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The maritime industry's vital role in global trade contrasts with its significant greenhouse gas emissions. Pollution emitted from ports comes from different sources, one of which is merchant ships constantly docking and undocking and other auxiliary port vessels working continuously throughout the year (e.g., pilotage vessels, bunkering barges, vessel-generated waste collection services, mooring and unmooring services and port tugs). Port tugboats sail between terminals and provide docking, undocking and removing merchant ship services. This leads to a high variability on tugs’ manoeuvres. The first and most representative characteristic of a tug’s manoeuvre is the vessel in need of the service (e.g., ship particulars, cargo carried or mooring zone, among others), which usually defines the type of manoeuvre and the number of tugs needed. This study presents the initial phase of the research project TUG-EMI (Optimizing in-port tugboats emissions) aiming at reducing in-port emissions by optimizing tug’s manoeuvres. At this stage, the project focuses on characterizing tug manoeuvres within Spanish ports by combining a general overview of tug characteristics and prescriptions of port tugboat services in Spain, incorporating insights from stakeholder interviews. Tug shipmasters and chief engineers with a large experience are interviewed, aiming to obtain detailed information of how manoeuvres are performed and how to characterize them., Peer Reviewed

In this project, a visualization tool is developed to leverage the data obtained from one of fnb’s ais antennas. This antenna captures maritime traffic data emitted by vessels within fnb’s radius. The system employs a raspberry pi connected to the ais antenna, which, in real-time, communicates with a server. The server processes, filters, and relays relevant maritime data to a frontend website, designed for user-friendly visualization. The tool`s development involves the following stages: firstly, establishing a real-time connection with the raspberry pi using bash and python scripts for continuous data updates. Secondly, creating a server infrastructure that leverages a python library for efficient data handling and filtering of relevant information. Finally, the creation of a user- friendly website interface to display real-time maritime traffic in an interactive map, among other data visualizations. The project’s objective is to create an infrastructure to leverage the data collected by a private ais antenna receiver. This infrastructure not only allows the visualization on a map but also enhances ais data handling capabilities collected from a private ais receiver, which opens the door for further applications and analyses of ais data within the maritime sector. Thereby, unlocking new research potentials and operational insights.

Knowledge on the spatial and temporal distribution of the activities carried out in the marine environment is key to manage available space optimally. However, frequently, little or no information is available on the distribution of the largest users of the marine space, namely fishers. Tracking devices are being increasingly used to obtain highly resolved geospatial data of fishing activities, at intervals from seconds to minutes. However, to date no standardized method is used to process and analyse these data, making it difficult to replicate analysis. We develop a workflow to identify individual vessel trips and infer fishing activities from highly resolved geospatial data, which can be applied for large-scale fisheries, but also considers nuances encountered when working with small-scale fisheries. Recognizing the highly variable nature of activities conducted by different fleets, this workflow allows the user to choose a path that best aligns with the particularities in the fishery being analysed. A new method to identify anchoring sites for small-scale fisheries is also presented. The paper provides detailed code used in each step of the workflow both in R and Python language to widen the application of the workflow in the scientific and stakeholder communities and to encourage its improvement and refinement in the future.

Absenteeism at the university level can be attributed to a multitude of factors. Some of these factors are academic self-perception, attitudes towards teachers, or academic performance. Others are more closely associated with work-related absenteeism, including stress, group size, commitment, and job satisfaction. In Spain, an increase of absenteeism has been noted at university level, particularly after the Covid crisis, making it one of the primary challenges that require attention. Due to the particularities and specific requirements of the Maritime Education and Training (MET) system, this study aims to quantify the current level of absenteeism and identify its main causes at the Barcelona School of Nautical Studies (FNB-UPC). This study represents the initial phase of the teaching innovation project ASAP-UPC, which focuses on redesigning teaching methodologies to minimise absenteeism in polytechnic study programs. Students and lecturers are asked about their interest in attending classes, skill development throughout their FNB-UPC experience, and their perception of the skills required for a maritime career. Information is gathered through both online surveys and in-person interviews. Results indicate that absenteeism occurs not only in class attendance but also in participation in various university activities, partly due to the change in habits caused by the pandemic. A significant number of students express dissatisfaction with in-person classes, claiming that they are overly theoretical and lack the expected balance between theory, experimental practice, and problem-solving components. These findings hold significance for FNB-UPC lecturers and decision-making bodies, as they highlight areas that can be improved to offer a more useful experience to our students. Moreover, the outcomes of this research can potentially be applied to other Maritime Education and Training Institutions (METIs)., Peer Reviewed

