to globalization trends reflected in the development of international law of the sea, the transformation of general international law, environmental law and research carried out under Sustainable Development Goal 14 ("Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development") entail the need for further clarification of the content of those terms used to regulate certain aspects of international law of the sea. During the last decade, the term "marine technology" has gained relevance inview of the increasing technological exchange and cooperation among States. At the same time, the lack of legal interpretation of the original term in the UN Convention of 1982 presents a problem, making it difficult to transfer marine technology as well as to define those technologies that can be attributed to marine technology. The purpose of this study is to analyze the legal content of the term "marine technology" under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, on the basis of the applicable international legal sources. The study includes a historical and legal analysis, an analysis of the applicable international legal literature as well as the content of the researched provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in the context of the development of general international law and international jurisprudence. In addition to a direct definition of the term "marine technology", the article also analyses related concepts ("accessibility", "promotion", "related technology", etc.) used in international legal instruments and literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This study is based on the analysis of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Supporting sources were also used in the analysis, such as the UN GA resolution A/RES/69/245 of 2014 on the need to increase opportunities for the transfer of marine technological potential, "Criteria and Guidelines for the transfer of marine technology" of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, as well as international legal literature. RESEARCH RESULTS. The study analyzed the meaning of the term"marine technology" under the applicable provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; identified and gave a definition to a number of related terms used within the context of development, transfer and operation of marine technology; as well as identified and substantively defined the needfor distinguishing of the legal terms and clarifying their content in order to ensure greater efficiency of the applicable provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. Within the present study, the author traces the evolution of the content of the term "marine technology", analyzes its content and concludes that the scope of this term has been clarified in the context of the modern ecologisation of international legal consciousness. In this context, "marine technology" includes not only the means and tools for the extraction of marine resources and minerals from the seabed, but also, inter alia, a set of technological solutions aimed at ensuring the implementation of the concept of sustainable development in the course of economic activities at sea.

The 2022 Global Deep-Sea Capacity Assessment is a baseline assessment of the technical and human capacity for deep-sea exploration and research in every coastal area with deep ocean worldwide. From 200 to nearly 11,000 meters below sea level, the deep sea encompasses the single largest—and arguably the most critical—biosphere on Earth. Globally, two-thirds of all exclusive economic zones combined have water depths between 2,000 and 6,000 meters, making this a particularly critical depth range to access. This study includes information for 186 countries and territories, analyzed by subregional, regional, and income groups. The data were collected through both an online survey and manual research. We found that globally, 52% of respondents agreed that exploration and research were considered important in their community. A third of respondents agreed they had the in-country technology to conduct deep-sea exploration and research, and half agreed they had in-country deep-sea expertise. Survey results revealed that the most important challenges worldwide are funding, access to vessels, and human capacity. The top three global opportunities for deep-sea exploration and research were training opportunities, less expensive data collection technology, and better data access and analysis tools. This assessment provides the baseline information necessary to strategically develop, equitably implement, and quantitatively measure the impact of deep-sea exploration and research capacity development over the coming years. It is now possible to measure the evolution of deep-sea capacity over the next decade, an important indicator of progress during the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

This article considers the current technological developments in uncrewed Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), examines the legal and regulatory challenges that they raise, and describes the ways in which an international body (the International Maritime Organization, IMO) and a national agency (UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, MCA) are engaging with the massive task of regulating this new development in shipping. To achieve the research aim, the article combines primary data from interviews with industry, government and international regulators, a survey completed by practitioners, experts and academics working in the field, and relevant secondary sources. The article makes an original contribution by noting and analyzing the approaches of the IMO and the UK government–bodies which are highly influential in shaping global attitudes, preparation, adoption and responses to such innovative technologies like MASS–and how they have engaged with the difficult question of regulating the various legal, technical and cybersecurity challenges that they raise. It concludes that for the MASS technology to fulfill its potential and gradually see the integration of such vessels in international shipping in a safe, secure and sustainable way, the international community needs to work together, and update by consensus the key legal instruments and policy documents. In this major task, the UK approach and IMO's leading role can play a protagonist role in developing best practice and implementing respectively.

