Cargo Movement Research Articles

Sustainable Practices in Brazilian Ports: Aligning with SDGs 9, 13, and 14

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the disclosure of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in reports published by ports and terminals with the highest cargo movements. Theoretical Framework: The research is grounded in key concepts of sustainability and sustainable development, focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Method: This exploratory and descriptive research employed content analysis of sustainability, integrated, and annual reports from Brazilian public ports (BPP) and private port terminals (PPT) to identify key sustainable practices aligned with SDGs 9, 13, and 14. Results and Discussion: The study highlighted the Brazilian port sector's focus on developing sustainable mechanisms, driven by technologies such as radars and cameras, and fostering investments in research and development, reinforcing a commitment to SDG 9. Likewise, initiatives targeting the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, enhancing operational efficiency, and supporting the energy transition were prominent, demonstrating alignment with SDG 13. However, fewer practices were observed for SDG 14. Research Implications: The findings have significant implications for both academia and the port sector. The clear focus on SDGs 9 and 13 within the Brazilian port industry underscores the sector's commitment to innovation and climate action. Conversely, the study revealed a substantial gap in practices aligned with SDG 14, despite the strong connection between ports and marine ecosystems.

Construction of a ballistic model of the motion of uncontrolled cargo during its autonomous high-precision drop from a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle

The object of this study is the process related to the fall of an uncontrolled cargo from a height of 400–600 meters relative to sea level in an air environment under the influence of gravity, air drag, and wind in the presence of an initial air speed of about 20 m/s. The study solves the task to build a ballistic model of the movement of an unguided cargo during autonomous high-precision dropping from an unmanned aerial vehicle of aircraft type. A system of equations was derived that explicitly describes the dependence of the cargo's travel speed and coordinates on time and takes into account the effect of gravity, air drag, and the influence of wind. The scope of application of the equations corresponds to drop heights of up to 400 m relative to the surface of the earth and the initial horizontal speed of the cargo up to 20 m/s. The resulting equations were analyzed using an example of a spherical load weighing 10 kg and the largest cross-sectional area of 7.1·10-2 m2 when it falls from heights of 200, 300, and 400 m relative to the earth's surface. In the absence of wind, the horizontal component of the load's speed at the moment of falling is ≈(13–15) m/s, and the vertical component is ≈(50–60) m/s. At the same time, the horizontal displacement of the load under the conditions of a weak crosswind can reach ≈(150–220) m. With a vertical wind speed profile, the equivalent constant wind speed can be determined, resulting in the same effect on the load as a variable speed wind. An algorithm for determining the point of unloading the cargo has been proposed. The cargo delivery error has been evaluated. The most important parameters are the flight time of the cargo and the drop height. In order to achieve a hit accuracy of ±5 m, an error in determining the time of the fall of the load is not more than ≈0.16 s, and an error in determining the height of the drop is not more than ±8 m

Unraveling the interplay of kinesin-1, tau, and microtubules in neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is marked by the gradual and age-related deterioration of nerve cells in the central nervous system. The histopathological features observed in the brain affected by AD are the aberrant buildup of extracellular and intracellular amyloid-β and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles consisting of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Axonal transport is a fundamental process for cargo movement along axons and relies on molecular motors like kinesins and dyneins. Kinesin's responsibility for transporting crucial cargo within neurons implicates its dysfunction in the impaired axonal transport observed in AD. Impaired axonal transport and dysfunction of molecular motor proteins, along with dysregulated signaling pathways, contribute significantly to synaptic impairment and cognitive decline in AD. Dysregulation in tau, a microtubule-associated protein, emerges as a central player, destabilizing microtubules and disrupting the transport of kinesin-1. Kinesin-1 superfamily members, including kinesin family members 5A, 5B, and 5C, and the kinesin light chain, are intricately linked to AD pathology. However, inconsistencies in the abundance of kinesin family members in AD patients underline the necessity for further exploration into the mechanistic impact of these motor proteins on neurodegeneration and axonal transport disruptions across a spectrum of neurological conditions. This review underscores the significance of kinesin-1's anterograde transport in AD. It emphasizes the need for investigations into the underlying mechanisms of the impact of motor protein across various neurological conditions. Despite current limitations in scientific literature, our study advocates for targeting kinesin and autophagy dysfunctions as promising avenues for novel therapeutic interventions and diagnostics in AD.