Tugs are an important part in port activity and navigational safety issues. Port tugs ensure the safety of large vessels while they are entering, maneuvering, mooring and unmooring, and are of huge importance during other port operations. They are also used for other important port functions and activities, such as fire protection and search and rescue operations. To achieve efficient tug operations, investigating the features of tug activities is of crucial importance. This study aims to characterize Automatic Identification System (AIS) data for further maneuver services identification and characteristics analysis of tug activities in harbor areas. The AIS data from seven tugs in the port of Barcelona, Spain, in March 2023 were characterized for future identification of maneuvers. The finding of this research will help to improve the planning, timing, and assessment of tug services for docking and undocking vessels and evaluation of tug fleet operation. In this study, Speed Over Ground (SOG), Navigational Status of tugs (NS), ping frequency and data gap information on different variables are analyzed. Initial findings describe SOG ranging from 0-13 knots and a scattered use of the NS definition throughout the fleet. Ping frequency and data gaps are also initially described depending on the variable and the outcomes indicate that it relies on external factors such as the equipment used, technical issues, human factors and dense traffic etc. Hence, investigating the attributes of tugboat operations can enhance the efficiency of tugboat fleets in port areas., Peer Reviewed

Knowledge on the spatial and temporal distribution of the activities carried out in the marine environment is key to manage available space optimally. However, frequently, little or no information is available on the distribution of the largest users of the marine space, namely fishers. Tracking devices are being increasingly used to obtain highly resolved geospatial data of fishing activities, at intervals from seconds to minutes. However, to date no standardized method is used to process and analyse these data, making it difficult to replicate analysis. We develop a workflow to identify individual vessel trips and infer fishing activities from highly resolved geospatial data, which can be applied for large-scale fisheries, but also considers nuances encountered when working with small-scale fisheries. Recognizing the highly variable nature of activities conducted by different fleets, this workflow allows the user to choose a path that best aligns with the particularities in the fishery being analysed. A new method to identify anchoring sites for small-scale fisheries is also presented. The paper provides detailed code used in each step of the workflow both in R and Python language to widen the application of the workflow in the scientific and stakeholder communities and to encourage its improvement and refinement in the future., Postprint (published version)

The importance of the study of ship motion characteristics lies not in the motions themselves, but rather the effects caused by these dynamic motions. Motions are significantly influenced by a multitude of factors, including external disturbances such as waves or wind as well as vessel’s design and construction parameters. This work presents an initial analysis of the vessel motions based on the rotational movements roll, pitch and yaw. This motion monitoring will be done by using a do-it-yourself low-cost apparatus, designed and assembled at the University of Saint Andrews. It combines an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), with a GPS and an external battery to operate independent of the vessel. The results of motion monitoring trials are presented in this work, confirming that the low-cost IMU used are appropriate devices for vessel motion monitoring. This finding represents a significant advancement over the more artisanal methods utilized thus far, while also entailing a significant cost reduction compared to other inertial measurement devices with costs up to 20 times higher., Peer Reviewed

