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This paper summarizes the findings of a detailed assessment of synthetic, electricity-based fuels for use in aviation, shipping, and road transport. The fuels considered correspond to the most promising alternatives that were analyzed as part of the German research project BEniVer (Begleitforschung Energiewende im Verkehr—Accompanying Research for the Energy Transition in Transport) initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). Focusing on usage, infrastructure, and ecological analyses, several e-fuels were evaluated and compared to fossil fuels according to the specific sector. It turns out that for all sectors evaluated, the existing sustainable synthetic fuels are already compatible with current technology and regulations. In shipping and road transport, the use of advanced, sustainable fuels will allow for a more distinct reduction in emissions once technology and regulations are adopted. However, standard-compliant synthetic gasoline and diesel are considered the most promising fuels for use in road transport if the transition to electricity is not realized as quickly as planned. For the aviation sector, the number of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) is limited. Here, the current aim is the introduction of a 100% SAF as soon as possible to also tackle non-CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the world and work in particular, but its effects on the labor market were not evenly distributed. Seafarers, who are essential workers engaging in international maritime transport, encountered exacerbated challenges to labor conditions at sea during the pandemic. Notably, the inability to conduct crew changes violated their right to rest, increasing the risk of fatigue-related safety accidents at sea. Additionally, the precarious nature of maritime employment relationships delayed seafarers waiting to enlist on the vessels, creating extended financial hardship ashore. Socio-legal analysis revealed how the pandemic, related public health measures and precarious employment heightened the vulnerability of seafarers during the pandemic. Applying the Pressure, Disorganization and Regulatory Failure model and supported by qualitative data collected through a policy review, media coverage analysis and semi-structured interviews, we identified how seafarers' health and safety rights were significantly compromised during the pandemic. Even though various initiatives were raised by international governmental and non-governmental organizations to address the "humanitarian crisis" at sea, maritime labor regulatory failures were not effectively addressed throughout the multiple waves of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, real voyage data and ship specifications of a general cargo ship are employed, and it is assumed that diesel generators are replaced with hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The effect of the replacement on CO2, NOX, SOX, and PM emissions and the CII value is calculated. Emission calculations show that there is a significant reduction in emissions when hydrogen fuel cells are used instead of diesel generators on the case ship. By using hydrogen fuel cells, there is a 37.4% reduction in CO2 emissions, 32.5% in NOX emissions, 37.3% in SOX emissions, and 37.4% in PM emissions. If hydrogen fuel cells are not used instead of diesel generators, the ship will receive an A rating between 2023 and 2026, a B rating in 2027, a C rating in 2028–2029, and an E rating in 2030. On the other hand, if hydrogen fuel cells are used, the ship will always remain at an A rating between 2023 and 2030. The capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) of the fuel cell system are USD 1,305,720 and USD 2,470,320, respectively, for a 15-year lifetime, and the hydrogen fuel expenses are competitive at USD 260,981, while marine diesel oil (MDO) fuel expenses are USD 206,435. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of maritime activities is increasingly gaining interest, with the shipping sector actively focusing on decarbonization efforts. Throughout the years, researchers have considered slow steaming for improving the environmental footprint of maritime networks. In order to assess such strategies' effectiveness on existing emissions, research also focuses on the accurate estimation of emission inventories. However, there is a significant gap concerning both fields when considering short-sea shipping, especially passenger shipping. Furthermore, while emissions are characterized by spatial aspects in several studies, there is an apparent gap in considering such aspects for detailed analysis purposes rather than only for visualization purposes. In this study, the Greek Coastal Shipping Network (GCSN) is considered, with its emissions estimated using a top-down method, creating a spatial emission inventory used for further spatial analysis for accurate identification of highly polluted areas. Results indicate that ship emissions do not spread homogeneously throughout the GCSN and that targeted interventions are necessary in several areas of the network. The effectiveness of spatially related slow steaming implementations is evaluated and compared with their implementation on the whole network. The study highlights the need for additional future emission mitigation strategies, such as service optimization, network restructuring, continuous emission monitoring, and fleet renewal with more environmentally efficient ships. The study's aim is to fill the research gap regarding the environmental assessment of passenger shipping and the effects of slow steaming on such networks while presenting an adaptable GIS-based decision support system for enhanced decision-making regarding the environmental efficiency of maritime networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are currently seeing how new marine fuels are being introduced, such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, batteries, etc., for the propulsion of the world fleet with the aim of complying with the increasing IMO emissions regulations. The frenetic effort made by shipping companies to decarbonize maritime transport must be followed by an unstoppable adaptation of ports from the historical supply of only fuel and diesel to covering the demands of new fuels, ensuring their renewable origin; onshore power supply (OPS); or even the storage of captured CO2. This article compiles the current environmental regulations applied to maritime transport to provide an analysis of the current situation and a link between