International Maritime Shipping Research Articles

Optimizing Dry Port Locations: A Comparative Analysis of Deterministic, Stochastic, and Robust Models

The increasing international maritime transportation of freight has caused a huge operation in important ports, which are often established near cities and therefore do not have enough room for expanding the operations. This causes long delays and poor productivity in ports. The construction of dry ports has been proposed as a suitable solution to mitigate the problems. A dry port is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected to a seaport by road or rail, where importers and exporters can clear their cargo through customs and handle other shipping formalities. Selecting the right place for the establishment of dry ports has a significant impact on the time and costs of transportation in the network, as well as environmental consequences. In this research, to determine the optimal location of dry ports among the potential locations, three mathematical models as deterministic, stochastic, and robust with three objectives of minimizing the maximum transportation time in the entire network, environmental pollutants, and transportation costs are presented, which simultaneously specify the required number of dry ports in the network and the optimal place to build them. The presented models have been implemented for data related to 30 million bills of lading in a 10-year period in Iran with four major ports and 400 cities. Both deterministic and non-deterministic approaches reveal a preference not to build a dry port in the first optimal solution. However, in the following desirable answers, different answers have been suggested. According to the sensitivity analysis performed by making changes in the fuel price situation or the existing rail network, the model introduces several potential points for the construction of dry ports. The results of this model show that, with the construction of dry ports, despite the increase in overall costs of the network because of the construction of dry ports, operation, and storage in them, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions will decrease significantly.

Amine-based CO2 capture on-board of marine ships: A comparison between MEA and MDEA/PZ aqueous solvents

International maritime shipping contributed nearly 3 % of global CO2eq emissions in 2018. The IMO has set an ambition to reach net zero CO2 emissions from maritime activities by 2050 with checkpoints of 40 % reduction by 2030 and 70 % by 2040 compared to 2008 baseline levels. In addition to alternative fuels (LNG, biofuel, methanol, hydrogen, ammonia) and efficiency-based technologies, mobile carbon capture (MCC, called also ship-borne/based carbon capture SBCC) could become a plausible technology to help meet these decarbonization aspirations. In this work, we performed a simulation to compare the use of methyl-ethanolamine (MEA) and methyl-di-ethanolamine/piperazine (MDEA/PZ) aqueous mixtures for chemical temperature swing separation of CO2 on-board a ship. We studied the main MCC system integration and design parameters and demonstrated that MDEA/PZ could represent a more efficient and cheaper path than MEA due to the heat availability limitations from the exhaust stream of the ship. Specifically, MDEA/PZ could enable 10 % savings in heat demand at the reboiler compared to MEA (3.3 vs 3.7 GJ/tCO2). Additionally, we showed that an MDEA/PZ amine-based CO2 capture and storage unit on-board the ship could lead to as low as 191$/ton CO2 avoided compared to 281$/ton of CO2 when using MEA

A Smartphone Application Facilitating Sustainable Fashion

This paper aims to present a novel approach to promoting sustainable fashion in India through the development of a smartphone application. The fashion industry has come under intense scrutiny due to its significant environmental and social repercussions, thereby making sustainability a critical concern both on a global scale and in India. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the fashion industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions, accounting for 8-10% of total carbon emissions. This alarming statistic highlights the fashion industry’s substantial environmental footprint, surpassing the combined carbon emissions from two major global sectors: international flights and maritime shipping. The primary objective of this study is to bridge the gap between sustainable fashion and the Indian public by leveraging the ubiquitous presence of smartphones. This study employs qualitative and quantitative research methods comprising surveys, contextual interviews, and market analysis. The survey received 262 responses, serving as a vital instrument for gauging the level of awareness concerning sustainable fashion. The survey and the contextual interviews highlighted opportunities to address existing barriers and foster greater adoption of eco-friendly fashion practices and products. The variation in awareness levels for sustainable fashion among respondents from different age groups highlighted the need for a solution. Hence, the proposed app aims to educate and engage consumers in sustainable fashion practices while providing easy access. By combining education, accessibility and engagement, the application offers a unique platform to sustainably spark the public’s interest and encourages them to make more eco-conscious choices. In the future, the app can incorporate augmented reality (AR) technology for virtual clothing try-ons and supply chain exploration, elevating the user experience. This immersive approach to sustainable fashion engagement could revolutionise how consumers interact with and make informed choices about eco-conscious clothing, further promoting sustainability in the fashion industry.