Increasing competition for marine space requires the appropriate development of indicators to best represent the use of marine areas and the value (whether economic, social and/or cultural) derived from such use. Fishers (the largest group of users) are often under-represented in marine spatial planning processes. Highly-resolved vessel tracking data provide opportunities to map the activities of fishing vessels at a level of detail never before available. Most effort mapping methods have focused on active gears such as trawls or dredges in large scale fisheries. For these fisheries, the time spent fishing at sea (hours) is usually a representative indicator of fishing effort, enabling a straightforward mapping of the most important fishing grounds. However, for passive gears generally used in small-scale fisheries, we show that spatial indicators of effort (here, length of vessel track) greatly outperform time-at-sea as an indicator of fishing effort. We further demonstrate and validate a method to estimate gear soak time from vessel tracking data and show how maps of effort that account for soak time can be different from those solely based on time spent fishing at sea. The development of adequate methods to quantify the spatial distribution of passive gear effort is particularly relevant to fisheries management because globally about a fifth of all catches (by weight) are landed by passive gears. Appropriate, fine scale effort maps will provide better tools for spatial planning to support sustainable fishing., Postprint (published version)

El present document té com a objectiu central identificar les maniobres dels vaixells dins el Port de Barcelona, concretament dins la dàrsena del Morrot, amb les dades AIS recopilades durant el mes de juny del 2022. Primerament, es dona una introducció a les dades AIS, per conèixer com treballar amb elles. Un cop introduïdes, es mostren les dades inicials del projecte (les mateixes dades AIS, la geometria del Port i un script inicial de Python) i les eines que s’han utilitzat, el llenguatge de programació Python i les llibreries disponibles. Seguidament, es presenta la metodologia emprada per tal d’assolir l’objectiu, la qual és un procés de transformació de dades que consta de vuit blocs, i els resultats obtinguts d’aquesta. Posteriorment, s’explica la planificació a seguir per tal de realitzar el projecte en el període de temps establert i l’impacte tant ambiental com econòmic d’aquest. Acabant el document s’exposen les conclusions a les que s’han arribat on s’avalua el grau de compliment dels objectius

Raw AIS messages are key to interpret the validity of AIS messages used in science for maritime spatial planning purposes. The Barcelona School of Nautical Studies has hosted two AIS antennas, storing raw messages systematically since 2019. Surprisingly, the number of received messages differs from one antenna to the other one. This manuscript aims at identifying the differences between the messages received by each antenna and the origin of these differences. Raw data from March 2023 is used and compared to meteorological variables in the range of the antennas. The older and worse located antenna seems to provide more and larger-distance messages. Results suggest there is no correlation between meteorological variables and the observed differences between antennas., Postprint (published version)

El objeto de este proyecto es diseñar y calcular un proyecto de nueva construcción de una lancha de recreo para la práctica de wakeboard y wakesurf, un wakeboat. El proyecto se realizará para el cumplimiento de las normativas correspondientes para la obtención del marcado ce, con una categoría de diseño c y zona de navegación 5. se estudiarán y calcularán todos los sistemas y componentes que deberá llevar la embarcación para obtener una estela para la práctica de estos deportes acuáticos con las mejores prestaciones posibles. Destacando el sistema de flaps y tanques de lastre para la modulación de la estela. mediante programas de arquitectura naval como el autocad y el rhinoceros, se diseñarán los planos en 2d y la embarcación en 3d. a partir de otros programas de ingeniería naval como el composeit, se estudiarán las propiedades del laminado de fibra de vidrio definidos en el escantillonado de la embarcación. también se realizarán estudios con el software maxsurf para calcular la interacción del casco 3d con el agua, obteniendo desde resistencias al avance y cálculos de estabilidad, hasta una simulación de la creación de la estela. se realizará un estudio de la competencia del sector para definir el nicho de mercado y un desglose de los costes de la embarcación para verificar su viabilidad económica.

The present study aims at computing and analysing the eroded sediment volumes induced by twin-propeller jets near a vertical quay wall from the main geometric characteristics of the scour hole. Two different scouring mechanisms govern the scouring process: i) the down-flow due to the interaction between the propellers jet and the wall, and ii) the direct impact of the propellers jet flow on the seabed. For this reason, the whole study area is divided into two subzones: 1) ’near the wall’ field; 2) ’far from the wall’ field. Both forward and backward rotation of the propellers during manoeuvring are analysed. The results show that, for the two manoeuvring states, the relationship between the eroded volume and the geometric characteristics of the scour hole in the near-wall subzone does not change, meaning that the backward rotation does not affect the morphology of the scour hole near the wall. Moreover, the eroded volume can be determined as a function of the maximum depth near the wall and, with higher accuracy, as a product of the three main geometric characteristics of the scour hole at any time-stage during the scour hole development, Postprint (published version)

Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) interact with waves in complex sea conditions, inparticular wave-induced nonlinear diffraction wave loads can excite the resonant response of FOWTs in the low frequency range. In this paper, a fixed rigid suspended cylinder (considereda simplification of the support columns of a complex structure) is analyzed for nonlinear waveloads under regular waves using OpenFOAM, an open-source Computational fluid dynamics(CFD) software, to obtain nonlinear hydrodynamic load characteristics of a simple structurein regular waves. Results are compared with experimental and potential flow analysis with theCFD model yielding better estimates of first, second and third order wave diffraction loads than the engineering model using potential flow theory. Engineering models based on second-order potential flow theory are not effective in predicting the second and third order wave diffraction loads., Peer Reviewed

This manuscript presents an erosion induced by manoeuvring ships assessment methodology in harbour basins with low bed clearance conditions. From the evolution of the bottom morphology, obtained from bathymetric surveys performed by the Port Authority, AIS data is used to analyse the traffic patterns in the basin and to relate the particular ships manoeuvres with the bottom morphology evolution. This allows for the detection of ships causing higher erosion in the basin. The manoeuvre simulator yields the use of the engines and thrusters during the in-port manoeuvres. Afterwards, literature equations are used to perform a stability assessment of the bottom material allowing to compute the required size for a rock protection layer in the basin., Peer Reviewed

Este proyecto parte de la necesidad, como ingeniera naval, de facilitar el trabajo a la hora de diseñar un buque de recreo. Hasta ahora, para llevar a cabo esta tarea, era necesario realizar una búsqueda exhaustiva y laboriosa de buques con las mismas características que el buque a diseñar. Esta parte del proyecto es imprescindible para poder obtener un dimensionamiento preliminar del buque. el objetivo principal de este proyecto es encontrar unas ecuaciones que permitan obtener las dimensiones principales de un yate, partiendo de la eslora, sin necesidad de tener que realizar un estudio estadístico de yates similares. Para conseguirlo, el primer paso ha sido recoger datos de un total de 2676 yates existentes en una base de datos de alcance mundial. A continuación, se ha analizado esta base de datos para eliminar datos erróneos y filtrar los yates según categorías, para poder ajustar las ecuaciones finales a un tipo concreto de yates y a un rango específico de esloras. Una vez realizado este estudio estadístico se han obtenido unas relaciones de diseño preliminar exitosas para yates de más de 24 metros de eslora.

Large Scale Fisheries (LSF), with Length Over All (LOA) larger than 12 to 15 m are gener- ally subject to national and international regulations that require they carry some form of tracking system that is capable of reporting their position with a prescribed frequency and accuracy. However, Small Scale Fisher- ies (i.e. LOA < 15 m) although representing ~90% of the world’s fishers they are generally not subject to such regulation and thus important data related to the location, intensity and type of fishing activity for the majority of SSF is unknown. LSF are tracked using an Automatic Identification System (AIS) and/or Vessel Monitor- ing System (VMS). The need to develop tracking systems suitable for use in SSF is increasing as regulators and many of those involved in this fishing sector recognize the potential advantages of collecting this data. Funded by Scottish Government, this research represents a structured analysis of track data from a trial of a low cost tracking system being conducted in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Approximately ~40 creel fishing vessels (LOA < 12 m) have been fitted with the tracking system since November 2020., Postprint (published version)

