Inland Waterways Research Articles

Assessment of operational performance and service quality in inland waterway transport: A case study of Warri Southwest, Nigeria

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the operational performance and service quality of inland waterway transport in Warri Southwest, Nigeria, by examining the factors that influence them. Methodology: The study employs a quantitative research approach, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from 180 respondents. The data is analyzed using regression analysis and a structural equation model (SEM) with the help of PLS Software Version 13.0. Results: The findings indicate that cargo clearance, infrastructure quality, and storage facilities significantly influence the performance of agent operation in inland waterway transport (p=0.000). Staff performance also directly impacts the provision of logistical services, which affects customer service. However, jetty operations do not promote operational performance (p=0.075). Additionally, staff performance does not significantly influence the association between jetty operation and performance and the relationship between cargo clearance and infrastructure level (p=0.136, 0.388). Theoretical contribution: This study contributes to the literature on inland waterway transport by providing empirical evidence on the factors influencing operational performance and service quality. The findings can help inform the development of policies and strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of inland waterway transport in Nigeria and other similar contexts. Practical implications: The study's recommendations include improving the quality of infrastructure, cargo clearance processes, and storage facilities to enhance operational performance. Additionally, investing in staff training and development can improve the provision of logistical services and, in turn, customer service. The study also suggests that the government and relevant stakeholders should prioritize the development of inland waterway transport to unlock its potential for socio-economic development, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

A robust assessment of inland waterway collision risk based on AIS and visual data fusion

By integrating AIS data with visual data, this study aims to propose a data fusion-based methodology for the robust assessment of vessel collision risk in inland waterways. With the data from the Huangpu River, one case study is created and comparison results show that visual data could greatly overestimate the vessel collision risk while the vessel conflict count could be underestimated from AIS data. The proposed methodology could contribute to a 35.70% reduction in the false detection rate compared to the pure visual data but an increase of 16.84% in the conflict detection accuracy compared to the AIS data. Moreover, results show that the proposed methodology is able to perform much better than the pure AIS data technique during the daytime period while it outperforms the pure visual data technique during the nighttime period. This suggests that the proposed data-fusion methodology could provide a more reliable and accurate estimate for the vessel collision risk in inland waterways. Results also show that higher collision risk is associated with the high tide period and turning area in the Huangpu River. Therefore, special attention should be placed to enhance the navigation safety during this time period for the inland waterway turning area.

Sustainable gains from inland waterway investments at port-city interface

The objective of this research is to identify and quantify the sustainable impacts resulting from transportation investments at the port-city interface. These investments encompass two main components: 1) restoring the local inland waterway fairway for navigation, and 2) constructing a new railway bridge that traverses the primary waterway at the entrance of the seaport. The study is centered on the local transportation system in the northwestern region of Poland. Sustainability is assessed using an analytical tool derived from societal cost-benefit analysis and simulation in the relevant market transport performance in options with and without investment. Economic effects are evaluated in terms of savings in generalized transportation costs, which include transport operating expenses and travel durations. Environmental considerations encompass transport-related air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and well-to-tank emissions. Social aspects focus on issues like transport congestion, traffic noise, and transport-related accidents. Each type of investment yields distinct sustainable gains and distributes them among stakeholders differently. Additionally, the enhanced capacity of the rail bridge reveals the potential for a modal shift in the local passenger transport system, wherein passengers may transition from buses/cars to a fast railway. Tangible gains expressed in monetary terms allow for a sustainable assessment of transport investments. The elaborated research scheme can be employed to assess the sustainable ramifications arising from investments in intermodal transport at any port-city interface. It provides decision-makers with comprehensive insights into the economic, environmental, and social implications of various transport policies and interventions.

A review of the state-of-the-art Sustainable and Climate-resilient inland waterway vessels

Inland water vessels are impacted by climate change in two respects. First of all, they will need to convert to low-impact power propulsion and energy (PPE) systems. Secondly, they will need to deal with the impact of climate change, especially longer periods of very low and high water. This paper reviews the multi facet impacts of climate change on inland waterway vessel performance and problems associated with the choice of alternative power energy and propulsion (PPE) system on the vessel’s performance

The Analysis of Intelligent Functions Required for Inland Ships

Sorting out the requirements for intelligent functions is the prerequisite and foundation of the top-level design for the development of intelligent ships. In light of the development of inland intelligent ships for 2030, 2035, and 2050, based on the analysis of the division of intelligent ship functional modules by international representative classification societies and relevant research institutions, eight necessary functional modules have been proposed: intelligent navigation, intelligent hull, intelligent engine room, intelligent energy efficiency management, intelligent cargo management, intelligent integration platform, remote control, and autonomous operation. Taking the technical realization of each functional module as the goal, this paper analyzes the status quo and development trend of related intelligent technologies and their feasibility and applicability when applied to each functional module. At the same time, it clarifies the composition of specific functional elements of each functional module, puts forward the stage goals of China’s inland intelligent ship development and the specific functional requirements of different modules under each stage, and provides reference for the Chinese government to subsequently formulate the top-level design development planning and implementation path of inland waterway intelligent ships.