Advanced marine observation infrastructures are the most significant scientific tool for the study of marine ecosystem trends and shifts. Ocean monitoring technologies, though highly demanding and expensive, are essential for the monitoring and long-term study of oceanic systems. The POSEIDON system for monitoring and forecasting the marine environment is an augmented research infrastructure, unique in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, contributing to the European Ocean Observing System implementation, focusing—among others—on biogeochemical observations and deep-sea ecosystem and geological processes. The technological evolution of the POSEIDON system through a science-coupled strategy supported by engineers and scientists, resulted in a state-of-the-art ocean observing system. There has been a continuous expansion of the infrastructure with new scientific platforms and supporting facilities. Innovative sensing technologies were introduced in the operational data acquisition and new methodologies and tools were developed to improve the system operations and efficiency. As a part of the scientific community of ocean observatories, POSEIDON contributes actively to the improving of the ocean observing. International access to engineering and field demonstrating services, data products and technology testing facilities has been offered to scientists and industry partners. POSEIDON is a widely recognizable international technology testing/demonstrating node specializing in marine technology providing high-level services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buoyancy-driven underwater vehicles are key tools for obtaining data from the ocean. Underwater gliders and profiling floats, equipped with sensors, provide crucial information on ocean processes and climate changes. The Variable Buoyancy System (VBS) is a key element of these vehicles, and is in many cases the most complex and highest energy-consuming subsystem. Energy consumption directly determines a vehicle’s endurance and mission duration. This paper presents the design and testing of a miniature hydraulic VBS suitable for integration into small underwater vehicles and platforms. Previous VBS are reviewed, existing principles such as hydraulics and pneumatics are described, and an overview of their strengths and weaknesses is provided. The paper explains the concept and the components of the micro-hydraulic VBS, and provides experimental results from its testing in a pressure vessel up to 1000 m equivalent depth. All the components of the system were designed to be of low weight and small size in order to be used in small underwater vehicles such as gliders and profiling floats. The efficiency of the system is characterized for different operating conditions, and provides the basis for vehicle energy system design and endurance characterizations.

INTRODUCTION. In the second half of the 20th century, the expert was faced with a number of urgent tasks, in particular: ensuring access of states to living and nonliving resources of the World Ocean, protecting marine ecology, expanding the jurisdiction of states-states and delimiting maritime spaces. These problems became the official reason for convening the III Conference on the Law of the Sea. Also on the agenda of this conference is the issue of the transfer of marine technology. In the course of lengthy negotiations on the elaborated part XIV "Development and transfer of marine technologies" of the Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is used by the international legal regime for the transfer of marine technology. The author examines various international legal aspects of the problem of transfer of marine technologies, the importance of this institution for the international community. The purpose of the presented study is a comprehensive analysis of the international legal regime for the development and transfer of marine technologies based on the study of the relevant international legal acts and documents, identification of international legal problems. The main tasks are: identification of the prerequisites for the need for international legal regulation of the development and transfer of marine technologies, analysis of the provisions of the relevant international legal acts, consideration of the mechanism for the transfer of marine technologies developed by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The basis of this study is the provisions of international legal acts in the field of maritime law, documents of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in the field of transfer of marine technologies, as well as the works of domestic and foreign experts in the field of maritime law. Comparative legal analysis, formal legal, formal logical and systemic methods, methods of analysis and generalization were used as the main research methodology.RESEARCH RESULTS. As a result of the presented study, the prerequisites for the international legal regulation of the development and transfer of marine technologies were identified, the delineation of the areas of regulation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Agreement on the Implementation of Part XI of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the UNESCO IOC Criteria and Guidelines for the Transfer of Marine Technologies. A detailed analysis of the modern international legal regime for the development and transfer of marine technologies and the transfer mechanism developed by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission was carried out. A number of problems in the international legal regulation of this area have been identified, and ways to improve the efficiency of such regulation have been proposed.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. In the course of the study, the author concludes that the mechanism of international legal regulation of the development and transfer of marine technologies needs further improvement, and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines for the Transfer of Marine Technologies require appropriate amendments and additions. The author not only identifies specific problems of the international legal regime for the development and transfer of marine technologies, but also suggests ways to solve them.