Després de l’enfonsament del titànic el 1914 es va crear el conveni SOLAS, però no va ser fins el 2004 que es va implementar l'AIS. Regit per diferents normatives, avui en dia és un element indispensable en qualsevol vaixell. L'objectiu d`aquest treball és veure la influència de la meteorologia a les senyals obtingudes de les dues antenes, veure les diferències que trobem entre les dues i esbrinar a que es deu aquesta diferència. durant el treball es detalla l'elaboració del codi i els passos que s'han elaborat per dur a terme la recollida de la següent informació: nombre de missatges obtinguts cada hora, nombre de missatges iguals a les dues antenes, tant per cent dels missatges que trobem a les dues antenes, nombre de vaixells iguals i únics a les dues antenes i les distàncies màximes i distàncies cent més llunyanes. A més, s'ha incorporat un diagrama de Gantt on es veu les diferents tasques realitzades i la durada d’aquestes. en tenir tota aquesta informació, s'han elaborat les gràfiques en funció de la meteorologia per veure si alguna de les variables tenia relació directa amb el senyal de les antenes. Així doncs, totes aquestes observacions s'han detallat al capítol de resultats i discussions on s`ha pogut veure la influència directa que té la precipitació. Els dies on es troba pluja les distàncies són menys llunyanes. També s`ha vist la importància de la pressió sobre les altres variables, veient que els dies on hi ha pressions baixes, tenim dies ennuvolats i amb precipitacions. S'han obtingut distàncies més llunyanes durant el mes de juny, mes on s'obté la pressió més estable dels tres mesos analitzats. així mateix, comparant els missatges obtinguts dels dos AIS i s`observa com l'AIS1 predomina sobre l'AIS2 tant en missatges rebuts com en distàncies màximes rebudes veient que l`AIS1 té millor recepció que l'AIS2. per últim, s'han elaborat les conclusions del treball on també considerem els aprenentatges personals durant el procés d'elaboració del treball i el

The development of autonomous shipping is in continuous growth; technology evolution is going on faster steps and new projects are being developed looking for more efficient, more sustainable and safer shipping operations. Autonomous vessels feature a technology that uses a large range of physical sensors to control autonomous functions, as well as a high advance monitoring and control systems, including the use of the newest communications technology. This technological emergence has been driving concerns about the decline in the number of seafarers and jobs, which are expected to be replaced by Artificial Intelligence and the Autonomous Systems. However, the trend will be the opportunity for new businesses and job creation, which will require highly skilled crews and operators. As far as further steps are being developed on higher autonomy, the landscape of jobs related to seafarers will change. For instance, remote operations will transfer most of the seafarers to land-based control centres, causing that the main skills to be developed should drive to more expertise in technology, communication and network administrators without losing the standards as per STCW Convention. This literature review addresses this new and emerging topic to lead to an initial conceptualization of the new Maritime Education and Training (MET) framework and find eliciting information for developing new academic assessment. At the end, this contribution discusses published research in the era of autonomous shipping in order to describe the next step for MET, developing qualifications standards for the new crew and on-shore operators., Peer Reviewed

The objective of the present work is to investigate the hydrodynamic loads of a fixed cylinder subjected to regular waves inside a wave flume using OpenFOAM. The suspended cylinder can be considered as a simplification of the support columns of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs), and the analysis of this simple structure allows a better focus on hydrodynamic loads. The numerical simulations are conducted by solving the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations using Volume of Fluid (VoF). Boundary conditions for wave generation and absorption are adopted from OpenFOAM, and the absorption boundary is modified for deep water condition. Simulations of propagating water waves show excessive wave damping (a significant decrease in wave height over the length of the numerical wave flume) based on K-Omega SST turbulence model. This anomaly is diminished by implementing a buoyancy term in the turbulent kinetic energy equation. Finally, the numerical results are compared with the engineering models and experimental results., Postprint (published version)