Treaties Establishing ICAO And IMO – A Comparative Study

The comparison between air law and maritime law reveals both similarities and distinctions rooted in the unique frameworks of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and The International Maritime Organization (IMO). While both entities were established through separate treaties, the Chicago Convention birthed ICAO, emphasizing the organization’s Assembly, Council, and auxiliary bodies. In contrast, the IMO Convention, also known as the Convention on the International Maritime Organization, forms the basis for IMO’s structure and functions as outlined in its preamble. The core objectives of IMO revolve around fostering collaboration among governments to enhance regulatory frameworks for international maritime trade. This encompasses advocating for elevated standards in maritime safety, navigation efficiency, and marine pollution prevention. Similarly, ICAO aims to establish principles and techniques for air navigation, promoting safe, regular, economical, and efficient air transport. The Chicago Convention primarily focuses on regulating international civil aviation, ensuring its orderly development and safety through defined principles and procedures, including standards for airspace sovereignty, aircraft registration, airworthiness, and aviation security. Conversely, the IMO Convention tackles various aspects of international maritime transportation, spanning safety, security, environmental protection, and shipping efficiency. Despite being specialized agencies of the United Nations, both ICAO and IMO face the challenge of accommodating diverse interests and viewpoints of their member states without the autonomy enjoyed by the private sector. Nonetheless, both organizations have consistently served the international community in facilitating world trade and commerce within their respective domains. This article discusses details of comparison and contrasts between ICAO, IMO, and air law and maritime law in their treaty settings.

Legal characteristics of maritime safety

The growing importance of international maritime shipping, and the complication of its operation conditions in modern times, necessitate the study of legal issues and improvement of its legal regulation with strict observance of the law in the area of countering negative manifestations in the field of maritime safety.The article examines the definitions of the concept and essence of security in general and with due regard for the specifics of maritime conditions. Maritime security is defined as a set of its types: technical, technological, telecommunication, and economic. The activities of its participants are determined by regulations. The legal regulation of maritime safety is characterized by the norms intended to define the rights and obligations of their participants by special provisions on combating offenses in this area, namely: Merchant Shipping Code, Code of Administrative Offenses, Civil Code, Criminal Code, Customs Code. Therefore, we can conclude that there is a special legal framework for maritime security. Legal security is ensured by the norms of international law and domestic legislation of Ukraine, which, according to the Constitution of Ukraine, cannot contradict the norms of international law.International legal norms on maritime safety are contained in maritime conventions. Maritime legislation is represented by the Merchant Shipping Code of Ukraine, which defines the rights and obligations of maritime navigation participants, and which creates the basis for criminological measures to prevent socially dangerous manifestations. Along with improving the regulatory framework for maritime security, the effectiveness of countering it depends on the special training of maritime security personnel. Employees of this industry undergo special training. They must receive it in special educational institutions and have two diplomas: a diploma of graduation from the relevant educational institution and a diploma of work experience in the field of navigation. In the course of their work, they are obliged to improve their knowledge of the application of the Law by undergoing retraining in the study of relevant regulations. Such retraining is mandatory and scheduled. Administrative authorities control its implementation. At the same time, measures are taken to ensure maritime safety, the nature of which is determined by the specific conditions of combating offenses. Thus, the effectiveness of ensuring maritime safety requires: first, continuous improvement of legal norms and, second, training of maritime workers in their application. Professional development of maritime transport workers is a necessary link in ensuring maritime safety.It is also concluded that it is necessary to intensify the scientific interpretation of the provisions of international conventions and domestic legislation in the field of maritime security in modern conditions. The development and in-depth study of problems in combating offenses in the field of maritime security will specify Ukraine’s practical participation in international maritime conventions and stabilize our State’s participation in ensuring maritime security

An economic and greenhouse gas footprint assessment of international maritime transportation of hydrogen using liquid organic hydrogen carriers

The supply, storage, and (international) transport of green hydrogen (H2) are essential for the decarbonization of the energy sector. The goal of this study was to assess the final cost-price and carbon footprint of imported green H2 in the market via maritime shipping of liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs), including dibenzyl toluene-perhydro-dibenzyltoluene (DBT-PDBT) and toluene-methylcyclohexane (TOL-MCH) systems. The study focused on logistic steps in intra-European supply chains in different scenarios of future production in Portugal and demand in the Netherlands and carbon tariffs between 2030 and 2050. The case study is based on a formally accepted agreement between Portugal and the Netherlands within the Strategic Forum on Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). Under the following assumptions, the results show that LOHCs are a viable technical-economic solution, with logistics costs from 2030 to 2050 varying between 0.30 and 0.37 €/kg-H2 for DBT-PDBT and 0.28–0.34 €/kg-H2 for TOL-MCH. The associated CO2 emissions of these international H2 supply chains are between 0.46 and 2.46 kg-CO2/GJ (LHV) and 0.55–2.95 kg-CO2/GJ (LHV) for DBT-PDBT and TOL-MCH, respectively.

