Cruise Ship Research Articles

Two-stage energy management framework of the cold ironing cooperative with renewable energy for ferry

The cold ironing system is gaining interest as a promising approach to reduce emissions from ship transportation at ports, enabling further reductions with clean energy sources coordination. While cold ironing has predominantly been applied to long-staying vessels like cruise ships and containers, feasibility studies for short-berthing ships such as ferries are limited. However, the growing demand for short-distance logistics and passenger transfers highlights the need to tackle emissions issues from ferry transportation. Incorporating electrification technology together with integrated energy management systems can significantly reduce emissions from ferry operations. Accordingly, this paper proposes a cooperative cold ironing system integrated with clean energy sources for ferry terminals. A two-stage energy management strategy combining sizing and scheduling optimization is employed to reduce the port’s emissions while minimizing system and operational costs. The proposed system configuration, determined through the sizing method, yields the lowest net present cost of $9.04 M. The applied energy management strategy managed to reduce operational costs by up to 63.402 %, while significantly decreasing emissions from both shipside and shoreside operations. From the shipside, emissions reductions of 38.44 % for CO2, 97.7 % for NOX, 96.69 % for SO2, and 92.1 % for PM were achieved. From the shoreside, the approach led to a 28 % reduction across all emission types. Thus, implementing cold ironing powered by clean energy sources is a viable solution for reducing emissions generated by ferry operations. The proposed energy management approach enables emissions reduction and delivering cost-effectiveness at ferry terminals.

Vibration Characteristic Research of 100 m New Polar Exploration Cruise Based on Finite Element Modeling

Luxury cruise ships are high-end passenger ships with facilities on board for the leisure and entertainment of passengers, so the comfort of luxury cruise ships is a matter of great concern. In this paper, a finite element model of a new polar exploration cruise ship is established, and the wet modes of the whole ship are calculated using the virtual mass method and compared with the principal frequencies of the excitation forces to initially verify the rationality of the design of the structural vibration characteristics of the whole ship. The admittance matrix of the vibration velocity to excitation force was calculated by a frequency response analysis, and the vibration velocities at the stern plate and main engine foundations were tested during sailing. Then, the obtained propeller and main engine excitation forces were loaded into the finite element model; the vibration velocities of each compartment were calculated and compared with the compartment vibration velocity test values. The errors were within the engineering allowable range, verifying the accuracy of the excitation forces. The propeller and main engine excitation forces were loaded separately on the finite element model to calculate the vibration velocity of each cabin, and the contribution of the two excitation sources to the vibration velocity of each cabin was analyzed. It was found that the contribution of the excitation source to the cabin response was related to the relative position between the cabin and the excitation source. When the cabin was located in the cabin adjacent to or directly above a certain excitation source, the contribution of the excitation source to the cabin response was greater. When the cabin was farther away from both excitation sources, the contribution of the propeller excitation was greater. This provides a targeted reference for the preliminary vibration assessment and later vibration control of the new polar expedition cruise ship.

Examination of the position of cruise shipping in the post-season period at Lake Balaton

Water-based, waterfront tourism has always played an important role in the development of the tourism sector, water has been and still is an important attraction and contributes to regional development. In Hungary, Lake Balaton is the primary destination for waterfront tourism, offering a wide range of opportunities in this sector. Water-based, waterfront tourism is mainly concentrated in the high summer season, but there is an increasing range of opportunities in both the low and high season. In our research, we investigated the development of cruise tourism in Lake Balaton in the off-season, in the months of September-October 2023, by conducting in-depth interviews and questionnaire research. Our research has confirmed that this service is also in demand outside the high season. In the autumn, cruises add a special value to the experience, they can help to reduce seasonal fluctuations in tourism by offering attractive activities and also increase income for local businesses during the off-season.

Interventional Study of Nonpharmaceutical Measures to Prevent COVID-19 Aboard Cruise Ships.

Cruise ships carrying COVID-19-vaccinated populations applied near-identical nonpharmaceutical measures during July-November 2021; passenger masking was not applied on 2 ships. Infection risk for masked passengers was 14.58 times lower than for unmasked passengers and 19.61 times lower than in the community. Unmasked passengers' risk was slightly lower than community risk.