Visual-Inertial Fusion-Based Five-Degree-of-Freedom Motion Measurement System for Vessel-Mounted Cranes

Vessel-mounted cranes operate in complex marine environments, where precise measurement of cargo positions and attitudes is a key technological challenge to ensure operational stability and safety. This study introduces an integrated measurement system that combines vision and inertial sensing technologies, utilizing a stereo camera and two inertial measurement units (IMUs) to capture cargo motion in five degrees of freedom (DOF). By merging data from the stereo camera and IMUs, the system accurately determines the cargo’s position and attitude relative to the camera. The specific methodology is introduced as follows: First, the YOLO model is adopted to identify targets in the image and generate bounding boxes. Then, using the principle of binocular disparity, the depth within the bounding box is calculated to determine the target’s three-dimensional position in the camera coordinate system. Simultaneously, the IMU measures the attitude of the cargo, and a Kalman filter is applied to fuse the data from the two sensors. Experimental results indicate that the system’s measurement errors in the x, y, and z directions are less than 2.58%, 3.35%, and 3.37%, respectively, while errors in the roll and pitch directions are 3.87% and 5.02%. These results demonstrate that the designed measurement system effectively provides the necessary motion information in 5-DOF for vessel-mounted crane control, offering new approaches for pose detection of marine cranes and cargoes.

An Identification-Based Control Method for an Overhead Crane with a New Combined Sensor Placement

This paper is devoted to an automatic control method for an overhead crane under the current parametric uncertainty of the crane, transported cargo, and exogenous disturbances. The control objective is to move the cargo in the horizontal plane to a point ensuring the final delivery of the cargo to the designated place while parrying the angular oscillations of the suspension and reaching given dynamic characteristics. The approach is based on a control scheme with a current parametric identification algorithm, an implicit reference model, and “simplified” adaptability conditions to track cargo movements directly. The control law generates a given trolley speed for the servo drive. The passport data of the crane installation are used to select the control law parameters. Unlike previous publications on the topic, the solution proposed below is simpler, more reliable in terms of operation, and less expensive. This is achieved by placing a combined sensor (an accelerometer with an angular rate sensor (ARS)) on a suspension cable near the crane trolley and applying, first, an algorithmic solution without the preliminary calculation of the ARS drift and, second, a current parametric identification procedure of higher efficiency. Computer simulation results are provided to confirm these advantages of the new solution. A similar example is implemented on an experimental installation.

A Conceptual Model for Automation of Small Ports

Abstract For large ports and terminals, the loading and discharge operations have to a great extent been automated already. However, for the vast number of small ports, for instance all Norwegian ports, this large-scale automation is not possible due to the small size of the ports compared to the cost of introducing full automation. Still, these small ports are important logistics hubs in the transport system. They facilitate the shift from congested roads to the sea by allowing the goods to arrive closer to the final destination by using smaller, possibly autonomous, vessels. However, this puts pressure on the ports to facilitate reduced laytime in the port, to increase the port efficiency and to improve interoperability towards hinterland systems and terminals. For small ports, this means that manual and automated work processes need to exist side by side, and that it will be important to get an overview of which processes to automate and which will remain manual, in addition to the handling of the hand-over between humans and automation. This paper describes a conceptual model that can be used by small ports as a starting point on their way to introduce automation of their services supporting the cargo flow through the port. The model includes a description of port functions, tasks and responsibilities and use the concept of operational envelope to define the overall capabilities of the system, including both automation and human. This will be the starting point for how to structure the description of an operation centre that monitor and control the maritime terminal operations. The starting point for this work is a use case analysis performed in some small ports in Norway, and their need to optimize the utilization of their assets. The work is done as part of the AutoPort project which is a research project funded by the Norwegian Research Council (project number 337211). The goal of this work is to describe a methodology on how to identify the interface between automation and human operators when it comes to small ports and the movement of cargo through its terminals, and by this give a description on how different levels of automation can be implemented. The methodology consists of several steps, including definition of the context (big picture of the use case, actors and their roles, and communication), the scenario (port activities and processes), and the use cases including the control tasks performed by the automated systems.