With stricter IMO regulations on CO2 taking effect in 2023 and ambitious goals to reduce carbon intensity by 2030, the maritime industry is scrambling to clean up its act. Conventional methods and equipment are now being reevaluated, upgraded or completely replaced. The difference between a short-term fix and a long-term sustainable option is how flexible vessels will be to use new energy sources or technology as they become viable. The review discusses the recent literature on renewable energy sources, technical and operational strategies for new and existing ships, technology maturity, and alternative fuels. It is found that the IMO's targets can be met by combining two or three technologies, or via a radical technology shift which can provide innovative, high-efficiency solutions from an environmental and economic standpoint. It has also been noted that policies and enforcement are essential management instruments for mitigating the unfavourable environmental effects of marine transportation and directing the maritime industry toward sustainability on a regional, national, and international scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a simulated and experimental analysis of the effects of the evaporation duct on microwave propagation in the Irish Sea. The evaporation duct is a phenomenon that occurs almost permanently over all the world’s oceans and allows electromagnetic waves to travel beyond the horizon. Weather data logged over several years from four buoys off the east coast of Ireland has been analyzed to find the probability and strength of the evaporation duct. Signal propagation in the evaporation duct has been simulated using the parabolic equation model and compared to results obtained from an experimental setup in the Irish Sea. The best antenna heights and frequencies to maximize signal propagation at this location are also found. Results show that the evaporation duct can be used to provide high bandwidth communications beyond the horizon with an uptime of approximately 40%, and that weather data from buoys can be used to predict the performance of the communications link. While this method of communication is not one that can be relied on all the time, it could be useful to reduce dependency on expensive satellite links or provide nontime critical communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ocean Decade (OD) is the name of a United Nations (UN) initiative devoted to ocean science for sustainable development. It started in 2021 and will provide an opportunity to create a new foundation, across the science-policy interface, to strengthen the sustainable management of oceans and coasts and, at same time, bring benefits for future generations. The OD will establish a common strategy to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the other European Union (EU) and international agreements, such as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Marine Biodiversity Strategy and the UN World Assessment I and II aimed at preserving ocean health. Furthermore, the OD has several expected outcomes that concern different aspects of marine environment, including its enormous values for humans. Several entities will combine efforts to achieve these goals and science is at the forefront of the sustainable blue economy. Marine research is solving complex challenges through interdisciplinary approaches, revolutionizing our life and our interaction with the ocean. This review discusses recent advancements in science related to the OD outcomes. The role of new technology for ocean exploration and monitoring, the importance of omics science and biotechnology to deal with ocean pollution, and other innovative solutions are discussed. All of these are inspired by the idea of using marine resources in a sustainable way and without impacting in a negative way on marine ecosystems. The role of science communication is therefore considered a crucial issue to spread the OD messages and to reach the general public and stakeholders. Only by the integration of science, governance, industry and public, the OD will have any chance to succeed.

The development of broadband network access technologies available to users on land has triggered a rapid expansion of a diverse range of services provided by terrestrial networks. However, due to limitations of digital communication technologies in the off-shore area, the maritime ICT systems evolution so far has not followed that trend. Despite the e-navigation initiative defining the set of Maritime Services, the progress in the maritime ICT systems evolution has been slow. Only a few systems, including the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), or the TRI-Media Telematic Oceanographic Network (TRITON) have been proposed to extend the basic set of services offered by classical radio-communication solutions. However, all those systems have significant limitations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the netBaltic system designed as a fully heterogeneous system for modern maritime communications. Its unique feature is the capability to transparently use different communication technologies to efficiently support maritime ICT services, as well as openness for the incorporation of future communication technologies. The paper presents an overview of VDES, TRITON and netBaltic systems and analysis showing their expected strengths and weaknesses. The systems are then compared in simulated environments, illustrating real-world usage scenarios based on real maritime traffic information and performance measurements obtained during off-shore measurement campaigns. Results indicate that netBaltic seems to be the most versatile one and is capable of offering access to all services defined by International Maritime Organization, due to its ability to use different communication technologies simultaneously and functionality offered by its Delay Tolerant Networking component.