Policy decision-support for inland waterway transport in sustainable urban areas: an analysis of economic viability

Policy decision-support for inland waterway transport in sustainable urban areas: an analysis of economic viability

Effect of Fare Charges on The Operations of Inland Waterways Transport in Lagos State

The study looks at how fare prices affect Lagos State's ferry operations, with a particular emphasis on commuter comfort and the distance traveled. Water transportation offers benefits like cheaper costs, increased capacity, and safety, but its potential has not been completely realized. This is because canal ports have defects that prevent the flexibility and convenience required for the flow of goods and services. The study focuses on the Lagos State Waterways Operations. A small number of carefully chosen canal terminals that link different regions of Lagos State make up the study's population. Purposive sampling was done at the Elegbata/Ebute Ero Terminal, Ebute Ojo Terminal, Ikorodu Terminal, and Badore Terminal. The snowballing technique was used to randomly select 818 passengers. Investigation revealed that daily fee charges have an effect on Lagos State's water transportation operations, and that commuters' comfort level and distance traveled were statistically significant for each of the seven independent components. This analysis showed how daily ticket costs affect the waterways transportation operations in Lagos State. The analysis shows how the low fees actually promote more traffic on Lagos State's waterways, raising the cost of upkeep and lengthening the time needed for servicing. It was recommended that efforts be made to reduce fare prices and provide suitable infrastructure at the ports in order to have efficient inland waterways operations that result in a complete reduction in operational expenses.

Numerical simulation study on ship manoeuvrability in mountainous rivers: Comprehensively considering effects of nonuniform flow, shallow water, narrow banks, winds and waves

Ships navigating inland waterways, especially mountainous waterways, may encounter complex navigation environments. Under these circumstances, the force of the ship is extremely complex, the attitude of the ship may be unstable, and the control performance may decrease, possibly resulting in marine accidents. In this study, a modular-type manoeuvring model (MMG) is used to develop a ship manoeuvring model that comprehensively considers multiple factors. Based on this model, numerical simulations are conducted on the ship Seiun Maru, and Esso Osaka; the simulation results are found to be in good agreement with the results of real ship motions. Then, numerical simulations are conducted on the navigation of a 500-ton ship in a typical mountainous waterway, the Suoluo Rapids in the Lancang River, and the impact of the complex environment in this area on the safety of ship navigation is explored. The results reveal that ignoring the influence of environmental factors may put ships in dangerous situations when navigating mountain waterways. In addition, the model can effectively simulate the manoeuvring motion of a ship in a typical mountain waterway, and the calculation cost is negligible. This study provides valuable suggestions for long-distance ship manoeuvring in complex inland river environments.

An analytical review on the integrated management of river resources through Namami Gange

ABSTRACT The Ganga basin is witnessing accelerated deterioration of agricultural fields, with severe soil erosion leading to nutrients leaching into the river, wreaking havoc on the river's ecosystems. Many Ganga River management plans have been implemented in the past, but a more coordinated and integrated effort that tries to implement basin management strategies with technology preparedness considered critical for the preservation of agricultural regions had been lacking. The Namami Gange Program (NGP) is a first of its kind integrated conservation mission pillared on sustainable water management policies and practices, launched in 2014. Unfortunately, scientific literature on its overall functioning and progress is almost non-existent. This review presents its overall functioning, critically analyses its associated components, and presents case studies, pilot studies, along with analytical critiques. An objective analytical evaluation of the NGP has been provided concluding with sectoral interventions. We have concluded that the ambitions for boosting energy production, irrigation, manufacturing, and expanding the river as an inland waterway interfere with the Ganga cleanup because they are both part of the growth strategy pushed by the administration.

