Marine Assets Research Articles

Enhancing green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) conservation for tourists at Little Liuqiu island, Taiwan: Application of deep learning algorithms

Observing marine life has emerged as a pivotal catalyst for the growth of the Blue Economy. Yet, overzealous and recurrent observations may exert undue stress on marine creatures, thereby complicating the sustainable management of marine assets. After the easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, a notable influx of tourists to Little Liuqiu Island, Taiwan puts considerable stress on its green sea turtle population. This surge intensified incidents of illegal harassment, triggering concerns from both the local community and administrative bodies. The prevailing challenge is to ensure tourists observe these turtles with respect, refraining from behaviors such as touching or pursuing them. Addressing this, our study harnesses deep learning algorithms to equip ecotourism operators and tourists with tools to detect green sea turtles across diverse coastal terrains, reinforcing conservation efforts. Our analysis scrutinized object detection AI models, namely YOLOv3, YOLOv5s, and YOLOv5l. Fieldwork was undertaken on the island to gather ample training images, capturing elusive green sea turtles in various settings, from coastline strolls to drone imagery. Supplemental images sourced from local social media platforms were later added. Contrary to expectations, we found that merely expanding the training dataset did not guarantee improved outcomes. Instead, the variance in image content, considering distances, angles, and turtle appearances, played a pivotal role in enhancing model precision. Through our experimentation, the streamlined YOLOv5s model consistently eclipsed its more complex counterparts in performance. An AI service, underpinned by the YOLOv5s model, has been launched to distinguish between green sea turtle types for tourist-focused conservation initiatives. Future iterations will incorporate user feedback to refine accuracy. Our research breaks new ground, spotlighting the intricacies of gathering natural environment data, pinpointing optimal AI models, and evaluating their practical implications for green sea turtle conservation.

Robotic Positioning for Quality Assurance of Feature-Sparse Components Using a Depth-Sensing Camera

In this paper, a novel method for crawler positioning is presented utilizing an onboard depth-sensing camera which can operate in semi-structured, self-similar environments, using only measurements of the sample under inspection to navigate. Non-destructive evaluation at manufacture is a vital aspect of assuring the fitness for purpose of high-value marine assets, moreover, it is almost always a regulatory requirement to ensure build quality standards have been met. Traditionally these inspections were deployed manually by a trained operator in a laborious and time-consuming manner. More recently, robotic crawler-based solutions have become available on the marketplace, however, these solutions are limited in their capabilities and still require significant manual intervention and set-up for each application. Additionally, GPS or prior knowledge of their surroundings which are critical to their operation are often unavailable in an active work environment. An autonomous, self-localizing system would provide significant benefits in these situations, but certain challenges arise from limited situational awareness and poor positional accuracy. The accuracy and robustness of the novel method were assessed and experimentally validated through ground truth readings from a Vicon motion capture system. The localization algorithm’s ability to function on different materials and under various lighting conditions was also explored. Using the example of the receipt inspection of steel plate under 240 lux lighting, the system proved capable of positioning the crawler at the desired position within 5.7 mm.

Concept of Illegal Fishing for Indonesian Regulations and UNCLOS

Illegal fishing is a transnational crime that needs special attention in its eradication to safeguard national sovereignty. Illegal fishing law enforcement and the protection of marine assets in Indonesia are based on the Shipping Law, Fisheries Law, Ministerial Regulations, and UNCLOS. Must be protected by any actions related to opportunities for crime to occur. There is no legal protection for potential geographical indications as a communal right of the people in Indonesia. This paper adopted the normative method with data sources drawn from primary and secondary legal materials. In addition, control practices are important in the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. From here, the sinking of the ship became one of the control programmes. The current perspective on the problem of sinking or destroying fishing vessels is not from a legal aspect but from a standard or guideline for implementing procedures that have not been regulated, even though the Indonesian government is the subject of comparison with applicable laws.