Due to simplicity, efficiency, and the ability to accommodate energy storage devices, DC distribution networks have been seen as an optimal alternative to AC distribution networks, especially aboard future electric ships. The emerging distribution DC system entails new control and management techniques. Therefore, an integrated DC power distribution network aboard an electric ship is selected as the case study in this paper. To meet the requirements of such a large-scale mobile power system, a multiport solid-state transformer (SST) based on silicon carbide (SiC) switches/MOSFETs is proposed. Thus, the system embodiment can significantly be reduced. Moreover, at the DC distribution level, a high penetration of renewable generation with energy storage is allowed and a six-phase asymmetrical induction machine (IM) can directly be integrated. Simulations have been conducted based on a 2 MW shipboard distribution network. The effects of the propulsion system dynamics on the SST are highlighted as well. Finally, a 2 kW lab-scale prototype has been implemented to validate the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deformations of steel material in shipbuilding and marine technology applications as a result of mechanical or temperature influences are a well-known problem. However, in the modern shipbuilding industry, the application of alternative materials, especially composite materials, in the structure and for the equipment of the ship is increasingly represented. Consequently, there is a need to determine the deformation and change of characteristics of such composite materials as a result of various mechanical, and especially temperature influences that cause the so-called shrinkage. The basic composite production process involves connecting the matrix with a catalyst and accelerators that create temperature, then the material shrinks by cooling when it can change its dimensions and characteristics. Also, in order to achieve the best possible mechanical properties, composite materials are specially heated and then cooled according to strictly defined processes and curves. The ability to predict the characteristics and parameters of such deformations is important in the context of the application of composite materials. To define such deformations, different methods are used within individual numerical solvers, whose results can differ significantly from each other. Therefore, the authors in this paper present an established methodology for predicting mechanical and temperature deformations, and modelling of composite materials, based on the analysis of analytical methods and numerical solvers with the aim of defining the most accurate numerical solver. By applying the presented methodology, it is expected to raise the level of accuracy and quality of composite materials production as well as to raise the quality of design solutions and efficiency of production procedures during shipbuilding in particular, but also within different marine technology applications and during the product’s life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of dc shipboard power distribution networks has been shown to offer several advantages over their ac counterparts. The reduction of the size and number of system components, the increased simplicity of operation and fuel efficiency of the system, and convenient integration of energy storage systems offer significant economical benefits to the ship operator. Solid-state bus-tie switches are widely regarded as being an indispensable component in dc shipboard power distribution networks, for their role as first line of defense against faults. Nevertheless, these devices are not limited exclusively to protection, but can provide additional functionality thanks to their design. This article shows how a solid-state bus-tie switch can be employed for soft-starting an unenergized section of a shipboard power distribution network, eliminating the need for additional components aimed specifically at this task. A technique is suggested and its performance is experimentally verified in a laboratory scaled-down model of a dc shipboard network. The additional functionality is achieved exclusively on a control basis, without modification of the switch topology initially intended purely for system protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced marine observation infrastructures are the most significant scientific tool for the study of marine ecosystem trends and shifts. Ocean monitoring technologies, though highly demanding and expensive, are essential for the monitoring and long-term study of oceanic systems. The POSEIDON system for monitoring and forecasting the marine environment is an augmented research infrastructure, unique in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, contributing to the European Ocean Observing System implementation, focusing—among others—on biogeochemical observations and deep-sea ecosystem and geological processes. The technological evolution of the POSEIDON system through a science-coupled strategy supported by engineers and scientists, resulted in a state-of-the-art ocean observing system. There has been a continuous expansion of the infrastructure with new scientific platforms and supporting facilities. Innovative sensing technologies were introduced in the operational data acquisition and new methodologies and tools were developed to improve the system operations and efficiency. As a part of the scientific community of ocean observatories, POSEIDON contributes actively to the improving of the ocean observing. International access to engineering and field demonstrating services, data products and technology testing facilities has been offered to scientists and industry partners. POSEIDON is a widely recognizable international technology testing/demonstrating node specializing in marine technology providing high-level services.

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is a major contemporary challenge. This has prompted the requirements concerning energy efficiency for ships, among other things. Improvement in efficiency of ship operations could be achieved by reducing unnecessary power consumption by induction motors. Specifically, the occurrence of power quality disturbances, such as frequency and voltage deviations, voltage unbalances, and voltage harmonics, can cause an extraordinary increase in the power losses occurring in induction motors, as well as an unnecessary increase in the output power. Furthermore, excessive power quality disturbances are often interconnected with failures of on-board equipment, and in extreme cases, these may even pose a threat to safety at sea. Consequently, strict power quality monitoring of on-board microgrids can also contribute to improving safety while afloat. In this study, a dedicated tool for power quality monitoring is proposed, namely the coefficient of voltage energy efficiency, which has a value proportional to the power losses occurring in induction motors under power quality disturbances.

Ship power systems are characterised by a comparatively high level of various power quality disturbances, such as voltage deviations, frequency deviations, voltage waveform distortions and sometimes voltage unbalance, which exert a detrimental effect on energy receivers. Among other things, power quality disturbances may cause an extraordinary increase in power losses occurring in on-board induction motors as well as ineffective utilisation of their mechanical output power. In this study, the results of empirical research which demonstrates how power quality disturbances in real ship microgrids affect induction motors are shown. The results of power quality monitoring in ship power systems from the point of view of the energy-efficient operation of induction motors are presented for various vessels and operating conditions. Recommendations concerning the revision of power quality standards and rules are elaborated to provide more energy-efficient ship operation.