Research on Customer Satisfaction in Cruise Ship Tourism Based on Big Data Analytics

Research on Customer Satisfaction in Cruise Ship Tourism Based on Big Data Analytics

Modification of electro gas weld metal microstructure reflecting mechanical property specifications in cruise vessel shipbuilding

AbstractTo identify the microstructural factors effecting the electro gas welding (EGW) weld metal properties, this study investigated the influence of different prototype welding consumables and shielding gases on the microstructural composition and mechanical-technological properties. The aim was to adjust the weld metal properties as a trade-off between strength, ductility, and impact toughness to fulfill typical weld metal material specifications in cruise vessel shipbuilding under consideration of the manufacturing conditions at European shipyards. The microstructure is analyzed by quantitative metallography of the ferritic matrix, martensite-retained austenite (M/A) constituents, and non-metallic inclusions (NMI). The influence of the Ni content, the deoxidation concept by variation of Si and Ti contents, and different shielding gas activity by variation of the Ar proportions is discussed. The interaction of ferritic matrix with high acicular ferrite content of about 70 ± 10%, the existence of larger grain boundary ferrite formations, and the M/A morphology plus distribution are considered as the determining factors for the material properties.

Ethics and ambiguity in wastewater development on the Placencia Peninsula, Belize

AbstractDevelopment projects present ambiguous ethical terrain for anthropologists to navigate. Particularly in relation to WaSH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) infrastructures which mediate human and environmental health. Our interdisciplinary team of anthropologists and engineers initially set out to design context‐sensitive on‐site wastewater treatment infrastructures for homes along Belize's Placencia Peninsula. The project's beginning coincided with the announcements of a government sponsored centralized wastewater infrastructure project and the construction of a cruise ship port on a nearby island, however. Soon the wastewater project's promises—economic opportunity, improved human and environmental health, modernization ‐ came crashing into its pratfalls—exacerbating existing inequalities, loss of livelihoods, and diminished local governance. Our team was left with uncertain decisions about how to engage with improving infrastructure, given the emerging community dynamics. By detailing the imperfect trade‐offs at play, we highlight ethical complexities inherent when communities’ development futures are at stake. Anthropology's fraught history includes legacies of unintended harms from entanglement in others’ inequities. However, avoiding involvement out of excessive caution risks leaving marginalized voices unheard and extant problems unresolved. This case immersed our team in the inherent optimism and ethical experimentation which underlie development contexts. Our analysis adopts the structure from Whiteford and Trotters’ (2008) “Ethical‐Problem Solving Guide” to reveal the layered tensions that underly critical WaSH infrastructures.

Physical training in the prevention of sea sickness

Abstract Disorders related to labyrinth irritation (kinetosis) constitute a significant problem in sea travel, especially in sea service. A team of military researchers conducted research on a very large group (over 200 people) regarding the possibility of preventing seasickness through physical training. An original set of exercises was developed and performed by the study group. Then, the sensitivity of the test group and the control group to rocking was checked in laboratory and real conditions (sea cruise). The method has been shown to be over 50% effective in preventing and alleviating the symptoms of seasickness. The use of selected physical exercises may be an effective training against the risk of kinetosis.

Pyrolysis characteristics, kinetics and products of flexible polyurethane foam in luxury cruise ship via TG, FTIR, GC-MS and Shuffled Complex Evolution