vessels' requirements to comply with such regulations and port environmental infrastructure. This work demonstrates that technological development is growing faster onboard vessels than at ports. It is demonstrated that except for the case of LNG, the theoretical shipping fuel world demand of each type of alternative fuel cannot be absorbed by current world production, where we found big gaps between supply and demand of up to 96.9%. This work concludes that to speed up this process, ports will need European aid as well as private investment. It is proposed that for the next steps, the port system needs to provide the required infrastructure to vessels on time, which inevitably means improvements in competitiveness and governance to promote the blue economy and the concept of smart ports, attracting main international shipping lines with a complete decarbonization hub on their routes by taking advantage of the geostrategic role of the Iberian ports. At the same time, the port governance model must be more flexible in the decision-making process, anticipating changes in maritime regulations with the challenge of coordinating public and private interests, serving as a link, once again, between ship and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female seafarers are a set of women that work inside the vessel or any type of maritime transport under fluctuating weather conditions over a period of time with the sole aim of ensuring a seamless transportation of oil, chemicals, containers, passengers, cargoes and other types of freight from origin to destination. Even though the safety and security of women at sea is not guaranteed, it has not in any way dissuaded these calibre of women from pursuing this career path. This job description is quite rigourous and this study categorises the work of the female seafarer into operational, navigational, health safety, communication and leadership duties. Any interruption in any of these duties will have severe financial implications. The pivotal role of female seafarers is to boost international trade. Hence both female and male seafarers are drivers of international trade. There are several reasons why a woman will embrace this job in spite of the inherent challenges as this study indicates. One of the several reasons that the respondents indicated was to increase the number of female seafarer from 1.2%. The focus of this research is to examine the pivotal role of women at sea to the global economy and the underlying challenges. A structured questionnaire is developed and sent to a set of 50 female seafarer. Hence, this research contributes to the body of knowledge on the role of women at sea, and what can be done to motivate them to continue with this herculean tasks of contributing to the global economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate extremes are threatening transportation infrastructures and hence require new methods to address their vulnerability and improve their resilience. However, existing studies have yet to examine the climate impacts on transportation networks systematically rather than independently assessing the infrastructures at a component level. Therefore, it is crucial to configure alternative shipping routes from a systematic perspective to reduce climate vulnerabilities and optimise the resilience of the whole shipping network. This paper aims to assess the global shipping network focusing on climate resilience by a methodology that combines climate risk indicators, centrality analysis and ship routing optimisation. The methodology is designed for overviewing the climate vulnerability of the current and future scenarios for comparison. First, a multi-centrality assessment defines the global shipping hubs and network vulnerabilities. Secondly, a shipping model is built for finding the optimal shipping route between ports, considering the port disruption days caused by climate change (e.g. extreme weather) based on the climate vulnerability analysis result from the first step. It contributes to a new framework combining the global and local seaport climate vulnerabilities. Furthermore, it recommends changing shipping routes by a foreseeable increase in port disruptions caused by extreme weather for climate adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to accident case studies, one of the causes of accidents involving container ships was often the incorrectly declared weight of the container. For this reason, the International Maritime Organization introduced an amendment to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, requiring the verification of container weight declared in the transport document. It partially solved the problem of accurate determination of container ship stability, although an error of 5% by weight is accepted. In this study, using the Macs3 program, the weight of 100 containers was changed by 5% to assess how such a situation affects the ship's stability. It was found that even a slight change in the weight can affect stability. There are other problems that have to be addressed, e.g., loading of the containers as per positions in the loading plan or sharing information about mass distribution inside. In the last part, Ishikawa's diagram was used to determine the relationship between the causes and their effect on the accident of MSC Napoli in an attempt to determine other factors that may have contributed to the container ship's accident and highlight the need to systematize the rules and tools connected to container ship weighing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operations of international trade drive global economies, with maritime transport serving as a key pillar in market connectivity and acceleration. The opportunities presented by Industry 4.0 to connect supply chain actors through integrated logistics pose a challenge that fuels the number of studies in this area, with a particular interest in the transportation stage due to its responsibilities for efficiency. This study conducts a systematic literature review by analyzing scientometric aspects and identifying research trends related to maritime transportation logistics. The PRISMA methodology, graph theory, and bibliometric indicators such as indegree, betweenness, and outdegree were employed to process the information related to maritime transportation logistics from the Scopus and Web of Science databases spanning from 2000 to 2022. The gathered information and results were processed and analyzed using R-studio and Bibliometrix tools. The documents were classified as original, structural, and research trends, with the latter focused