Monitoring of Oie-Listed Parasitic Pathogens in the Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) on the South Coast of Korea Using Species-Specific PCR

Outbreaks of oyster diseases caused by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)-listed protozoan pathogens have been a global concern for several decades. With the wide application of species-specific and sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, it is now well known that even the Pacific oyster, insusceptible to Perkinsus marinus, Bonamia ostreae, Bonamia exitiosa could act as a carrier host. Furthermore, one of the transmission pathways of oyster pathogens includes anthropogenic activities, such as the discharge of ballast water or hull attachment during international maritime shipping. In this survey, OIE-listed pathogens, including B. ostreae, B. exitiosa, and Marteilia refringens were screened in the Pacific oysters growing in small bays off the south coast of Korea using PCR with OIE-recommended species- or genus-specific (Bonamia) primers. The survey sampled 1980 oysters from 35 sites in small bays in the south, where more than 95% of the national productions are yielded. The PCR screening indicated that none of the oysters screened in this study were positive for B. ostreae, B. exitiosa, P. marinus, and M. refringens. This study first investigated the OIE-listed protozoan pathogens in the Pacific oysters culturing in Korea, and the results indicated that the Pacific oysters raised on the south coast of Korea are free from those OIE-listed pathogens. For secure and sustainable oyster farming on the south coast, however, regular monitoring of such invasive oyster pathogens is recommended, as the international maritime trade activities are increasing in Korea.

Rapid battery cost declines accelerate the prospects of all-electric interregional container shipping

International maritime shipping—powered by heavy fuel oil—is a major contributor to global CO2, SO2, and NOx emissions. The direct electrification of maritime vessels has been underexplored as a low-emission option despite its considerable efficiency advantage over electrofuels. Past studies on ship electrification have relied on outdated assumptions on battery cost, energy density values and available on-board space. We show that at battery prices of US$100 kWh−1 the electrification of intraregional trade routes of less than 1,500 km is economical, with minimal impact to ship carrying capacity. Including the environmental costs increases the economical range to 5,000 km. If batteries achieve a US$50 kWh−1 price point, the economical range nearly doubles. We describe a pathway for the battery electrification of containerships within this decade that electrifies over 40% of global containership traffic, reduces CO2 emissions by 14% for US-based vessels, and mitigates the health impacts of air pollution on coastal communities.

Calculation of the Extra Capacity Required of Non-Fossil Fuel Power Generation Systems to Completely Phase Out Fossil Fuels

The task to phase out fossil fuels is now at hand. Most studies and publications to date focus on why fossil fuels should be phased out. This paper presents the physical requirements in terms of required non-fossil fuel industrial capacity, to completely phase out fossil fuels, and maintain the existing industrial ecosystem. The existing industrial ecosystem dependency on fossil fuels was mapped by fuel (oil, gas, and coal) and by industrial application. Data was collected globally for fossil fuel consumption, physical activity, and industrial actions for the year 2018. The number of vehicles in the global transport fleet was collected by class (passenger cars, buses, commercial vans, HCV Class 8 trucks, delivery trucks, etc.). The rail transport network, the international maritime shipping fleet, and the aviation transport fleet were mapped, in terms of activity and vehicle class. For each type of vehicle class, the distance travelled was estimated. Non-fossil fuel technology units that are commercially available on the market now were assembled to substitute fossil fuel supported technology. An example was selected to represent each vehicle class, for Electrical Vehicle and Hydrogen fuel cell systems. The requirements to substitute the ICE rail network and the maritime fleet with EV and hydrogen fuel cell systems were presented. The quantity of electrical power required to charge the batteries of a complete EV system was estimated. The quantity of electrical power to manufacture the required hydrogen for a complete H-cell system was estimated. An examination and comparison between EV and H-cell systems was conducted. Other fossil fuel industrial tasks like electrical power generation, building heating with gas and steel manufacture with coal were mapped and requirements for non-fossil fuel substitution were out estimated. The estimated sum total of extra annual capacity of non-fossil fuel power generation to phase out fossil fuels completely, and maintain the existing industrial ecosystem, at a global scale was 37670.6 TWh. If the same non-fossil fuel energy mix as that reported in 2018 is assumed, then this translates into an extra 221 594 new non-fossil fuel power plants will be needed to be constructed and commissioned. To mitigate intermittency of supply issues (from wind and solar) for just 4 weeks of production, global stationary power storage would require to be an estimated 574.3 TWh in capacity (or 74.6 million 100MW capacity stations).