Police Oversight of Legality in Railway Freight Transport in Russian Empire During World War I

This article analyzes the activities of the gendarmerie railway police in ensuring compliance by freight carriers with prohibitions and restrictions on the export of certain raw materials and goods during World War I. Based on documentary materials, it reveals the content of the state policy of the Russian Empire regarding measures to halt the supply of essential resources to the Central Powers’ armies. The study of the administrative documentation of the railway police indicates that particular attention was paid to monitoring freight transport at border stations. The issue of police support for the stable functioning of railways under wartime conditions is explored. Gendarmerie officers facilitated the prioritization of military cargo movement along steel corridors. A critical responsibility of the gendarmerie was uncovering collusion among railway employees and shippers to manipulate train speeds for illicit speculative profit amid commodity shortages. The study concludes that the gendarmerie railway police played a significant role in overseeing the legality of freight transport during World War I. However, amid the disorganization of state mechanisms and deepening crises in Russian society, ensuring uninterrupted and effective railway operations proved impossible.

Sustainable Development of the China Railway Express under the Belt and Road Initiative: Focusing on Infrastructure Reliability and Trade Facilitation

The China Railway Express (CR Express) is an important component of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The sustainable development of CR Express provides critical support for regional economic integration and promotes a balanced development of the supply chain. Infrastructure reliability and trade facilitation greatly impact the operation of CR Express and are crucial for improving the competitiveness of transnational trade and cross-border efficiency. Inconsistent transportation infrastructure standards and low-efficient transportation service procedures affect the cross-border movement of cargo among countries. This paper integrates quantified metrics of infrastructure reliability and trade facilitation into a spatial friction model based on the electrical resistance theory, estimating the impact of these factors on the transportation flow of CR Express. Additionally, three scenarios of infrastructure reliability and trade facilitation are established for the four trade routes from Zhengzhou to Hamburg. Numerical experiments show that compared with inland river routes and traditional ocean routes, infrastructure reliability and trade facilitation significantly influence the transport flow of CR Express. These research results can provide a reference for the improvements of CR Express transportation efficiency and the simplification of customs clearance processes, potentially promoting the sustainable development of the CR Express supply chain to some extent.

An anti-swing control method combining deep learning prediction models with a multistate fractional-order terminal sliding mode controller for wave motion compensation devices

Shipborne multidimensional wave motion compensation devices eliminate the relative motion of cargo between supply and supplied ships. However, the random sway of ships and complicated disturbances still cause various cargo swings. Therefore, an anti-swing control method is proposed that combines deep learning prediction models with a multistate fractional-order terminal sliding mode controller for wave motion compensation devices. First, the constrained workspaces and anti-swing trajectories of cargo based on deep learning prediction models are constructed to decrease the swings of cargo originating from ship sway and inaccurate control parameters. Second, a multistate fractional-order terminal sliding mode controller is presented to eliminate the disturbance-caused cargo swings. Third, the stability of the multistate sliding mode controller is proven. Finally, the effectiveness of the anti-swing control method is verified through simulations and experiments, and the experimental results demonstrate that the maximum amplitude of cargo swings is only a few millimetres and that the maximum mean absolute error of the payload swings is less than four millimetres.

Nesprin-2 coordinates opposing microtubule motors during nuclear migration in neurons.

Nuclear migration is critical for the proper positioning of neurons in the developing brain. It is known that bidirectional microtubule motors are required for nuclear transport, yet the mechanism of the coordination of opposing motors is still under debate. Using mouse cerebellar granule cells, we demonstrate that Nesprin-2 serves as a nucleus-motor adaptor, coordinating the interplay of kinesin-1 and dynein. Nesprin-2 recruits dynein-dynactin-BicD2 independently of the nearby kinesin-binding LEWD motif. Both motor binding sites are required to rescue nuclear migration defects caused by the loss of function of Nesprin-2. In an intracellular cargo transport assay, the Nesprin-2 fragment encompassing the motor binding sites generates persistent movements toward both microtubule minus and plus ends. Nesprin-2 drives bidirectional cargo movements over a prolonged period along perinuclear microtubules, which advance during the migration of neurons. We propose that Nesprin-2 keeps the nucleus mobile by coordinating opposing motors, enabling continuous nuclear transport along advancing microtubules in migrating cells.