on topics related to the environment, port competitiveness, logistics optimization, and economics. The conclusions underscore the urgency of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport, optimizing port logistics processes, and addressing economic complexities to ensure sustainability and competitiveness in global trade. Finally, an agenda for future research in the field is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores strategies to enhance the efficiency of marine technical equipment through the adoption of lowsulfur marine fuels. The investigation incorporates a comprehensive analysis, encompassing enthalpy change calculations and thermal efficiency estimates at various temperature differentials. These calculations shed light on the impact of the specific heat capacity of low sulfur marine fuels, a crucial factor in understanding combustion characteristics. Furthermore, provides an assessment of the efficiency of converting heat to mechanical energy, offering valuable insights for optimizing equipment performance. The outcomes of this research contribute to a broader strategy aimed at bolstering the environmental sustainability and efficiency of marine propulsion systems. By scrutinizing the utilization of low sulfur marine fuels, the study seeks to inform decision-making processes by pinpointing temperature ranges that maximize efficiency. The findings also highlight areas with potential for improvement in the performance of marine diesel engines. This holistic approach is integral to fostering advancements in both environmental responsibility and operational effectiveness within the maritime industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Memoria em Rede is the property of Revista Memoria em Rede and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Giant container ships of more than 12,500 TEU structure world maritime traffic, particularly Europe-Asia trade. The maritime services they provide ensure that certain ports act as gateways for hinterland services, but also for transhipment. To characterise the dynamics, this work is based on the processing of statistical data in the light of graph theory and on the strategies of the major maritime operators. Based on the AIS signals emitted by giant container ships over three years, 2016, 2018 and 2020, it proposes elements of analysis relating to the strategic positioning of the main operators of regular containerised lines (Global Carriers). These operators are approached from the angle of their own choices of ports of call but also according to the choices made by their competitors and/or commercial partners. The work thus shows the apparent lack of consideration given to the location of consumer markets. On the other hand, it reveals a service strategy that is mainly motivated by a competitive game that contributes to strategies that are not very spatial or even non-spatial.

The level of public welfare, the economic results of the activities of economic entities, the state of the aquatic ecosystem and coastal territories depend on the effectiveness of international commercial shipping. Goods delivered by sea account for over 80% of the total volume of international trade, which determines significant contribution of maritime shipping to implementation of multimodal transportation within global supply chains. The search for reserves for increasing the efficiency of shipping, the formation of economic potential based on them with a view to its subsequent implementation in the context of the concepts of sustainable development and the "blue economy" are urgent tasks. The solution of these tasks in scientific and special literature of both Russian and foreign authors is not fully disclosed. The aim of the study is to find reserves for improving the economic efficiency of maritime transport functioning in the logistics services market. Methods of economic analysis, observation, comparison, generalization, grouping, study of regulatory documentation, as well as a systematic approach were used in conducting scientific research. As a result of analysis of the current state and prospects for development of world shipping, the authors have proposed a system of indicators of the effectiveness of international maritime transport in key strategic areas of its development. Organizational and managerial, technical, and technological reserves are proposed to be evaluated. The key performance indicators of the international merchant fleet presented in the paper form the basis for an indicative analysis aimed at determining the opportunities for economic growth at the micro-, meso- and macro levels of management.

The multi-objective optimization for voyage planning, which aims to balance time, fuel utilization, and all other relevant service costs, is noticeably absent in the scientific literature. The reason behind this gap is closely linked to the involvement of a large number of participants with conflicting interests in the process. This complexity explains why modelling an optimization tool for maritime logistics services appears challenging. Although new technologies such as blockchains and smart contracts have helped reduce the number of participants and address some complexities, they cannot fully resolve the fragmentation observed in maritime transport.

To achieve net zero emissions from ships by 2050 and align with the IMO 2023 GHG strategy, the maritime industry must significantly increase zero-emission vessels by 2030. Transitioning to fully electric ferry lines requires enhanced energy supply through renewable energy sources (RES) for complete GHG mitigation and net-zero emissions. This study presents a GIS-based framework for optimally selecting offshore wind farm locations to meet the energy demands of electric ferry operations along coastal routes. The framework involves two stages: designing feasible zero-emission ferry routes between islands or to the mainland and identifying optimal offshore wind farm sites by evaluating technical, spatial, economic, social, and environmental criteria based on national legislation and the academic literature. The aim is to create a flexible framework to support decision making for establishing sustainable electric ferry operations at a regional level, backed by strategically located offshore wind farms. The study applies this framework to the Greek Coastal Shipping Network, focusing on areas with potential for future electrification. The findings can aid policymakers in utilizing spatial decision support systems (SDSS) to enhance efficient transportation and develop sustainable island communities.