In order to overcome the problem that the conventional algorithms cannot be applied in the polar region, a polar initial alignment algorithm for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) with a large misalignment angle is proposed in this paper. The error model, the dynamics model and the observation model of the polar UUV initial alignment algorithm is established under the grid frame. This initial alignment algorithm is designed for the temporary anchoring UUV. According to the complex environment in the polar region, the large misalignment angle is considered instead of the small misalignment angle in other algorithms. An unscented Kalman filter is used to realize the data fusion. Based on the characteristics of the dynamics and the observation model, the unscented Kalman filter is simplified. The errors of the velocity are chosen as the observations. The misalignment angle of UUVs is estimated by the simplified unscented Kalman filter. The results demonstrate that the polar UUV initial alignment algorithm can be effective in improving the initial alignment accuracy, especially when large misalignment angles occur.

“Global Ocean Science Report: The Current Status of Ocean Science around the World” published in 2017 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO was a first consolidated assessment of the ocean science and was intended to show the current status of the science in question. One of the important points of the report was a statement that sharing infrastructure and development of new technologies will reduce the cost of field expeditions and stimulate the scientific potential of the countries participating in international cooperation. The article studies the possibility of sharing marine technologies associated with marine research activities. It considers the possibility of application of some of the Criteria and Guidelines of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) when sharing the marine technology in the field of ecological and oceanographic research based on the provisions of international conventions, resolutions, documents of the United Nations General Assembly and IOC-UNESCO. Special attention is drawn to UN General Assembly Resolution “Oceans and the law of the sea" which mentions the issue of marine technology transfer. The article studies the definition of the term “marine technology” in the context of the IOC's Criteria and Guidelines on the transfer of marine technology. It determines that the term “marine technology” covers a wide range of subjects including information and data, manuals, guidelines, criteria, standards, reference materials, observation facilities and equipment, computers and computer software, expertise, know-how and analytical methods related to marine scientific research and observation. The article also presents the results of the scientific and practical seminar "International Cooperation in the Field of Marine Scientific Research – an Important Factor in the Development of Black Sea Regional Projects of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and European Union" which took place in Kyiv on October 19, 2017.

In order to ensure safe motion of ships, the International Maritime Organization has laid down Standards for Ship Maneuverability, and has also specified standard maneuvers for testing of vessels. If an active magnetic bearing (AMB) is used to levitate and support a rotor shaft in a ship, the maneuvering motion of the ship will also be transferred to the AMB. This work analyzes the performance of an AMB used for supporting a marine rotor system under the effect of ship maneuvering. Vibration time response of the rotor shaft and the AMB control current for a standard maneuver, namely, the Zig-Zag-20, is particularly focused upon. A finite element model of the rotor shaft AMB system subject to motion of the base is first presented. The performance of the AMB in compensating for the rotor vibrations with and without the maneuvering of the base is studied. The numerical simulations reveal that the vibration amplitudes caused by the maneuvering of the ship is higher than that caused by mass unbalance in the rotor shaft. Certain design modifications in the AMB is suggested, so as to make it suitable for marine rotor application. Results with two different control laws with optimum control gains are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tethered-undersea-kite (TUSK) represents a new electric power generation concept for harvesting energy from tidal currents, with higher power density compared to traditional static tidal turbines. However, the power and rotating speed of the turbine fluctuate periodically depending on the kite's motion in the sea creating an additional challenge for the speed control of the generator. The mathematical model of the system's power generation is developed. Two alternative maximum-power-point-tracking (MPPT) algorithms suitable for this application are designed. The electrical torque of the generator is controlled directly or a more accurate closed-loop speed controller is used. The turbine inertia creates an error between the optimal-reference power and the actual generated power. This error is evaluated experimentally for both MPPT-algorithms when fluctuating mechanical torque typical for the TUSK-system is applied on the generator. Experimental results on a 35-kVA laboratory emulator are presented, where an accurate representation of the system dynamics and inertia are implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to simplicity, efficiency, and the ability to accommodate energy storage devices, DC distribution networks have been seen as an optimal alternative to AC distribution networks, especially aboard future electric ships. The emerging distribution DC system entails new control and management techniques. Therefore, an integrated DC power distribution network aboard an electric ship is selected as the case study in this paper. To meet the requirements of such a large-scale mobile power system, a multiport solid-state transformer (SST) based on silicon carbide (SiC) switches/MOSFETs is proposed. Thus, the system embodiment can significantly be reduced. Moreover, at the DC distribution level, a high penetration of renewable generation with energy storage is allowed and a six-phase asymmetrical induction machine (IM) can directly be integrated. Simulations have been conducted based on a 2 MW shipboard distribution network. The effects of the propulsion system dynamics on the SST are highlighted as well. Finally, a 2 kW lab-scale prototype has been implemented to validate the theoretical findings.