Assessment of Cybersecurity Risks: Maritime Automated Piloting Process

A modern society is a combination of several critical infrastructures, of which international and national maritime transportation systems are essential parts. Digitalization makes it possible to increase levels of autonomy in maritime systems. It also means fully existing cyberenvironments in maritime processes. In cyberenvironments, it is crucial there is trustable information communication between system elements of the process, alongside the usability, reliability, and integrity of systems data in the operating environment. In order to develop maritime autonomy in Finland the Sea4Value / Fairway (S4VF) research program has been developed. At the first stage of the program, the main goal is to create automated fairway piloting feature in the near future. An automated remote piloting process, “ePilotage,” will be a complex system of systems entity. This paper provides a research approach to investigating the cybersecurity risks at the system levels of process. It emphasizes the importation of comprehensive risk assessment to increase the cybersecurity of fairway operations. The findings of the study are located in cybersecurity risks in critical information flows between the main system blocks of the fairway process. The research question is “How can the cybersecurity risks of automated remote fairway operations be evaluated?” The main findings are related to the probabilities of the risks in all levels of process stakeholders’ responsibilities. Risk assessment methodology, that has been described, is based on attack probabilities against probabilities to defend actions of adversarial in use of communication technologies. Risks assessment factors have been identified and the risk assessment tool have been proposed.

Increase supply chain resilience by applying early warning signals within big-data analysis

Purpose: The current environment of globally interconnected supply chains and the dynamics of changes and potential threats significantly reduce the time for a possible response. At the same time, there is a growing demand for information necessary to mitigate the consequences. To minimise the damage and increase the resilience of supply chains, it is necessary to identify sources of threats promptly, the extent of possible damage and the possibility of preventing or minimising their impact. The aim of the paper is to structure supply chain threats and search for appropriate datasets. Methodology: The paper analyses the state-of-the-art through a comprehensive literature review and demonstrates secondary data about how free-access business data can be used as Early Warning Signals to forecast supply chain disruptive events, with a particular focus on international maritime transportation. Results: It was confirmed that companies can access many open datasets, and collecting and aggregating these data can improve their preparedness for future disruptive events. As the most important issue, the authors defined the selection of proper datasets and interpreting results with foresight. Conclusions: Identifying and analysing the relevant Early Warning Signals by companies to prevent supply chain disruptions are essential for keeping their supply chains sustainable and their resilience on a sufficient level. It was proved that general business indicators (PMI delivery time, container capacity, inflation rate, etc.) can help to signal the increasing possibility of maritime traffic problems in ports and container unavailability as usual supply chain disruption types in recent years. Therefore, the companies in the supply chains need to find, collect and analyse the appropriate data, which are, in some cases, free and available. However, it is a substantial task for data analysts to identify the most relevant data and work out the analytical methodology which can be applied as Early Warning Systems (EWS).

Palm oil biomass global supply chain: environmental emissions vs. technology development of maritime transportation

To accomplish the climate-neutrality objective by 2050, it is necessary to increase the share of renewable energy sources globally. A significant portion of this burden should be carried by palm oil biomass. However, the palm oil biomass supply may not be large enough to satisfy the rising demand worldwide. International trade and maritime transportation networks may play a significant role in satisfying the objectives defined for biomass renewable energy worldwide. In this context, seaports play a major part in developing palm oil global biomass supply chains (GBSC). This study aims to fill the research gap by investigating the effects of ship technology developments (capacity and size), shipment distance, and mass flow of the palm oil GBSC on environmental emissions. To achieve this goal, a novel dynamic simulation model is developed and tested on two leading palm oil suppliers: Malaysia and Indonesia. The results show to what extent container ship technologies such as size and capacity would affect the environmental emissions in the next 30 years.