Design Evolution of CTV Vessels

When talking about the construction and operations/maintenance (O&M) of an offshore windfarm site it is critical the windfarm developer identify the important role that maritime vessels will play.There are a huge array of marine assets required in the process of developing and maintaining a windfarm, these include but are not limited to cable laying vessels, construction jack-up vessels, accommodation ships, survey vessels and for the purpose of this paper crew transfer vessels (CTVs).Offshore infrastructure including the wind turbines themselves and offshore substations need to be maintained during their lifetime for the system to be successful and for offshore windfarms the sole means of access to the offshore infrastructure is via a vessel. As a result, access to the wind turbines need to be possible throughout the year in a variety of weather and seastate conditions.For this reason, a very specific vessel type, designed specifically for this purpose is required to provide the maximum possible range of access to the wind turbine maintenance technicians.Like any other you need the right tool for the job.The evolution in this industry depends not only on the designers but also engine and machinery manufacturers, classification societies, shipbuilders, operators and charterers to stay in front and to ensure the best solution is being offered in terms of economics, safety, reliability and environmental impact.In addition, in a renewable industry is important that all parts stay consistent with the industry goal, posing additional requirements and challenges to the design of the vessels of the future.This paper has been written to present the evolution and the future of the design of the CTV vessel, from the experience of a designer and the application worldwide of a technology developed in the birthplace of the offshore wind industry.

Computing Virtual Geography Possesses Seablite Local Assets

This study has computed the virtual geography of marine assets in terms of agricultural materials of seablite in order to proceed further as an economic plant. The computerized technique has been used to analyze the virtual survey of seablite in Samut Sakhon, Thailand. Computing and drawing software have primarily included GoodNotes, Google Earth, and Google Maps to locate marine assets. The subdistricts in Samut Sakhon have been discovered as locations of seablite local assets. A physical survey has been performed to confirm the places of marine assets identified by the virtual study. The data have revealed seven subdistricts harboring marine assets. Seablite origins have been local assets marked as red spots, and illustrative maps of virtual geography have been drawn. The verification has displayed that virtual and physical survey results have agreed. However, additional studies are required to create a practical illustration of local maritime assets and identify agricultural materials with the substances in each location in order to characterize economic plants and seablite smart farming.

Monitoring and Locating Oceanic Sailors Through Wireless Sensor Network

A systematic oceanographic monitoring and management requires an effective marine tracking system. It helps the localization of different marine assets, their border control and in encountering emergency situations. Thus, a reliable marine tracking system is always required to ensure a safe marine environment for shippers, fishers, sailors and other marine assets. Nowadays due to the evolution in wireless sensor network (WSN) technology, their easy and inexpensive deployment can be seen in different fields such as agriculture, medical, industries and IoT. The implementation of WSN in the marine environment comes with various issues due to the complex behavior of the marine environment and thus affects the reliability of the system. In this paper, a WSN-based marine tracking protocol sailing is presented, which identifies the location of marine assets reliably through the genetic firefly (GEFIR) algorithm. The system comprises sensor nodes, sink nodes, server-client terminals and a base station. The protocol uses the application and contact layers to create a group of beacon nodes (boats) based on the geographical location to conserve energy and increase data reliability. GEFIR algorithm is implemented to give a precise and more convenient data to the WSN for the mariners. The results show a better performance for latency calculation through the WSN- and GEFIR-based sailing protocol. The system generates the alert to nodes (sailors) in case they are moving out from a specified region and sends their location for further communication.

ABS Guide for Mitigation of Infectious Disease Transmission on Board Marine and Offshore Assets - ABS Notation “IDM-A”

ABS Guide for Mitigation of Infectious Disease Transmission on Board Marine and Offshore Assets - ABS Notation “IDM-A”

Establishing a Risk Assessment Framework for Marine Assets and Assessing Typhoon Lekima Storm Surge for the Laizhou Bay Coastal Area of the Bohai Sea, China