Ships maneuvering in low bed clearance conditions induce sediment scour due to the high speed jet generated by a rotating propeller. Sediment scour is known to cause instability to quay structures, damage to the bed protection and may create huge accretion areas reaching extremely low depths, preventing the free passage of large ships. This on-going problem is linked to the constant increase in commercial ship sizes and is widely recognized in current harbor management guidelines. This thesis presents in the first place the experimental work carried out to study the effects of two common propeller systems over the sediment bed: single and twin propellers. Next, the analysis of a case study is used to evaluate the impact of ship maneuvers over the seabed in a particular harbor basin. The first part of the thesis presents a set of experiments in propeller jet velocity and bed shear stresses. By measurements performed in a point-by-point grid, with a Pitot-static tube coupled to differential pressure sensors, the axial velocity distribution at the so-called efflux plane is characterized. After that, direct measurements of bed shear stress are performed at several speeds of rotation and two bed-clearance distances with a shear plate. Velocity and bed shear stress measurements are related by an empirical friction coefficient, which is dependent on the bed clearance. A new empirical model is presented to estimate the mean shear stress in case of unconfined ship propeller jets in low bed clearance conditions. The second part of this work shows the results of a new set of experiments in local scour due to confined twin propeller jets. The maximum scour depth is studied as a function of the bed clearance, the wall clearance and the efflux velocity of the jet. Aiming to reproduce more realistic maneuvers, scour due to forward and backward rotation of the propellers is analyzed, showing a different behavior compared to the traditional experiments with only forward rotation. Th, Els vaixells que maniobren en condicions de calat reduït poden provocar erosió local del llit de sediments a causa del raig d'aigua d'alta velocitat generat per les hèlix. L'erosió causa inestabilitat en les estructures dels molls, danys a la protecció del llit i pot crear grans àrees d'acreció, posant en risc la seguretat en la navegació. Aquest fenòmen està relacionat en gran mesura amb l'augment de les dimensions dels vaixells comercials en les darreres dècades i és àmpliament reconegut en les guies actuals de gestió portuària. Aquesta tesi presenta, en primer lloc, el treball experimental realitzat per estudiar els efectes erosius provocats per dos dels sistemes de propulsió més comuns: hèlix convencional i sistema de doble hèlix. A continuació, s'utilitza l'anàlisi d'un cas pràctic per avaluar l'impacte de les maniobres dels vaixells sobre el fons marí en una dàrsena portuària concreta. A la primera part de la tesi es presenten i s'analitzen en un conjunt de mesures experimentals de velocitat del flux d'aigua a la sortida de l'hèlix i de tensions de tall sobre un llit horitzontal. La distribució de velocitats axials es caracteritza a partir de mesures puntuals preses amb un sistema de tub de Pitot-estàtic acoblat a sensors de pressió diferencial. Posteriorment es realitzen mesures directes de les tensions de tall al llit amb una placa de tensions (shear plate) a tres velocitats de rotació de l'hèlix i dues distàncies verticals sobre el llit. Les mesures de la velocitat i la tensió de tall es relacionen amb un coeficient de fricció empíric que és dependent de la distància al llit. A la segona part d'aquest treball es presenta un nou conjunt d'experiments en erosió local per sistemes de doble hèlix confinats. La profunditat màxima d'erosió s'estudia en funció de la distància al sòl, la distància a la paret i la velocitat de sortida del raig d'aigua. Amb l'objectiu de reproduir maniobres de vaixells en entorns portuaris, s'analitza l'erosió generada pels sistemes, Postprint (published version)

The impact of the SARS-CoV pandemic has gone well beyond health concerns, reaching the maritime industry. The study on the environmental impact of shipping industry during COVID-19 pandemic can provide useful insights to propose new management policies regarding shipping operations, both in-port and on the route. We present a case study centred in the Port of Barcelona covering a 30 nautical miles range in the period March to July 2020, during which different levels of restrictions and stringent lockdown measures were enforced. In this paper, we assess the impact of COVID-19 on maritime traffic and its related emissions in port cities using real-time Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. Interestingly, results show that the decline in maritime traffic is not correlated with a decrease in maritime emissions due to changes in vessel operation. During lockdown (March to June 2020), we observed a 27.9% reduction in the number of port calls compared to the pre-lockdown scenario, whereas pollutant emissions show a moderate decrease (1.8% for CO2), no significant reduction (SO2 and PM) or a slight increase (1.3% for NOx). This can be directly assigned to changes in vessel operation mode, i.e. vessels switched from Underway to At Anchor or Moored status, during which auxiliary engines are used at higher loads., Postprint (author's final draft)