Digital Green Shipping Innovation

Coupled with digital-enabled Industry 4.0 development, shipping operators increasingly leverage popular digital technologies to innovate green shipping practices. This study provides insights into the concept, adoption, and challenges of digital green shipping innovation (DGSI) to advance knowledge in the field. Such innovation elevates green shipping for environmentally friendly cargo handling and movement by digital technology applications. Against this backdrop, this study reviews literature involving DGSI and identifies four categories of practices. We develop propositions concerning its antecedents and outcomes to understand its adoption. The challenges and opportunities for adopting DGSI are also identified with managerial guidance to plan green innovation in the shipping industry. This research enriches the knowledge of green shipping in the digital-enabled era with insights and guideposts for managers and policymakers to understand the value of digital technologies for greener shipping operations.

Impacts of Standard Gauge Railway Project on Tanzania Economy Amidst and After Completion

Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project in Tanzania flashed a lot of rumours and suggestions among citizens on opportunities and threats. This paper described the impacts of the SGR project on Tanzania economy during and after project completion. The target population of the study was all articles, and government reports related on SGR projects in Africa. The study was conducted systematically by reviewing articles and government reports on impacts of SGR on economy. The paper found that the SGR project has a lot of positive impacts including stimulation of Industrialization; efficient and fast movement of cargo; source of foreign currency; Development of rural area; business growth; Creating good relationship between neighbour countries; and employment opportunities. Also, the study found that negative impacts include Market disruption; Collapse of towns; and involuntary resettlement. The study concludes that the construction of standard gauge railway is of very importance for Tanzania economy. The study recommends the government start preparing competent staff that will operate and manage SGR. The lesson learned from the study is that there must be collaboration and coordination between the government and private sector at different levels of SGR for immediate and sustainable benefits.

Numerical Study on the Anti-Sloshing Effect of Horizontal Baffles in a Cargo Hold Loaded with Liquefied Cargo

Sloshing of liquefied bulk granular cargoes weakens the stability of cargo carriers when at sea. Using the horizontal rectangle baffle is a promising way to restrain its sloshing motion. But the location height and optimal baffle area rate to achieve a better anti-sloshing effect should be studied first. The discrete element method was adopted to establish the simulation model, and the direct shear test was used for verification. Through the static tilt tests, the definite relationship between the effects of moisture content on cargo motion and particle friction coefficients was acquired. Then, liquefied cargo motion in a cargo hold without baffles and with one and two pairs of horizontal baffles was simulated. Based on variations in the cargo gravity center offset and the sloshing-induced force on the cargo hold, the anti-sloshing effect of different settings of the baffles was compared. Results show that the baffles have the ability to restrain cargo sloshing, and this is important for sea transportation safety. The anti-sloshing effect is better when the baffle plane is right on the cargo top surface compared to the other location heights. Further, there is an optimal length–width combination, e.g., a single baffle plane with a length of 0.26 L and a width of 0.46 B, at which a better anti-sloshing effect could be achieved with the smallest baffle area rate. This study could be useful for the practical application of horizontal baffles for bulk granular cargo carriers.

Cloud technologies in transport logistics

Recently, manufacturers and suppliers of logistics services have been increasingly using cloud technologies in order to reduce their costs and optimize business operations. In clouds there is an opportunity to create a single platform for cargo owners and contractors. The article discusses tracking (tracking the movement of cargo along the route), which helps the company to calculate the exact time of arrival of the vehicle at the point of delivery. With this data, it is possible to plan cargo deliveries. In addition, by means of the cloud, the problem of identifying potholes in roads is solved. Tracking helps to evaluate the quality of the carrier.

Poxvirus A51R Proteins Negatively Regulate Microtubule-Dependent Transport by Kinesin-1.