Effective risk assessment can reduce the economic losses and physical damage caused by marine dynamic processes, such as storm surges. Most risk assessments of marine disasters are based on regional parameters and discrete hazard grades. Targeted, multilevel, and multiangle risk assessments are urgently needed. This study focuses on specific types of affected infrastructure. We established a sensitivity matrix by considering the effects of different disaster causal factors on different types of affected infrastructure. Through this matrix, hazards, vulnerability, and emergency response and recovery capability were effectively combined in a risk assessment framework. We completed the risk calculation for multiple concurrent effects of disasters in areas with superimposed key infrastructure using complementary risk superposition. The hazard grade, vulnerability grade, and coefficient of emergency response and recovery capability were established based on the means of return period, characteristics of disaster distribution, types of affected infrastructure and disaster relief distance, and were continuous by solving functions, normal cumulative distributions, and analytic functions. On the basis of reasonable MIKE21 numerical simulation and abstract spatial distribution of vulnerable assets, we tested the rationality of the assessment system in the Lekima typhoon storm surge process. The results showed that the assessment system accurately reflected the risk of damage to the important infrastructure in terms of spatial distribution. Therefore, this risk assessment framework was suitable for the assessment of a marine dynamic disaster process in the lower Laizhou Bay coastal area of the Bohai Sea, China. Moreover, it provided a reference for disaster prevention and reduction, guided the way for decision making, and effectively reduced disaster losses.

Seagrass valuation from fish abundance, biomass and recreational catch

The value of critical habitats, such as seagrass, to act as a nursery varies spatially and temporally; however, such information is essential for the public and stakeholders to appropriately value and manage these habitats. We use an existing systematic long-term fisheries dataset in Port Phillip Bay to examine variability in nursery habitat value for an important commercial and recreational species, King George Whiting (Sillaginodes punctatus). Port Phillip Bay represents one of the most important marine assets in the southern hemisphere and is surrounded by the second-largest city in Australia, Melbourne, home to 4.5 million people. We modelled the abundance of King George whiting as a function of environmental variables, using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT). Fish densities ranged from 1,000 to 30,000 individuals ha−1y−1, equalling an adult biomass of 110–3,300 kg ha−1y−1. This production supports between 69 and 2,062 recreational fishing trips a year, with an estimated value of seagrass of AUD 687–20,625 ha−1y−1. Based on biomass production of King George Whiting and recreational fisheries data, the 6662 ha of seagrass in Port Phillip Bay are valued at around AUD 36 million annually.

Pervasive underwater passive target tracking for the computation of standard deviation solution in a 3D environment

PurposeNowadays advancement in acoustic technology can be explored with marine assets. The purpose of the paper is pervasive computing underwater target tracking has aroused military and civilian interest as a key component of ocean exploration. While many pervasive techniques are currently found in the literature, there is little published research on the effectiveness of these paradigms in the target tracking context.Design/methodology/approachThe unscented Kalman filter (UKF) provides good results for bearing and elevation angles only tracking. Detailed methodology and mathematical modeling are carried out and used to analyze the performance of the filter based on the Monte Carlo simulation.FindingsDue to the intricacy of maritime surroundings, tracking underwater targets using acoustic signals, without knowing the range parameter is difficult. The intention is to find out the solution in terms of standard deviation in a three-dimensional (3D) space.Originality/valueA new method is found for the acceptance criteria for range, course, speed and pitch based on the standard deviation for bearing and elevation 3D target tracking using the unscented Kalman filter covariance matrix. In the Monte Carlo simulation, several scenarios are used and the results are shown.

A widely-applicable structural maintenance decision-analytic modelling approach assisted by information value computation

Improving the quality of maintenance decision-making under uncertainty is important for safety, reliability and cost management of marine assets. It is worth studying how condition inspections can be objective-oriented and inspection information be fully utilized in the maintenance decision-making process. Herein a new maintenance decision-analytic modelling approach assisted by value of information (VoI) computation is proposed and applied to a safety-critical marine structure. Three maintenance decision-making cases and three inspection strategies are tested. Below advantages of the proposed approach represent contribution to the current literature. The approach can yield optimal maintenance decisions in various decision-making cases, while condition based maintenance (CBM) is efficient only in the cases where inspections add value. The approach yields maintenance decisions associated with the same or lower life cycle costs (LCC) than decision rule-based approaches (e.g. CBM), and gives more improved decisions (associated with lower LCC) with more in-depth inspections. The advantages are benefited from VoI computation, decision-analytic modelling, and probabilistic modelling of uncertainty, crack growth and inspection outcomes. Maintenance decisions are derived based on integrated crack information via Bayesian updating, rather than only on inspection results. The approach can be used to optimize inspection and maintenance strategies for structural assets.