Localizing and quantifying groundwater‐surface water interactions at different scales: A tracer approach at the River Moselle, Germany

AbstractGroundwater‐surface water interactions (GSI) connect rivers and streams with riparian areas and the adjacent aquifer. Although these interactions exert a substantial control of quantity and quality of both groundwater and surface water, knowledge on GSI along rivers at the regional scale, particularly for inland waterways, is still limited. We investigated GSI along the river Moselle, an important federal inland waterway in Germany, by using radon and tritium to identify gaining (water flux from the aquifer to the surface water) and losing (water flux from the surface water to the aquifer) stream conditions, respectively. Gaining stream conditions were identified by continuously measuring radon along the river during boat surveys with a high spatial resolution (every 2 km) during intermediate (October 2020) and near low flow conditions (August/September 2021). The tritium concentrations in surface water and groundwater and the resulting tritium inventories were used to characterize losing stream conditions Monthly tritium inventories from 2017 to 2022 revealed a mean loss for the whole period of 20.3 % and a mean gain of 21.8%. Both were probably triggered by a combination of losing stream conditions and flood‐induced mass transfer of water from the aquifer back into the river as well as discharge fluctuations. At the investigated site Lehmen there were direct indications of an influence of surface water due to elevated tritium concentrations in the groundwater (up to 13.3 Bq L−1). Using radon mass balance modelling, good agreements of simulated versus measured radon data with respect to two groundwater end‐member scenarios were obtained during intermediate flow (Spearman's ρ: 0.97 and 0.99; MAE: 10.1 and 3.4 Bq L−1) and near low flow (Spearman's ρ: 0.97 and 0.99; MAE: 11 and 6.5 Bq L−1). Considerable groundwater inflow was limited to the meander of Detzem, where cumulated groundwater inflow of about 19 m3 s−1 (9.5% of total discharge) and 4.2 m3 s−1 (3.8% of total discharge) was simulated during intermediate and near low flow, respectively. However, the groundwater inflow was relatively low compared to alpine streams, for example. The study will help to better identify and quantify GSI at the regional scale and provide methodological guidance for future studies focusing on inland waterways.

Autonomous inland navigation: a literature review and extracontractual liability issues

Pilot tests for (semi-)autonomous transport via inland waterways are already taking place in Belgium and other European countries. However, the full commercial implementation of autonomous inland shipping might be hampered by liability issues. The allocation of liability, especially extracontractual liability, is an important concern for shipowners who want to invest in autonomous barges, and for other ecosystem actors. For this reason, a balanced risk distribution framework could boost the investment decision. A legal analysis of the current laws and regulations is necessary to evaluate whether they can be applied to new autonomous systems. The research approach consists of two steps. First, an in-depth literature review is carried out to determine whether extracontractual liability research has already been conducted and to highlight the gaps in autonomous inland waterways transport studies. Once it is proved that the vast majority of the research focuses on technology, it can be affirmed that there is a need to inquire about extracontractual liability. In the second part, thus, the two international Conventions on liability limitation and collision in inland navigation are examined.

Renewable Hydrogen Supply Scenarios for Inland Waterway Transport in Europe

The European inland waterway transport needs to substitute 6.2 TWh of fossil diesel by renewable energy carriers. For hydrogen retrofit solutions investigated in the European project “Synergetics”, different Well-to-Tank pathways have been analysed to supply renewable hydrogen to Rotterdam, including buffer storage and fuelling to vessels. This paper compares two dominant scenarios with regards to GHG emissions and costs. One scenario is based on PV electricity from Morocco, transported to Rotterdam for electrolysis. The other scenario is calculated with electricity from offshore wind farms in the Northern Sea. The calculation of the PV scenario leads to specific emissions for the hydrogen supplied to vessels of 51 gCO2eq/kWhH2 with levelized costs of hydrogen of 0.12 €/kWhH2. The wind scenario led to 16 gCO2eq/kWhH2 with 0.19 €/kWhH2. The electrolysis has the highest impact on emissions and costs, especially the electricity demand. Accordingly, lower emissions of PV electricity supply would have a high influence on the overall results. On the other hand, for the low emission renewable hydrogen supply with wind power a further reduction of the costs of the installation will be relevant.