Flexible polyurethane foam is widely used in furniture upholstery, car seats, and other products. Its safety has attracted increasing attention, especially fire safety in luxury cruise ship. Thermogravimetry-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TG-FTIR-GC-MS) is used to explore the pyrolysis characteristics of flexible polyurethane foam. The experimental results show that three weight loss peaks can be observed in the pyrolysis of flexible polyurethane foam under nitrogen atmosphere, which implies that the pyrolysis behaviors of isocyanate, polyol and catalyst are responsible for the peaks. The pyrolysis process of flexible polyurethane foam can be divided into two regions: the fifth-order reaction (F5) model and the one-dimensional diffusion (D1) model corresponding to regions I and II, respectively. The main pyrolysis intermediate function groups includes CO2, gaseous H2O, C-O, CO, C-H and other functional group stretching products. The amount of intermediate function groups generated in order of most to least is C-O > C-H > CO2 > CO > H2O. Six main products are generated under the N2 atmosphere, including Ethane, 2-Octen-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-isobutyrate, Diisopropyl ether, 1-Propoxypropan-2-yl acetate, Z-8-Methyl-9-tetradecenoic acid, Methyl 7,9-tridecadienyl ether and N-(2-Methylbutyl) undeca-(2E,4E)-diene-8,10-diynamide. The Shuffled Complex Evolution (SCE) algorithm is used to optimize the experimental pyrolysis kinetic parameters, and the optimized data show good agreement with the experimental data.

Shore-to-ship: Enabling the electrification sustainability of maritime transport with the nexus between berthed cruise ships and renewables in the isolated energy systems

Shore-to-ship (S2S), also known as cold ironing (CI) represents an electrification innovation and is among the most significant research areas in the maritime industry. This technology allows ships at berth to connect to the electricity grid and switch off their on-board diesel generators. Article 4 of Directive (2014)/94/EU requests the installation of S2S at ports by 2025. However, the S2S must be integrated in the electricity grid with a substantial proportion of renewable energy sources (RES) to decarbonise ships at berth. The S2S is used at a few ports worldwide, but because of its relatively high electricity demand and impacts on power grid operations, it is still viewed as a futuristic concept for isolated energy systems (IES). This study demonstrates the synergy between S2S and RES in the IES to address challenges of the wider electrification of berthed ships at ports. The EnergyPLAN is used for simulating hourly operations of the IES, including the power and cruise ship industries. The results confirm that integrating S2S in the IES with a substantial RES proportion can decrease critical excess of electricity production (CEEP), operational expenses and CO2 emissions of the IES.

Optimization of Cabin Virus Transmission Suppression Technology Based on Hanging Curtain Physical Isolation

This study presents an innovative physical isolation measure for commercial scenarios, namely, hanging curtains, to prevent the spread of respiratory infections. Using computational fluid dynamics simulation techniques, the closed spaces within cruise cabins were modeled and numerically analyzed, focusing on the dispersion characteristics of droplets. Additionally, orthogonal methods were employed to investigate various arrangements of hanging curtains and their effects on droplet dispersion based on spatial positioning. The research findings indicated that hanging curtains can effectively alter the airflow within a space, realizing the innovative concept of localized pollutant containment. It was found that the spatial partitioning method based on the location of individuals contributes more to reducing droplet dispersion than other methods. Moreover, the sag height of curtains emerges as the most influential factor on individual infection risk, while the scheme for hanging curtain positions has the least impact. Finally, the optimal configuration recommendation is provided: a curtain bottom coordinate of Z = 2.3 m and a top coordinate of Z = 2.8 m when the infection source was positioned at the center of the space. This configuration has also been validated by varying the location of the infection source. The research findings provide valuable insights for formulating preventive measures for passengers on cruise ships and for pandemic control in similar scenarios.

Unraveling the patterns of critical contributory factors and flag-state affiliations linked with maritime incident outcomes

Maritime incidents are complex in nature and result from various factors. Although researchers have explored the factors influencing maritime safety, it is unclear how the critical contributory factor chains including flag-state associations, influence maritime incident outcomes, namely deaths, injury, and missing person cases. This paper applies a robust non-parametric Association Rules Mining (ARM) algorithm to an extensive marine incident database to identify critical patterns of key contributory factors and flag-state associations leading to different maritime incident casualty outcomes. The study dataset comprised 13,758 maritime incidents recorded between 2002 and 2015 in US territorial waters. This data was sourced from the Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement (MISLE) database system and served as the basis for analysis. A preliminary investigation revealed that low-weight passenger ships were most likely involved in maritime incidents. Further analysis established that, whereas Bahamas-registered vessels were highly likely to be involved in incidents associated with deaths, US-registered vessels were primarily related to injury-related incidents. Singaporean ships were often involved in missing-person incidents. Additionally, the results highlighted significant associations between ocean cruise vessels and existing medical conditions with deaths. Besides, passengers, towing service vessels, and crewmembers were identified to be highly associated with injury. Higher-order associations depicted that tank ships, fishing vessels, ship masters and crew members are likely to be involved in maritime incidents where missing persons are involved. Policies directed at eliminating/controlling the contributory factors identified to lead to a particular outcome to help reduce the occurrence or impacts of maritime incidents have been suggested.