We calibrated a sound velocimeter to a precision of +/- 0.034 m/s using Del Grosso's sound-speed equation for seawater at temperatures of 2, 7.2, 11.7, and 18 degrees C in a tank of seawater of salinity 33.95 at one atmosphere. The sound velocimeter measures the time-of-flight of a 4-MHz acoustic pulse over a 20-cm path by adjusting the carrier frequency within a 70-kHz band until the pulse and its echo are inphase. We used the adjustable carrier frequency to determine the internal timing characteristics of the sound velocimeter to nanosecond precision. Similarly, sound-speed measurements at four different temperatures determined the acoustic pathlength to micrometer precision. The velocimeter was deployed in the ocean from the surface to 4500 dbar alongside conductivity, temperature, and pressure sensors (CTD). We demonstrated agreement of +/- 0.05 m/s (three parts in 10(5))-with CTD-derived sound speed using Del Grosso's seawater equation from 500 to 4500 dbar after removing a bias and a trend.

Evaporation ducts (ED), which are caused by a rapid decrease in the refractive index of the lower atmosphere, are known to trap radio waves between the evaporation duct layer and the sea surface. Although signal propagation and refractivity estimation in evaporation ducts have been well studied, the fading characteristics of ED must be accurately established to help determine fade margin, required for a reliable wireless communication link. In this paper, based on the percentage of occurrences of evaporation ducts, that have been measured and reported in the literature, the statistical distribution of path loss in the South China Sea is calculated for varying distances. These path loss distributions are weather-dependent and time-varying and define several slow time-varying fading characteristics. These slow fading characteristics are, what can be termed as log-lognormal in nature. Propagation in ED, being non-line-of-sight, also has a fast-fading component that is Rayleigh in nature. Once, the complete fading characteristics are known, the overall fade margin due in part; to both slow fading and fast fading can be obtained. For a distance of 100 km, approximately 99% availability can be obtained with an 88-dB fade margin while for a shorter distance of 50 km, the required total margin for 99% availability is only 50-dB.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions becomes a top priority in the world with the emergence of global warming and environmental problems. Various renewable energies appear during the last decades. Ocean captures and stores huge amounts of energy, which could satisfy five times of world energy demand. Due to technology limitations and economic considerations, marine current energy appears the most attractive choice compared with the other ocean energy form. Although the existing expertise and technology in offshore wind energy conversion system can be partially transferred to marine current energy conversion system due to the similar structure, there are still many technological challenges to overcome. Meanwhile, the system operates under the water will inevitably have some negative or positive impacts on the surrounding environment. In this paper, it shows the interest and the principle of the marine current energy, and also discusses the advantages and disadvantages. The environmental impacts around the devices, the technological challenges, and the essential support structures are presented as well. The state-of-the-art horizontal axis turbines and their relative technologies and the latest projects are described finally. This review paper gives the useful information about the attraction and challenge of the marine current energy, and the newest development of the technologies and projects.

The growing need for interoperability among the different oceanic monitoring systems to deliver services able to answer the requirements of stakeholders and end-users led to the development of a low-cost machine-to-machine communication system able to guarantee data reliability over marine paths. In this framework, an experimental evaluation of the performance of long-range (LoRa) technology in a fully operational marine scenario has been proposed. In-situ tests were carried out exploiting the availability of (i) a passenger vessel and (ii) a research vessel operating in the Ligurian basin (North-Western Mediterranean Sea) both hosting end-nodes, and (iii) gateways positioned on mountains and hills in the inland areas. Packet loss ratio, packet reception rate, received signal strength indicator, signal to noise, and expected signal power ratio were chosen as metrics in line of sight and not the line of sight conditions. The reliability of Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) transmission over the sea has been demonstrated up to more than 110 km in a free space scenario and for more than 20 km in a coastal urban environment.