Reduction of large vessel traffic improves water quality and alters fish habitat-use throughout a large river

Rivers are increasingly used as superhighways for the continental-scale transportation of freight goods, but the ecological impact of large vessel traffic on river ecosystems is difficult to study. Recently, the temporary maintenance closure of lock and dam systems on the Illinois Waterway (USA) brought commercial vessel traffic to a halt along the river's length, offering a rare opportunity to study the response of the ecosystem before, during, and after an extended pause of this persistent anthropogenic disturbance. We observed improvements in main- and side-channel water quality and a redistribution of fish habitat-use during a months-long, near-complete reduction of large vessel traffic. Over 3600 water quality and 1300 fish community samples indicate that large vessel traffic reduction coincided with a 33 % reduction in turbidity as well as increased use of sampling strata near vessel navigation corridors by sound-sensitive and rheophilic fishes. Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), the most abundant species in the system, also expanded their use of these ‘impact’ areas. Though inland waterway transport is an economically- and climate-friendly alternative to trucking and rail for the shipment of freight, our data suggest that intense vessel traffic may have profound physical and biological impacts across a large river. Monitoring and mitigation of ecological impacts of the ongoing expansion of inland waterway transport around the world will be critical to balancing large rivers as both useful navigation corridors and functional ecosystems.

Divergent drivers of the spatial variation in greenhouse gas concentrations and fluxes along the Rhine River and the Mittelland Canal in Germany

Lotic ecosystems are sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere, but their emissions are uncertain due to longitudinal GHG heterogeneities associated with point source pollution from anthropogenic activities. In this study, we quantified summer concentrations and fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and dinitrogen (N2), as well as several water quality parameters along the Rhine River and the Mittelland Canal, two critical inland waterways in Germany. Our main objectives were to compare GHG concentrations and fluxes along the two ecosystems and to determine the main driving factors responsible for their longitudinal GHG heterogeneities. The results indicated that the two ecosystems were sources of GHG fluxes to the atmosphere, with the Mittelland Canal being a hotspot for CH4 and N2O fluxes. We also found significant longitudinal GHG flux discontinuities along the mainstems of both ecosystems, which were mainly driven by divergent drivers. Along the Mittelland Canal, peak CO2 and CH4 fluxes coincided with point pollution sources such as a joining river tributary or the presence of harbors, while harbors and in-situ biogeochemical processes such as methanogenesis and respiration mainly explained CH4 and CO2 hotspots along the Rhine River. In contrast to CO2 and CH4 fluxes, N2O longitudinal trends along the two lotic ecosystems were better predicted by in-situ parameters such as chlorophyll-a concentrations and N2 fluxes. Based on a positive relationship with N2 fluxes, we hypothesized that in-situ denitrification was driving N2O hotspots in the Canal, while a negative relationship with N2 in the Rhine River suggested that coupled biological N2 fixation and nitrification accounted for N2O hotspots. These findings stress the need to include N2 flux estimates in GHG studies, as it can potentially improve our understanding of whether nitrogen is fixed through N2 fixation or lost through denitrification.

Modeling and Solution Algorithm for Green Lock Scheduling Problem on Inland Waterways

Modeling and Solution Algorithm for Green Lock Scheduling Problem on Inland Waterways

Quantifying climate risks to infrastructure systems: A comparative review of developments across infrastructure sectors

Infrastructure systems are particularly vulnerable to climate hazards, such as flooding, wildfires, cyclones and temperature fluctuations. Responding to these threats in a proportionate and targeted way requires quantitative analysis of climate risks, which underpins infrastructure resilience and adaptation strategies. The aim of this paper is to review the recent developments in quantitative climate risk analysis for key infrastructure sectors, including water and wastewater, telecommunications, health and education, transport (seaports, airports, road, rail and inland waterways), and energy (generation, transmission and distribution). We identify several overarching research gaps, which include the (i) limited consideration of multi-hazard and multi-infrastructure interactions within a single modelling framework, (ii) scarcity of studies focusing on certain combinations of climate hazards and infrastructure types, (iii) difficulties in scaling-up climate risk analysis across geographies, (iv) increasing challenge of validating models, (v) untapped potential of further knowledge spillovers across sectors, (vi) need to embed equity considerations into modelling frameworks, and (vii) quantifying a wider set of impact metrics. We argue that a cross-sectoral systems approach enables knowledge sharing and a better integration of infrastructure interdependencies between multiple sectors.