Ports play an important role in maintaining the effectiveness of maritime logistics. When ports encounter congestion, strikes, or natural disasters, the maritime container transportation network might be significantly affected. The Beibu Gulf sea area is a key channel to supporting China’s participation in international economic cooperation in the western region. It is highly susceptible to the influence of the political and economic instability. This study introduces a dual-component framework to analyze the inherent structure and potential vulnerabilities of the container transportation network in the Beibu Gulf Sea areas. The findings show that the core layer of the network exhibited circular solidification characteristics. The entire network heavily relies on some core ports, such as Haiphong Port, Ho Chi Minh Port, and Qinzhou Port, and it highlights the potential increases in vulnerability. The finding shows that deliberate attacks have a greater impact than random attacks on the normal operations of maritime networks. If ports with high intermediary centrality are attacked, the connectivity and transportation efficiency of the Beibu Gulf maritime network will be significantly affected. However, under such circumstances, redistributing cargo transportation through route adjustments can deal with the transmission of cascading failures and maintain the network’s resilience. Based on the existing knowledge and the data collected in a case study, this research stands out as the first to provide a critical examination of the spatial structure and vulnerability of container shipping networks in the Beibu Gulf sea.

Understanding and meeting stakeholder demands for sustainability while striving for improved business performance (BP) presents a significant challenge. The shipping industry has been relatively slow in its sustainability efforts. However, it faces mounting pressure from various stakeholders, particularly customers (i.e., shippers directly or via logistics service providers), who increasingly demand reduced emissions from shipping operations. Consequently, environmental performance (EP) has become a key criterion in awarding shipping tenders, prompting shipping firms to adopt sustainable business practices (SBP). This study aims to investigate the relationships between customers' expectations (CE), the adoption of SBP and the EP and BP of European shipping companies. Structural equation modelling was employed to analyse the interrelationships among CE, SBP, EP and BP. The findings indicate a positive association between CE and the adoption of SBP, which in turn enhances EP and BP. Managers are encouraged to proactively allocate resources towards implementing SBP, as this not only improves EP but also enables better responsiveness to stakeholders' expectations, leading to increased profitability, customer satisfaction and corporate image. These outcomes yield benefits for all stakeholders involved in the European freight transport ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Well-to-Wake) from maritime transport must be reduced by at least 50% in absolute values by 2050 to contribute to the ambitions of the Paris Agreement (2015). A transition from conventional fuels to alternative fuels with zero or lower GHG emissions is viewed as the most promising avenue to reach the GHG reductions. Whereas GHG and toxic pollutants emitted from the use of fossil fuels (heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine gas/diesel oil (MGO/MDO)) are generally well understood, the emissions associated with the new fuel options are only now being measured and communicated. This review provides an outlook on fuels that could help shipping respond to the decarbonization effort including Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen. A quantification of the pollutants associated from the use of these fuels is provided and challenges and barriers to their uptake are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime transport is the backbone of globalized trade and the manufacturing supply chain. Container ports, as a result, have become critical nodes in global supply chains. How a container port performs is therefore a crucial element in a country's cost of trade. Constructing a reliable, consistent, and comparable basis on which to compare operational performance across different ports is a major challenge. In this work, we leverage automatic identification system data and time stamps from vessels to construct a data-driven ranking of container ports. The focus is purely on quayside performance to be reflective of the experience of a ship operator, the port's main customer. As we show, the average port time of a ship can be well-approximated using a small number of latent factors. We propose a new nonnegative matrix factorization algorithm to estimate these factors and produce an index that can be used to rank the ports' performance. In general terms, the port with the highest ranking has the least total port time. We illustrate how the new approach is competitive compared to other natural ranking methods using numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the key role ports play in the trade and economic growth of countries, port managers are looking for ways to increase efficiency and improve port performance. To this end, the first step is to assess port efficiency. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is one of the tools often used to evaluate firms in different areas. In recent years, DEA has been frequently used in various ways to evaluate port performance as well. Since knowledge of the various applications of DEA is important for researchers as well as port managers and policy makers, a systematic review has been conducted here to screen and analyze 116 papers published in scientific journals between 1993 and October 2021, with most articles, 12, published in Maritime Economics & Logistics. The results of this review article show that DEA is a good assessment tool for analyzing future port performance. However, some applications of DEA models, such as the determination of inefficiency factors and the implementation of inefficiency avoidance methods, have not yet been studied. Based on the analysis conducted, we have identified the existing research gaps in the applications of DEA in the port industry and offer some directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Statistician / Wiadomości Statystyczne is the property of State Treasury - Statistics Poland and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