Microtubule (MT)-dependent transport is a critical means of intracellular movement of cellular cargo by kinesin and dynein motors. MT-dependent transport is tightly regulated by cellular MT-associated proteins (MAPs) that directly bind to MTs and either promote or impede motor protein function. Viruses have been widely shown to usurp MT-dependent transport to facilitate their virion movement to sites of replication and/or for exit from the cell. However, it is unclear if viruses also negatively regulate MT-dependent transport. Using single-molecule motility and cellular transport assays, we show that the vaccinia virus (VV)-encoded MAP, A51R, inhibits kinesin-1-dependent transport along MTs in vitro and in cells. This inhibition is selective as the function of kinesin-3 is largely unaffected by VV A51R. Interestingly, we show that A51R promotes the perinuclear accumulation of cellular cargo transported by kinesin-1 such as lysosomes and mitochondria during infection. Moreover, A51R also regulates the release of specialized VV virions that exit the cell using kinesin-1-dependent movement. Using a fluorescently tagged rigor mutant of kinesin-1, we show that these motors accumulate on A51R-stabilized MTs, suggesting these stabilized MTs may form a "kinesin-1 sink" to regulate MT-dependent transport in the cell. Collectively, our findings uncover a new mechanism by which viruses regulate host cytoskeletal processes.

The Commercial Importance of the Suez Canal in the Context of the Crisis of Economic Globalization and Modern Geopolitical Risks

Aim. To substantiate the regularity of the violation of commercial navigation along the Suez Canal in the context of the crisis of economic globalization and the reformatting of the international order.Tasks. To find out the main prerequisites for the decline of the global transport and logistics infrastructure. To specify the reasons for the violation of navigation in the Red Sea. To show the impact of the decline in cargo transportation through the Suez Canal on the global economy.Methods. In order to achieve the stated purpose of the study, the following methods were used: historicism, which allowed to establish the sequence of crisis manifestations during the operation of the Suez Canal; extraction of relevant information from media materials and its subsequent analysis, which showed the geo-economic importance of the Red Sea area for world navigation, the scale of disorganization of transport communication through the Suez Canal; structural and functional analysis, which contributed to the establishment of the importance of transport logistics in ensuring the smooth functioning of the global economy; a rational choice that brought the authors closer to understanding the motives of the behavior of economic and political actors in the conditions of disorganization of cargo transportation through the Red Sea.Results. The analysis of the main prerequisites for reformatting global transport logistics has been carried out. It is shown that the decline of shipping in the Red Sea is conditioned by the crisis of economic globalization and increased geopolitical risks. The reasons for the violation of navigation in the Red Sea have been established. The impact of the disruption of cargo transportation through the Suez Canal on the global economy has been revealed.Conclusions. The destabilization of global transport routes through the Red Sea seems logical. It is obviously conditioned by the slippage of the neoliberal economic mechanism and the increasing geopolitical competition of Western countries with new centers of economic and political influence. Wars in the Middle East continue to have a destructive impact on the functioning of the global economy. The decline in cargo transportation leads to further disintegration of the previously established global markets. Global shipping companies have taken care of finding safer cargo movements. Producers and consumers of goods and services are forced to look for new partners within national and regional spaces, create new and activate existing transport corridors, which implies increased protectionism, and, therefore, leads to undermining the foundations of the global economy and the unipolar world.

Substantiation of Parameters of Cargo Movement by Car Rope Systems

Substantiation of Parameters of Cargo Movement by Car Rope Systems

The Post-2011 Yemen Internationalized Civil War: It’s National, Regional and Global Implications

The purpose of this paper is to make an in-depth analysis of the post-2011 Yemen internationalized civil war and its implications on national, regional, and global social, economic, and political spheres of influence. In this place, the study uses a qualitative research approach. On top of this to achieve the stated objectives of the study the data was collected purposively from published and unpublished materials like articles, magazines, reports, and the materials available online. At the national level, Yemen has failed in worsening social, economic, and political situations portrayed by the civil war crisis. The internationalized Yemen civil war triggered grave consequences on infrastructure, and economic activities, in which trade; investment, and business opportunities were demolished. Besides, it caused thousands of civilians displaced, indiscriminately attacked, killed, flee their homes, and become refugees. Similarly, the intensive Yemen civil war deteriorated the free flows of oil production, commodities as well as maritime trade in the region. Significantly, the fragile conditions pave the way for the network of illegal traffic activities in the region. The Yemen post-2011 internationalized civil war has caused potential risk to international shipping transiting to the Red sea which is the strategic route for oil cargo and other commercial movements to the global market. Furthermore, the Yemen civil conflict caused the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and the European Union has responded to the catastrophes.