КОМЕРЦІЙНІ РИЗИКИ В СИСТЕМІ МОРСЬКИХ ПЕРЕВЕЗЕНЬ НА ПРИКЛАДІ КОНТЕЙНЕРОВОЗУ «EVER GIVEN»

Every year there is an intensive increase in tonnage and operational speed of vessels in the competition to improve the quality of transport and logistics services. Ship management needs to work in difficult, sometimes extreme conditions. It is necessary to comply with the commercial conditions of charters and not to violate the terms of delivery, to ensure the proper quality of cargo on board the vessel, as well as to comply with the conditions of safety of navigation in difficult weather conditions. All this affects the quality of cargo transportation.Purpose. The purpose of this article is to systematize various aspects of the commercial operation of a vessel, identify possible commercial risks of sea transportation, as well as factors influencing them.Methods. To solve the problem, the following methods were used: the method of theoretical generalization, the method of analysis and synthesis, the method of systematization, the method of deduction.Results. It has been determined that the anticipation of commercial risks of sea transportation will allow to develop mechanisms for their timely overcoming and reduce the commercial costs of all interested parties in the carriage of goods by sea. The main reasons for thegeneral accident of the container ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal are considered and analyzed and the consequences that it caused for the stakeholders of transportation and international maritime shipping in general are identified.Originality. Potential commercial risks of sea transportation have been identified using the example of the accident with the container ship «Ever Given». It is proposed to develop alternative options for a prompt solution to such problems in the future.Output. The blockage of the Suez Canal by the container ship Ever Given will have long-term repercussions, but such incidents could be deliberately provoked, affecting global and local trade in a targeted manner. There is a need to improve the safety of navigation by optimizing pilotage, especially during sandstorms and other situations where visibility is difficult.Keywords: commercial operation of a vessel, risks, sea transport, seaport, navigation safety

International Maritime Shipping by SMP in the context of ensuring Russia's economic security

International Maritime Shipping by SMP in the context of ensuring Russia's economic security

Taxing Profits from International Maritime Shipping in Africa: Past, Present and Future of UN Model Article 8 (Alternative B)

Taxing Profits from International Maritime Shipping in Africa: Past, Present and Future of UN Model Article 8 (Alternative B)

Ограничительные факторы в оценке энергоэффективности судов-толкачей большегрузных составов во внутреннем плавании

The issues of energy efficiency assessment for inland navigation vessels and focus on the need to implement different approaches in this context in relation to single vessels against pushers with heavy convoys are considered. This is due to transportation technologies, which have a number of significant differences when pushing a heavy caravan. The analyses were made for the data of systematic testing of ships and the values of energy efficiency indicators obtained for them according to the methodology applied by IMO for ships in international maritime shipping. Fluctuations in water levels on inland waterways and on river sections, in particular, especially when moving pushers with caravans of barges, have a significant impact on the performance of the hydrodynamic propulsive complex. Using the example of the data from the Danube river gauging stations, the assuring enough depth both when performing one voyage at different sections of movement, and during a calendar year were considered. The ratios of the fairway depth and the draft of the vessel are determined, which are boundary for a decrease in the speed of movement in connection with a change in resistance with a tangible negative effect of shallow water. In this regard, issues of increasing fuel consumption in shallow water areas and related factors affecting energy efficiency are also considered. At the same time, the interrelation of energy efficiency and eco-friendliness dictates the use of integrated approaches not only from the standpoint of quantitative indicators of fuel consumption, but also from the standpoint of the use of modern technologies for cleaning exhaust gases. The factors contributing to the development of energy efficiency management are considered as separate categories. These include the work of the River Information Services (RIS), the training of river boatmasters and the instability factors in the shipping and bunker markets. The conclusions about the inseparability of the considered factors, as well as the need for their further comprehensive consideration in order to create a common algorithm for managing energy efficiency in the inland navigation were made.