The rapid development of autonomous systems and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) create new opportunities for maritime activities. Existing autonomous systems are becoming more powerful and utilise the capabilities of several types of devices such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) – sometimes referred as Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) –, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), moored and drifting systems and, recently emerging, autonomous vessels. Their importance in providing new services in maritime environments is undeniable and the opportunity for coordinated and interconnected operations is clear. However, continuous wide integration of various technologies in maritime environments still faces many challenges. Operations may take place in remote locations, so that dependence on third-party infrastructures such as satellite communication or terrestrial communication systems must be expected. The reliability, performance, availability, and cost of such systems are important issues that need to be tackled. This work reviews the major advancements on state-of-the-art autonomous maritime vehicles and systems, which are used in several different scenarios, from scientific research to transportation. Moreover, the paper highlights how available technologies can be composed in order to efficiently and effectively operate in maritime environments. Highlights of the trade-off between autonomy and communication requirements are provided and followed by an overview of promising communication and networking technologies that could encourage the integration of autonomous systems in maritime scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract During operations with ships in ice-infested waters, vibrations of the hull occur due to ship-ice interaction. The acting ice load and the induced vibrations depend on the ice regime and ice breaking mechanism. Especially crushing of ice against the hull causes high loads against the vessel. The objective of this study is to analyse the frequency components of ice-induced vibrations, measured with accelerometers placed in the bow section of the ship's hull. The Wigner-Ville distribution, which provides a time-frequency representation, is applied on acceleration data collected on the icebreaker Frej during transit in ice-infested Arctic waters. The resulting time-frequency representations show that the excited frequencies depend on the dominant ice breaking mechanism, on the encounter velocity, and on the position of where the ice interaction against the hull occurs. Furthermore, the natural frequencies of the ship's hull change slightly, depending on the conditions on the sea-ice around the vessel. It is concluded that a system of distributed accelerometers on a ship can provide information about the acting ice breaking mechanism, the ice conditions around the vessel, and about the location along the hull, where the ship-ice interaction occurs. This can be used as an additional tool in monitoring systems during operations in ice-infested waters. Highlights • Ice induced vibrations measured with a system of distributed accelerometers in the hull • Time-frequency analysis of accelerations during different ship-ice interaction events • Tracking of natural frequencies allows for onboard monitoring of ice conditions around the vessel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft robotics is an emerging technology that has shown considerable promise in deep-sea marine biological applications. It is particularly useful in facilitating delicate interactions with fragile marine organisms. This study describes the shipboard design, 3D printing and integration of custom soft robotic manipulators for investigating and interacting with deep-sea organisms. Soft robotics manipulators were tested down to 2224m via a Remotely-Operated Vehicle (ROV) in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) and facilitated the study of a diverse suite of soft-bodied and fragile marine life. Instantaneous feedback from the ROV pilots and biologists allowed for rapid re-design, such as adding “fingernails”, and re-fabrication of soft manipulators at sea. These were then used to successfully grasp fragile deep-sea animals, such as goniasterids and holothurians, which have historically been difficult to collect undamaged via rigid mechanical arms and suction samplers. As scientific expeditions to remote parts of the world are costly and lengthy to plan, on-the-fly soft robot actuator printing offers a real-time solution to better understand and interact with delicate deep-sea environments, soft-bodied, brittle, and otherwise fragile organisms. This also offers a less invasive means of interacting with slow-growing deep marine organisms, some of which can be up to 18,000 years old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work deals with the installation of two smart in-situ sensors (for underwater radioactivity and underwater sound monitoring) on the Western 1-Mediterranean Moored Multisensor Array (W1-M3A) ocean observing system that is equipped with all appropriate modules for continuous, long-term and real-time operation. All necessary tasks for their integration are described such as, the upgrade of the sensors for interoperable and power-efficient operation, the conversion of data in homogeneous and standard format, the automated pre-process of the raw data, the real-time integration of data and metadata (related to data processing and calibration procedure) into the controller of the observing system, the test and debugging of the developed algorithms in the laboratory, and the obtained quality-controlled data. The integration allowed the transmission of the acquired data in near-real time along with a complete set of typical ocean and atmospheric parameters. Preliminary analysis of the data is presented, providing qualitative information during rainfall periods, and combine gamma-ray detection rates with passive acoustic data. The analysis exhibits a satisfactory identification of rainfall events by both sensors according to the estimates obtained by the rain gauge operating on the observatory and the remote observations collected by meteorological radars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brown shrimp (Crangon crangon) fishery is of great socio-economic importance to coastal communities on the North Sea. The fishery is exploited by beam trawlers often using codends with very small mesh sizes, leading to concerns about catch rates of undersized shrimp. However, little information is available on codend size selection, making it difficult to provide scientifically based advice on alternative codend designs. Therefore, this study establishes a predictive framework for codend size selection of brown shrimp, based on a large selectivity dataset from 33 different codend designs tested during four experimental fishing cruises, during which more than 350,000 brown shrimp were length measured. Predictions by the framework confirm concerns about the exploitation pattern in the fishery, because the retention probability of undersized shrimp reaches 95% with the currently applied designs. The framework predictions allow the exploration of obtainable exploitation patterns depending on codend design. For example, increasing codend mesh size to 25–29 mm would reduce the retention rate of undersized shrimp to a maximum of 50%, depending on codend mesh type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, measurements of oxygen concentration in the ocean—one of the most classical parameters in chemical oceanography—are experiencing a revival. This is not surprising, given the key role of oxygen for assessing the status of the marine carbon cycle and feeling the pulse of the biological pump. The revival, however, has to a large extent been driven by the availability of robust optical oxygen sensors and their painstakingly thorough characterization. For autonomous observations, oxygen optodes are the sensors of choice: They are used abundantly on Biogeochemical-Argo floats, gliders and other autonomous oceanographic observation platforms. Still, data quality and accuracy are often suboptimal, in some part because sensor and data treatment are not always straightforward and/or sensor characteristics are not adequately taken into account. Here, we want to summarize the current knowledge about oxygen optodes, their working principle as well as their behavior with respect to oxygen, temperature, hydrostatic pressure, and response time. The focus will lie on the most widely used and accepted optodes made by Aanderaa and Sea-Bird. We revisit the essentials and caveats of in-situ in air calibration as well as of time response correction for profiling applications, and provide requirements for a successful field deployment. In addition, all required steps to post-correct oxygen optode data will be discussed. We hope this summary will serve as a comprehensive, yet concise reference to help people get started with oxygen observations, ensure successful sensor deployments and acquisition of highest quality data, and facilitate post-treatment of oxygen data. In the end, we hope that this will lead to more and higher-quality oxygen observations and help to advance our understanding of ocean biogeochemistry in a changing ocean.