The development of Danube Ports amid war and post-war recovery of the Ukraine

Purpose: assessment of the development of Danube Ports amid war and post-war recovery of the Ukraine as part of the security system for Ukraine, Europe, and the world as a whole. Меthods. In the research general scientific (analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, analytical grouping) and special (abstraction, modelling, etc.) methods of studying economic phenomena and processes have been used. The object of the study is the Danube river ports. Results. The conducted analysis showed that in the conditions of war and the blockade of the ports of Greater Odessa, export transportation through the Ukrainian Danube ports of Reni, Izmail, and Ust-Danube has been activated. This was also facilitated by the dredging works in the Bystre estuary, which allowed its transport capabilities to be used for the passage of vessels with a draft of up to 6.5 meters, and not only the Romanian Sulina canal. The analysis showed that, in addition to positive results for Ukrainian ports, there was also an increase in cargo handling volumes in Romanian ports, for example, the Sulina port has shown an increase in cargo movement volumes in recent years. Overall, if we compare the growth rates in the direction of Danube-Black Sea and in the opposite direction, the preference is given to the Danube-sea direction. Regarding transportation through the Danube-Black Sea canal, recent years have also seen an increase in cargo transportation volumes, but this is mainly due to international transportation. Domestic transportation does not show similar dynamics. The Constanta port has also been increasing cargo handling volumes in recent years due to sea transportation, but river transportation is also growing, although not as significantly. Unlike the mentioned ports, the Romanian port of Galati has been decreasing cargo handling volumes since 2021. The reason for this is that, among the two routes considered - the Danube and the Danube-Black Sea to the Constanta port, preference is given to the latter. Conclusions. The conducted research has shown that the further expansion of navigation along the Danube using the routes Ukraine - Galati, Ukraine - Regensburg, and Ukraine-Constanta (via the Danube) will ensure the effectiveness of the mentioned ports and create additional conditions for the development of transport logistics in the Danube region as part of the security system for Ukraine, Europe, and the world as a whole. An additional advantage of such decisions is their environmental orientation, since among all types of transport, water transport is the most environmentally friendly.

Исследование математической модели объемного гидропривода с релейным управлением применительно к грузовой лебедке крана

The known variants of volumetric hydraulic drives of lifting and technological mechanisms are considered and analyzed. The areas of application of pumping and accumulator hydraulic drives, with various types of regulation, and options for their implementation as drives of a cargo winch of a bridge crane are considered. It is shown that the operation of the volumetric hydraulic drives of the cargo winch, along with volumetric and throttle control, can be performed by a relay method. It is noted that the cyclical operation of lifting mechanisms during lifting and lowering of cargo allows for mechanical and hydraulic energy recovery within the working cycle, which is a promising way to significantly increase the efficiency of their work. The analysis of the existing designs of hydraulic drives of technological machines, allowing to recover the potential energy of working bodies with cargo, is carried out. It is proposed as an alternative to the known hydraulic drives of the cargo winch of the bridge crane, a hydraulic drive with relay control. The efficiency of such a drive is shown, according to the indicators of the nominal pressure utilization coefficient and the energy intensity of the working fluid, in the case of the implementation of mechanical and hydraulic energy recovery in the working cycle in it. The mechanical and hydraulic circuits of such a drive are examined. An algorithm of mathematical model of its operation with consideration of different phases of cargo movement is proposed and its investigation is carried out. The possibility of fulfilling the safety conditions of operation of a hydraulic drive with relay control, in terms of ensuring the requirements for the uniformity of cargo movement, is analyzed.