Replacing Settler Spaces: The Transformational Power of Indigenous Public Art

Similar to 19th-century steamship travel, 21st-century cruise ships link far-flung communities for visitors to the Pacific Northwest Coast. Contemporary Indigenous artists, like their ancestors before them, have transformed touristic curiosity into economic, educational and cultural opportunities for their communities. Public art has become an increasingly important site for engaging visitors who have only a few hours to spend on shore. This paper compares two public art projects—Juneau, Alaska’s Kootéeyaa Deiyí (Totem Pole Trail) and Vancouver, British Columbia’s Blanketing the City—to explore the multivalent ways in which public art expresses Indigenous sovereignty.

A new statistical-quality-control methodology for panel line monitoring in shipyards

The construction of cruise ship hulls is a complex process that involves various stages: it begins with the fabrication of panels, which involves marking, cutting, and shaping metal plates of considerable length, followed by the welding of rigid structural components onto these panels. To minimize delays and cost overruns, it is crucial to detect any anomalies early on and rectify them through appropriate repair work. Therefore, real-time conformity verifications and effective Statistical Quality Control (SQC) methodologies are necessary. This paper proposes a novel SQC methodology, specifically tailored for monitoring the panel line in cruise-ship shipyards. This methodology, while adopting a traditional standardized p control chart with samples of variable size, integrates two original aspects: (i) it accounts for the significant level of customization and specific quality characteristics inherent in the different panels and (ii) it rigorously considers the measurement uncertainty associated with the large-volume metrology instruments (such as state-of-the-art total stations, laser trackers or laser scanners) used for conformity verification, following the ISO 14253-1:2017 standard. The methodology is exemplified through a real-world case study, providing practical insights into its application.

Modeling and solving Passenger ship evacuation arrangement problem

In emergency scenarios on large passenger ships, ensuring the safety and efficient evacuation of a significant number of passengers is of utmost importance. Well-designed and preplanned evacuation arrangements are essential for a smooth and timely evacuation process. However, current research and evacuation models often overlook crucial planning considerations, including the allocation framework, counterflow prevention, and plan feasibility. To bridge these gaps, this paper presents a novel multi-criteria optimization model that addresses these overlooked aspects. A unique heuristic solution is proposed, utilizing a two-stage simulated annealing algorithm, to effectively solve this complex evacuation problem. When applied to a full-scale 14-deck cruise ship with 4977 passengers, the presented approach results in an optimized evacuation plan that markedly outperforms the original plan from the design materials, achieving reduced evacuation time and counterflow elimination. This research offers a practical tool for emergency management on large passenger ships, empowering ship designers and safety engineers to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Numerical Study on Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Two Ships Advancing in Parallel for Underway Replenishment of Luxury Cruise Ships

For a long time, seakeeping data has been the basis for judging ship amenities and seaworthiness. Luxury cruise ships, as large passenger ships, put forward higher requirements for seakeeping. To analyze the seakeeping response of luxury cruise ships, AQWA is used to build a model and conduct numerical simulations. The hydrodynamic characteristics of cruise ships and replenishment tankers with different typical sea conditions, various ship spacing and wave directions are studied. According to the results, when two ships are advancing in parallel, the cruise ship should pay attention to the movement of the replenishment tanker while considering its seakeeping to avoid collision danger. The conclusions can avoid dangerous situations in the replenishment and improve the safety of the replenishment operation.