While nexus research in sustainability science has investigated the consequences of connected systems, it has paid less attention to the processes of building nexuses which is becoming increasingly important in low-carbon transitions because these often require the creation of new connections between multiple consumption-production systems. Building on multi-system research in the sustainability transitions literature, this paper introduces a conceptual system interface perspective on nexus-building which considers four dimensions (technology, actors, institutions, and resources) that are useful for analyzing nexus-building dynamics. We apply our framework to the case of electrification of ferries in Norway which requires the building of a new interface between the electricity system and the maritime transport system. The case study shows that the system interface was initially characterized by conflicts and tensions in all dimensions, which actors then attempted to resolve through cross-system intermediation and adjustment activities. These activities were asymmetrical because of differences in external pressures, urgency, unequal power relationships, and different degrees of interest in cross-system nexus building. Because important tensions remained unresolved, ferry actors started implementing sub-optimal workaround solutions in the diffusion phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a backtracking algorithm for the fuel optimization of an offshore supply tugboat. The aim is to determine the optimal cruising speed that minimizes fuel use under operational constraints. Many older vessels in local offshore regions face limitations in adopting new fuel efficient technologies due to financial constraints. Hence, alternative cost-effective methods are needed to improve energy use and reduce emissions from these older ships. We propose using a backtracking algorithm to systematically explore all potential speed solutions and find the optimal one. Operational constraints like time restrictions and weather factors are incorporated during the optimization. The algorithm branches out to potential solutions and backtracks when they violate constraints. This allows for the pruning of infeasible solutions to improve the computational efficiency. The study provides the basis for optimizing offshore voyages as a sustainable transportation activity. Further work could expand the technique by adding parameters and real-time data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the application of digital technologies in education has been increasing to improve the efficiency of the educational process. The goal is to increase the effectiveness of the educational process through modern technologies, which include not only technical means supporting the teaching and learning process but also pedagogical methods, concepts, and forms of training. In this regard, that article aims to present an educational practice related to innovative methods based on digital solutions integrated into the educational process. Specifically, it focuses on the analysis of the AXSMarine digital solution, chosen for its significance and impact on maritime education. AXSMarine offers a wide range of maritime data and analytics, making it a valuable tool for students and professionals in the maritime industry. The article highlights its relevance in enhancing the educational experience and preparing students for successful careers in the maritime field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread interest in using drones in maritime transport has rapidly grown alongside the development of unmanned ships and drones. To stimulate growth and address the associated technical challenges, this paper systematically reviews the relevant research progress, classification, applications, technical challenges, and possible solutions related to the use of drones in the maritime sector. The findings provide an overview of the state of the art of the applications of drones in the maritime industry over the past 20 years and identify the existing problems and bottlenecks in this field. A new classification scheme is established based on their flight characteristics to aid in distinguishing drones' applications in maritime transport. Further, this paper discusses the specific use cases and technical aspects of drones in maritime rescue, safety, navigation, environment, communication, and other aspects, providing in-depth guidance on the future development of different mainstream applications. Lastly, the challenges facing drones in these applications are identified, and the corresponding solutions are proposed to address them. This research offers pivotal insights and pertinent knowledge beneficial to various entities such as maritime regulatory bodies, shipping firms, academic institutions, and enterprises engaged in drone production. This paper makes new contributions in terms of the comprehensive analysis and discussion of the application of drones in maritime transport and the provision of guidance and support for promoting their further development and integration with intelligent transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly a global crisis that has forced the world economy to a standstill. Subsequent lockdowns have caused downtime in all industries and all transportation sectors. The removal of the restrictions has made it possible to begin a slow return to pre-pandemic conditions, but research indicates that this will be a long process. Therefore, an indication of the development trends of passenger maritime transport in Poland, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the purpose of the article. Two specific objectives are identified: (1) To visualize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on passenger maritime transport in Poland; (2) To make long-term forecasts of passenger maritime traffic in Poland. The analyses showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a very negative impact on passenger streams. It may take several more years to recover from the pre-pandemic state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient oil filtration is crucial for maintaining optimal engine performance and preventing damage, wear, and potential malfunctions in marine diesel engines. Contaminants present in fuel and lubricants can adversely affect combustion and engine operation. This article explores the significance of fuel and oil purification in marine diesel engines, focusing on techniques such as sedimentation, filtration, and centrifugation. The study highlights the substantial consumption of lubricants by marine diesel engines and their vulnerability to contamination. Increased lubricant consumption can result in wear and decreased efficiency. Thus, effective oil purification methods play a pivotal role in extending engine lifespan, reducing wear, and ensuring environmentally responsible operation. Three primary methods of oil purification are discussed: sedimentation, filtration, and centrifugation. Sedimentation allows particles to settle due to gravity, filtration employs filters to capture solid impurities, and centrifugation utilizes centrifugal force to separate impurities based on density differences. To assess filtration efficiency, a practical scenario is presented, comparing full-flow, partial-flow, and combined filters. The article emphasizes the need for real-world data to make informed decisions about oil filtration methods. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of mathematical models, such as the Darcy-Brinkman equation, for understanding fluid movement and contamination distribution. Effective oil purification is essential for marine diesel engines to ensure optimal performance, reduce wear, and minimize environmental impact. By employing efficient filtration methods and leveraging mathematical models, marine industries can enhance their maintenance practices and contribute to the longevity and sustainability of their engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manuscript focuses on the subject of environmental solutions for maritime ships. With the increasing volume of cargo transported by sea, it is crucial to minimise its environmental impact. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has introduced new regulations in recent years to limit environmental damage. IMO’s initial strategy for reducing GHG emissions from ships aims to reduce GHG emissions from vessels by 50% by 2050 and CO2 emissions by 70% compared to 2008 (Resolution MEPC.304 (72), 2018). This has prompted ship owners to seek solutions to reduce fossil fuel consumption. The study aims to determine the feasibility of using eco-friendly solutions in maritime shipping to meet the challenges and needs of sustainable maritime fleet. Own contribution includes expert findings, which evaluate individual solutions and their potential uses in global maritime fleet. The publication also highlights the current usage of eco-friendly solutions on ships as well as crew and ship owner attitudes towards their future use and presents conceptual solutions. It should be noted that the subject-matter addressed in this paper is topical and very important in view of the limitations being introduced in respect of environmental standards.

Abstract This study focuses on the Gulf of Arzew in Oran, an important area of the Algerian economy and the first Algerian port in terms of hydrocarbon exports. Oil spills in this area represent a severe risk that can disrupt the marine and coastal ecosystem. Therefore, the aim is to estimate marine waters’ vulnerability to oil pollution, which has become a significant problem worldwide. Predictive simulations of oil slick drift, which may occur in the coastal area of Arzew in Oran, northwest Algeria, were carried out to study, prevent and map the spread of an oil spill in the context of a hypothetical oil spill. For this purpose, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s general operational oil modeling environment and the Automated Data Inquiry for Oil Spills were also used. The results show that approximately 29.7 km of shoreline could potentially be impacted by oil during the winter season, with an evaporation rate of more than 74.6% of the spilled amount. In addition, the simulation results indicate that the area could be affected in distinct ways depending on the season, with completely different oil slick trajectories. It is important to note that no oil slick modeling work has been done in this area to date, although oil spills represent a serious risk that can disrupt coastal resources such as fisheries, tourism, aquatic life, and shoreline physical resources. The mapping results propose a new transposable approach to coastal risk and could serve as a decision-making tool.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. It showed the possibility of running economic activities remotely, allowing people to learn how to have a more balanced life. As a result, electronic commerce flourished, and it is here to stay. However, only time will tell whether people will shop more online or return to traditional brick-and-mortar shopping. With more people at home, prevented from going out to a cinema, or a theatre, the service industry was severely impacted until governments relieved the confinement measures so that their economies returned to pre-pandemic levels. Certainly that container shipping was the winner of all shipping market segments, given the increased number of finished goods to be carried. When all seemed to return to normalcy, the Russian–Ukraine crisis complicated the economic and political environment. Maritime transport was affected in the Black Sea, and only after many weeks of negotiation did the parties involved reach the Ukraine grain deal enabling Ukraine to transport millions of tonnes of food through the Black Sea despite the ongoing conflict. The number of sanctions against Russia increased, and many countries and regions were forced to look for alternative sources of oil, oil by-products and gas, this time benefiting the gas and tanker shipping markets with increasing freight rates. Apart from this, the maritime industry is still facing extraordinary challenges. Endeavours are being made to accelerate industry decarbonisation, digitalisation and operations optimisation. The quest for finding alternative fuels to power the world fleet is there. For now, LNG and methanol are the most promising alternatives, with the possible installation of carbon storage units to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. These events draw the industry to deal with the market, technology, and regulatory challenges and risks whose outcome is yet to be seen. With this background, seven papers presented at the 2022 World of Shipping Portugal Conference, An International Research Conference on Maritime Affairs, 27–28 January, that took place online via CiscoWebex due to the Covid-19 pandemic were selected to be published in this Special Issue. They open the scope for new research areas and address essential aspects that contribute to the efficiency of the overall maritime sector.