Electromagnetic deformation of a high-precision radio navigation field consumers of the basins of the inland waterways of Russia

The basins of the inland waterways of the Russian Federation are characterized by a variety of specific navigation features, the destructive effects of which significantly affect the parameters of the purpose of radio navigation systems. Therefore, the task arises to develop a model and estimate the electromagnetic deformation of the high-precision radio navigation field in the basins of the inland waterways of Russia caused by their navigational features. The study and identification of the general navigational features of the basins of the inland waterways of Russia and the assessment of the degree of influence of their destabilizing factors on the quality indicators of the high-precision radio navigation field. New navigation features have been identified in the basins of the inland waterways of Russia, the destructive factors of which deform the high-precision radio navigation field and reduce the quality of transmission of differential corrections. The results obtained confirm a decrease in the accuracy of positioning unmanned vessels in sections of the waterway with a complex terrain topology and electromagnetic environment. At the same time, the positioning accuracy in river basins may deteriorate in local areas from 1.6 times (from 6.8 m to 28.7 m) to 4.3 times (from 27.3 m to 117 m), depending on the electro-magnetic situation and the value of the geometry coefficient. A decrease in the quality of differential correction transmission will be manifested at the boundaries of service areas and range from 1 dB in sparsely populated areas and up to 30 dB in industrial zones. These factors will reduce the safety of navigation, so they must be taken into account when operating ships and designing functional additions to the global nav. The results obtained in the work can be used in the formation and optimization of the topology of control and correction stations of differential additions to the global navigation satellite system and to meet the requirements for the accuracy of positioning of mobile objects in difficult physical and geographical conditions of the terrain and electromagnetic environment.

The dynamics of port competition and efficiency in Vietnam amidst COVID-19: a decadal analysis

Vietnamese seaports play an important role as crossroads for import, export and transformation in delivery from maritime transport to rail, road and inland waterway transport. Over the last two decades, the seaport system has been reformed with the participation of private and foreign investors. Consequently, this issue enhances competition between seaports and brings changes to the seaports’ operations. In this article, the relationship between seaport competition and efficiency is examined in the context of Vietnam, an emerging market economy. The longitudinal data from 2011 to 2022 is collected to quantify the competition degree of Vietnamese seaports and Data Envelopment Analysis is used to measure seaport efficiency. A number of measures are used to quantify the competition level of the seaport system over time, including concentration ratio, Gini index, and Hirschman-Herfindahl Index. Besides, market share at both national and regional levels and distance to the nearest competing seaport are criteria of port-level competition. The results advocate an increasing trend of seaport competition in Vietnam. Moreover, based on Tobit regression models, the competition among seaports relates positively to efficiency using both the 2021-2022 and 2015-2016 data sets. Under the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of external factors on seaport efficiency is insignificant and inconsistent due to the disruption of logistics systems and disrupted links to the outside environment.

Identification and detection of high NO x emitting inland ships using multi-source shore-based monitoring data

In urban areas situated along busy waterways like the Yangtze River, the diesel engines of inland navigation ships emerge as significant contributors to air pollution. Among these vessels, certain high-emission ships exhibit considerably higher levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions compared to others. To effectively identify such ships, this study employed a cost-effective ship emission monitoring sensor platform, comprising high-precision gas sensors, automatic identification system receiver, and sensitive meteorological sensors, along the Yangtze River in Wuhan City. By combining multi-source shore-based monitoring data, we identified ship emission signals and proposed a high-emission ship detection method using inverse modeling. Using this method, we successfully detected inland high-emission ships based on two months of monitoring data. Furthermore, the relationship between different ship types, sizes, speeds, and ship NO x emission rates were investigated. The results of this study are beneficial for strengthening the regulation of high-emission vessels in inland waterways, thereby reducing the adverse impact of ship emissions on the environment and climate. It also encourages the inland shipping industry to adopt more environmentally friendly technologies and fuels, as advocated by the International Maritime Organization.

The study of float wave formation for the usage as heavy-duty catamaran bulbs

The large cargo catamaran ferries can increase speed freight transportation on inland waterways. However, an increase of vessel's speed entails the growth in the heights of ship waves when the ship, which in turn adversely affects both the hydrodynamic characteristics of the ship itself, enhances wave impacts on the catamaran bridge and the ecological state of water bodies. According some scientific articles one way to reduce wave resistance of large catamarans may be deployment а a float-bulb between it hulls. Ship's wave and wave resistance depend on the shape of the float-bulb, so it is advisable to study the parameters of the waves formed first on the bulb in free flow, and then together with the catamaran. In this paper presents analytical equations for the resistance of the "float-catamaran complex", as well as formulas that also allow one to calculate the main parameters of the float-bulb. The results of numerical simulation are presented for the three ellipsoid's length: 29,2m (Fr=0,414-0,691), 14,6m (Fr=0,585-0,978) and 7,3m (Fr=0,827-1,383), ball d=1,76m (Fr=1,685-2,816). The characteristics of the generated ship waves is determined. Conclusions about the feasibility of modifying the float-bulb shape for heavy catamarans is given.