Key Issues of International Legal Regulation of Autonomous Maritime Navigation

INTRODUCTION.Onthebasisofprovisionsofthe1982UNConventionontheLawoftheSeaandotherlegaldocuments, the article analyzes topical issues of the current and future international legal regulation of the use of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS), which are capable of completely transforming the shipping and international maritime transportation industry in the near future.MATERIALSANDMETHODS.Theissues raisedinthearticlearestructurallydividedintothreemaingroups.Thefirstoneisconnectedwiththeanthropocentrismofthe‘pre-digitalera’law– that is, with its inability to work with other autonomous subjects except for people and various forms of their organization. The second is determined by specific characteristics of autonomous systems themselves, among which their non-determinism and ability to self-study should be noted. The third group is directly related to the legal support of MASS cybersecurity in the new conditions.RESEARCHRESULTS.Whenwriting the article, the authors proceeded from the fact that the issue of extending the application of international maritime law to MASS cannot be solved by simply transferring its regulatory impact to new subjects (objects) – artificial intelligence systems or autonomous ships themselves. Such a transfer is impossible, since human and artificial intelligence use completely different decisionmaking algorithms.DISCUSSIONANDCONCLUSIONS.Th mainconclusionofthearticleisthatthewidespreadintegrationofMASSintothepracticeofinternationalmaritimetransportationwillbea turning point not only for the very procedure for its performance, but also for the algorithm of legal regulation of this sphere of public relations. Since the emergence of autonomous ships will mainly result in a gradual decrease of the human component in managing them in favor of artificial intelligence and related automated systems, international law of the sea is unlikely to continue to operate in its current form. It will take a lot of work to adapt and changeitsnormsinaccordancewiththenewrealitiesofthe‘digitalera’ofhumandevelopment.

Journey from the West: first record of the Indian Ocean pilumnid crab Pilumnopeus convexus (Maccagno, 1936) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Pilumnidae) in Hong Kong

Abstract The pilumnid crab Pilumnopeus convexus (Maccagno, 1936), native to the Arabian Sea and western Indian Ocean, has been discovered among intertidal fouling communities along shores of Hong Kong. The species was first discovered in 2011 and is believed to have become established by around 2016. Material from local sites was compared with specimens from Iran and Pakistan, and the identification was supported by molecular analyses using mtDNA COI gene sequences. This species is not yet known from East and Southeast Asia, and was probably transported to Hong Kong by international maritime shipping, likely in the ballast water or on the hulls of ships, and subsequently survived as a non-indigenous species (NIS). This represents the first case of west-to-east invasion of brachyuran crabs from the Indian Ocean reaching sub-tropical East Asia. Past studies on the local intertidal fauna, and documentations of NIS, are briefly discussed.

Revitalisasi Maritim Dalam Pemantapan Geopolitik Indonesia

History records that the archipelago is an area with more waters than land. This has been realized by the royal leaders in the archipelago. Since the days of the Srivijaya Kingdom, the Singosari Kingdom and the Majapahit Kingdom have made the sea a real force to build a kingdom. Sea or maritime is not only a support for economic power but more than that. Mari- time has become a geopolitical force to unite the archipelago. Geopolitical power has strength- ened the steps of the kingdoms in the archipelago to increase their political bargaining power against countries in the surrounding region and countries in the world. The strengthening of maritime as a geopolitical force will of course have implications for other sectors, especially in the development sector of land transportation and sea transportation. This implication is very well understood by the leaders of this country. But still until now, maritime development must be put forward because the strength and bargaining value of this country rests on maritime affairs. Apart from being a geopolitical power, there is also a very large economic power contained in it. Even though Indonesia was late in realizing this, President Gus Dur had formed a Department of Marine Exploration which is now the Ministry of Maritime Affairs. Indonesia’s maritime geopolitical strength has been identified in three main straits which are used by the international community as a passage for various ships with large weights so that Indonesia must be more closely monitoring these sea lanes. The three straits are the Malacca Strait, the Sunda Strait and the Lombok Strait. Indonesia must be able to regulate international maritime shipping so that it can play a strategic role in the world political arena.

Maritime Histories, Indian Ocean and Port-Towns

Maritime histories is a very important tool in the study of the development of Port towns in Pre-modern India - as it enables researchers to come closer to the crucial dynamics of the urban historical process, embracing aspects such as international politics, navigation, oceanic currents, oceanic society, maritime transportation, sea-borne trade and commerce, port-hinterland relations and heritage aligned with it. The changing social character of these port towns are also indicative of the changing roles that were ascribed to them and the type of meanings that the new power wielders inscribed onto their urban spaces. In the transition phase of eighteenth century, the English towns of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta, which had a large number of Indo-Portuguese population and were relatively lying on the commercial periphery in the second half of seventeenth century, emerged as principal maritime exchange centres and towns in maritime India attracting traders, artisans, and financiers from other economic enclaves of India. This paper is an attempt to explore the dynamics of change and evolution of these port towns, not only as a conduit for providing trade and commerce, but also as a space for communication and the development of tangible and intangible heritage.