Impact of IoT System Imperfections and Passenger Errors on Cruise Ship Evacuation Delay.

Cruise ships and other naval vessels include automated Internet of Things (IoT)-based evacuation systems for the passengers and crew to assist them in case of emergencies and accidents. The technical challenges of assisting passengers and crew to safety during emergencies include various aspects such as sensor failures, imperfections in the sound or display systems that are used to direct evacuees, the timely selection of optimum evacuation routes for the evacuees, as well as computation and communication delays that may occur in the IoT infrastructure due to intense activities during an emergency. In addition, during an emergency, the evacuees may be confused or in a panic, and may make mistakes in following the directions offered by the evacuation system. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to analyze the effect of two important aspects that can have an adverse effect on the passengers' evacuation time, namely (a) the computer processing and communication delays, and (b) the errors that may be made by the evacuees in following instructions. The approach we take uses simulation with a representative existing cruise ship model, which dynamically computes the best exit paths for each passenger, with a deadline-driven Adaptive Navigation Strategy (ANS). Our simulation results reveal that delays in the evacuees' reception of instructions can significantly increase the total time needed for passenger evacuation. In contrast, we observe that passenger behavior errors also affect the evacuation duration, but with less effect on the total time needed to evacuate passengers. These findings demonstrate the importance of the design of passenger evacuation systems in a way that takes into account all realistic features of the ship's indoor evacuation environment, including the importance of having high-performance data processing and communication systems that will not result in congestion and communication delays.

Exploring onshore excursion preferences among cruisers: application of the travel career pattern in the Hong Kong cruise tourism context

ABSTRACT Employing the travel career pattern (TCP) by Pearce (2019, Dreaming and longing. Tourist Behaviour, 20–40) as its guiding conceptual framework, the study explores cruise tourism and examines the factors and destination characteristics that influence the onshore excursion preferences of cruisers. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the study combines qualitative content analysis and quantitative on-site questionnaire. The latter was administered to 602 participants at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong. Our findings provide insights into cruise passengers’ preferences for onshore excursions, particularly focusing on the attributes they value most in nearby destinations that are accessible from the cruise ship's ports of call. The study also identifies two distinct subgroups of cruisers (authenticity seekers and generic sightseers) who have different preferences when selecting places to visit at/nearby ports of call. The study contributes to the cruise tourism literature by exploring passengers’ onshore excursion preferences, a key component of their onboard experience. Moreover, it offers practical insights for destination management organisers keen on promoting their destinations to cruisers by capitalising on the proximity to a cruise port.

The impact of the cruise ship coral princess on COVID-19 transmission in regional Western Australia in 2022.

Increased COVID-19 community transmission in regional areas with high Aboriginal populations, limited health infrastructure and low vaccination rates could result in clusters of transmission with increased deaths rates. Pilbara, a regional community with a high Aboriginal population, showed a 34.8% increase in COVID-19 cases in the 4-week post-cruise-ship docking.

HP3O algorithm-based all electric ship energy management strategy integrating demand-side adjustment

To tackle the energy management challenge that integrates power generation scheduling and demand-side adjustment for all-electric ship in uncertain marine environment, a hybrid penalized proximal policy optimization algorithm (HP3O)-based energy management strategy is proposed. First, demand-side adjustment, which involves adjusting the power of the ship's electric propulsion motors and flexible service loads, is integrated into the energy management problem. Second, HP3O algorithm is employed to obtain both continuous and discrete variables simultaneously. It utilizes a continuous actor network to obtain continuous variables, such as the generator's power and ship cruising speed, while employing a discrete actor network to determine discrete variables, i.e., the on/off status of the generators. Third, to handle complex constraints reasonably, the energy management problem is formulated as a constrained Markov decision process (CMDP), and an action mask mechanism is also integrated into the energy management framework to make agent's actions more reliable. The simulation results of an all-electric cruise ship validate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed strategy in achieving near-optimal scheduling while satisfying operation constraints. Furthermore, a case study on a hybrid diesel-electric ferry confirms its generalization performance.