Modern marine electric propulsion vessels have many systems. These interactions and integration aspects are essential when studying a system and subsystem behavior. This is especially important when considering fault scenarios,s harsh weather, and complex marine operations. However, many simulators, including a selection presented here, study the positioning system and the power system separately. This paper proposes a simulator combining the two systems, as an extension to the marine systems simulator MATLAB/Simulink library. The intended use cases and the according design choices are presented. New subsystem models include a power-based electrical bus model and a simplified diesel engine model. Both are validated through the simulation against established models. In addition, established models for generators, electrical storage devices, thrusters, and a mean-value diesel engine model are summarized with rich references. Three case studies illustrate the multi-domain use of the simulator: 1) a semi-submersible drilling rig performing station keeping under environmental disturbances; 2) the same vessel subject to an electrical bus reconfiguration; and 3) a supply vessel with a hybrid power plant.

Marine environments are currently subject to strong ecological pressure due to local and global anthropic stressors, such as pollutants and atmospheric inputs, which also cause ocean acidification and warming. These strains can result in biogeochemical cycle variations, environmental pollution, and changes in benthic-pelagic coupling processes. Two new devices, the Amerigo Lander and the Automatic Benthic Chamber (CBA), have been developed to measure the fluxes of dissolved chemical species between sediment and the water column, to assess the biogeochemical cycle and benthic-pelagic coupling alterations due to human activities. The Amerigo Lander can operate in shallow as well as deep water (up to 6000 m), whereas the CBA has been developed for the continental shelf (up to 200 m). The lander can also be used to deploy a range of instruments on the seafloor, to study the benthic ecosystems. The two devices have successfully been tested in a variety of research tasks and environmental impact assessments in shallow and deep waters. Their measured flux data show good agreement and are also consistent with previous data.

Future impacts of climate change on marine fisheries have the potential to negatively influence a wide range of socio-economic factors, including food security, livelihoods and public health, and even to reshape development trajectories and spark transboundary conflict. Yet there is considerable variability in the vulnerability of countries around the world to these effects. We calculate a vulnerability index of 147 countries by drawing on the most recent data related to the impacts of climate change on marine fisheries. Building on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change framework for vulnerability, we first construct aggregate indices for exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity using 12 primary variables. Seven out of the ten most vulnerable countries on the resulting index are Small Island Developing States, and the top quartile of the index includes countries located in Africa (17), Asia (7), North America and the Caribbean (4) and Oceania (8). More than 87% of least developed countries are found within the top half of the vulnerability index, while the bottom half includes all but one of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development member states. This is primarily due to the tremendous variation in countries’ adaptive capacity, as no such trends are evident from the exposure or sensitivity indices. A negative correlation exists between vulnerability and per capita carbon emissions, and the clustering of states at different levels of development across the vulnerability index suggests growing barriers to meeting global commitments to reducing inequality, promoting human well-being and ensuring sustainable cities and communities. The index provides a useful tool for prioritizing the allocation of climate finance, as well as activities aimed at capacity building and the transfer of marine technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]