This paper evaluates the impact of the 2021–22 surge in rates for containerized and bulk shipping costs. Employing a detailed transport database and applying a set of detailed shocks by transportation mode, regions and commodities in a multi-region general equilibrium model, the paper analyses the sectorial (agri-food sectors, manufacturing) and macroeconomic (trade, wide-economic indicators) impacts of the recent surge in shipping costs. Maritime transport costs are sensitive to imbalances between global demand and supply, which rose further after the Covid-19 pandemic. In a globalised world, an increase in shipping rates can have widespread repercussions on international trade, creating risks for the global economic activity. The results allow the analysis of how shocks in transport costs can affect prices in international trade and explain the short- and medium-term impacts on the economy. The main finding is that rising maritime transport costs tend to reverse the trend towards globalisation of international trade and favour localization.

Due to the frequent occurrence of piracy incidents, normal trade, and transportation activities have been hindered. This paper uses the Piracy and Armed Robbery dataset in the Global Integrated Shipping Information System to analyze the types and evolutionary characteristics of shipping risk caused by piracy and the piracy behavior patterns in different seas. This study found that there are three regions with high incidence of piracy in the world, and their gathering centers change dynamically over time. Piracy incidents can be divided into four categories based on the quantitative assessment of shipping risk caused by piracy. Shipping risk caused by piracy shows different evolution characteristics in different seas, affected by factors such as the evolution of national political situations and anti-piracy measures. Based on the qualitative assessment of the shipping risk caused by piracy, the piracy corpus reflects the diverse patterns of piracy in different seas. In the process of pirate attacks, the diversity is mainly manifested in violence and selectivity. In the consequences of pirate attacks, the targets that pirates pay attention to vary significantly in different seas. This research will help to strengthen the dynamic monitoring of shipping risk caused by piracy, and further contribute to the research on maritime transport safety.

Considering the concerns for emissions reduction in the maritime sector, the present paper evaluates, through modeling and simulation, oxy-fuel combustion in a two-stroke ship engine (2SE) and the best production system configuration to obtain the required oxygen (O2). An initial model of a ship engine is calibrated with the engine manufacturer's data and then adapted to work with O2 as the oxidant to eliminate nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to control the in-cylinder combustion temperature. Mixed Ionic–Electronic Conducting (MIEC) membranes produce the necessary O2 from the ambient air, which is heated up and pressurized by a heat exchanger and turbocharging coupled system to provide the air conditions required for the proper operation of the MIEC. Several layouts of this system are evaluated for the full load engine operating point to find the optimum O2 production system configuration. Results reveal that the engine operating under oxy-fuel combustion conditions avoids NOx emissions at the expense of higher brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) to obtain the original brake torque, and also expels a stream composed exclusively of CO2 and H2O, which facilitates the separation of CO2 from exhaust gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of the work lies in the fact that in the system for engine speed automatic regulation (ESAR) under study, the isodromic speed-regulating governor (SRG) responds differently to disturbances of various sizes due to the presence of two significant non-linearities. The first one is connected with the fact that the oil flow rate through the isodromic needle varies in a power-law dependence of the pressure difference. The second one is related to the deliberate overlap in the pilot valve ports, which prevents the regulator response to disturbances caused by the cyclic operation of the diesel engine and twisting of the camshaft when the pushers of the fuel pumps move to the cams. The purpose of the study is to develop recommendations for optimizing the ESAR of a marine diesel-generator plant with isodromic SRG, considering the disturbances of various magnitudes while ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Classification Society. It has been studied the ESAR of a marine diesel generator manufactured by Yanmar Co., Ltd. of model 6N18AL-UV with isodromic SRG Yanmar NZ61 of the large-capacity tanker "KORO SEA". Its technical supervision is carried out by the Classification Society, the "American Bureau of Shipping" (ABS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the current state of maritime transport in Bulgaria with the idea of finding out what is happening in this segment of the transport market, given the serious impact on the dynamics of its development that environmental factors have had in recent years. The aim of the author is to trace the cargo turnover that passed through the Bulgarian seaports and to identify the changes occurring as a result of the pandemic and the subsequent military actions on the territory of Ukraine. The development of Bulgaria's maritime transport is associated with decision-making to cover the restoration of the fleet under the Bulgarian flag, the investment activity in the national port infrastructure and the stabilization of the geopolitical situation in the Black Sea region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China–Australia Route, which serves as the southern economic corridor of the '21st Century Maritime Silk Road', bears great importance in safeguarding maritime transportation operations. This route plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and efficiency of such activities. To pre-assess the risks of this route, this paper presents a two-stage analytical framework that combines fault tree analysis and Bayesian network for evaluating the occurrence likelihood of risk of transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the China–Australia Route. In the first stage, our study involved the identification of 22 risk influencing factors drawn from a comprehensive review of pertinent literature and an in-depth analysis of accident reports. These identified factors were then utilized as basic events to construct a fault tree. Later, we applied an expert comprehensive evaluation method and fuzzy set theory, and by introducing voting mechanism into expert opinions, the prior probability of basic events was calculated. In the second stage, a fault tree was transformed into a Bayesian network, which overcame the deficiency that the structure and conditional probability table of the Bayesian network find difficult to determine. Consequently, the employment of the Bayesian network architecture was applied to forecast the likelihood of LNG maritime transport along the China–Australia shipping pathway. The probability importance and critical importance of each basic event was calculated through an importance analysis. The development of a risk matrix was achieved by considering the two primary dimensions of frequency and impact, which were subsequently utilized to categorize all relevant risk factors into high, moderate, or low risk categories. This allowed for effective risk mitigation and prevention strategies to be implemented. Finally, assuming that the final risk occurs, we calculated the posterior probability of the basic event to diagnose the risk. The research findings indicate that the primary reasons for the risk of transporting LNG on the China–Australia Route are the impact of natural forces and epidemics, piracy and terrorist attacks, and the risk of LNG explosions. In the final section, we provide suggestions and risk control measures based on the research results to reduce the occurrence of risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) has recently approved the inclusion of shipping in its Emissions Trading System, aiming to foster sustainable development within the shipping industry. While this new policy represents a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions, it also poses challenges for shipping companies, particularly in terms of operation costs. To assist shipping companies in devising optimal strategies under the new policy, this study proposes new techniques to determine the optimal solutions for sailing speed and the number of ships on the route, covering both EU and non-EU areas. Additionally, we demonstrate how to adjust these optimal decisions in response to changes in charged fees, fuel prices, and weekly operational costs of ships. This research offers innovative insights into the optimal decision-making process for shipping companies under the new EU policy and serves as a valuable decision-making tool to minimize total costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction work or other maintenance and repair activities in navigational channels are crucial to ensure and improve ships' movement on the selected routes. However, during the performance of these works, the ships' navigation along the construction area becomes more difficult due to the decreased parameters of passages for vessels and the operation of specific equipment on the route, e.g., dredgers and floating cranes. During construction work in navigational channels, it is impossible to stop navigation or limit ships' parameters because there may not be other possibilities for vessels to reach their planned ports or other dedicated areas. The prior determination of ships' sailing conditions and restrictions is essential to ensure maritime safety in such areas. The aim of this study is to develop a methodology that allows the precise determination of minimum passage parameters for the navigation of ships sailing through the areas in navigational channels where construction or development works are being carried out. The theoretical basis for the minimum passage parameter calculation is presented. The methodology for assessing the conditions and restrictions of navigation during construction work is proposed. The minimum width of the shipping passages in defined navigational, hydro-meteorological, and hydrological conditions and the possible minimum parameters sufficient to guarantee navigational safety are considered in a case study. The research results may be interesting for port authorities, shipping companies, and other entities involved in the organization of ships' movement during construction work in navigational channels or other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude oil transportation is a vital component of the global energy supply, and the global Crude Oil Maritime Transportation Network (COMTN) plays a crucial role as a carrier for crude oil transportation. Once the network faces attacks that result in the failure of certain routes, a severe threat is posed to the crude oil supply security of importing countries. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the reliability of the COMTN. This study proposes a model for evaluating the reliability of the imported COMTN by analyzing the impact of node failures. Firstly, the network is constructed using complex networks (CNs) theory, with ports, canals, and straits as nodes, and shipping routes as directed edges. Secondly, based on the Weighted Leader Rank algorithm, a comprehensive evaluation metric for CNs is established, and a node importance assessment model is developed to rank the nodes accordingly. Thirdly, a case study is conducted using China's imported COMTN as an example, evaluating the connectivity reliability (CR) under random and deliberate attack scenarios. Finally, measures and recommendations are provided to enhance the CR of China's imported COMTN. The findings indicate that deliberate attacks pose a greater threat, and reliability varies across maritime routes, with the Americas route exhibiting higher reliability compared to the Middle East and Southeast Asia routes. The results of this study can provide relevant recommendations for policy makers. The model proposed in this study can also be applied to other countries and regions to assess the connectivity reliability of their local COMTNs and develop appropriate measures for the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]