Corrosion prediction for bulk carrier via data fusion of survey and experimental measurements

Accurate corrosion predictions are vital to safe and optimised designs of marine assets. Traditional approaches, including those used to develop rule requirements, seek to use empirical regressions to model corrosion, but most are solely time-dependent. This may lead to conservative damage estimates and hence heavy and inefficient ships. To provide more accurate predictions, this paper presents an interpretable machine learning algorithm based on data fusion of ship survey and experimental measurements. The corrosion behaviour in bulk carrier ballast tanks is interpreted through a sensitivity analysis which quantifies the relationships between operational/environmental factors and the corrosion rate. The prediction accuracy is improved by a minimum of 82% when compared to the two representative empirical models, with a mean absolute error down to 0.10 mm.

Extractivismo marino-colonial. Apropiación asimétrica de recursos marinos en el golfo de California (México) siglos XVI-XXI

En la península y en el golfo de California, el proceso de conquista colonial impuso un proceso de antropización-colonización de la relación sociedad-naturaleza a lo largo del tiempo moderno y contemporáneo. Desde el siglo XVI, este cambio se implementó mediante la inserción de los recursos naturales terrestres y marinos disponibles en el territorio sudcaliforniano en el marco de la Economía Mundo. La península y el golfo de California se vieron sometidos a un proceso, a largo plazo, de saqueo y despojo territorial que denomino “Apropiación Asimétrica” (que se traduce en una línea temporal de cuatro momentos históricos, algunos coetáneos, desde el siglo XVI al siglo XXI). En el primer momento de esta línea temporal, se describe en el texto cómo la Corona transfirió, mediante diversos sistemas de cesión territorial, el control de recursos (perlas, acuacultura, guano, sal, etc.) hacia empresarios privados encargados de extraer el capital natural para comercializarlo en mercados globales entre el siglo XVI y el siglo XX. Esta capitalización/privatización de recursos costeros-marinos a lo largo del siglo XX se evidenció en un proceso de especulación financiero territorial, orientado al desarrollo del turismo de masas como eje del modelo de desarrollo económico (tercer y cuarto momento histórico de la Apropiación Asimétrica que se analiza en el texto. La propuesta de metodología de investigación parte del trabajo que desarrollamos en el campo de la Historia Ambiental, entendida como estudio sobre las relaciones entre sociedad y naturaleza a lo largo del mundo moderno y contemporáneo, estudiado mediante el análisis de los documentos archivísticos y bibliografía de coetáneos, viajeros o documentos institucionales. Esta propuesta metodológica supone el estudio de los cambios territoriales, ambientales y socioeconómicos junto al impacto de los mismos en el capital natural del territorio sudcaliforniano, procesos que generan conflictos y luchas contra el extractivismo y despojo como modelo económico. Desde el campo de la Historia Ambiental, el concepto de extractivismo es definido como transferencia de bienes naturales de manejo comunitario hacia la esfera del mercado, enajenados los pueblos y beneficiados sectores empresariales con este proceso de privatización. De igual manera, el concepto de apropiación asimétrica implica la identificación de cómo la transferencia verificada mediante el extractivismo y despojo territorial impacta sobre la arquitectura del modelo de desarrollo económico generando episodios y realidades de injusticia ambiental, dando lugar a importantes desequilibrios territoriales. Estos desequilibrios territoriales tienen una matriz histórica que la Historia Ambiental permite narrar como un contínuum, pero que como práctica de colonización del territorio llega hasta inicios del siglo XXI como demuestra el estudio del impacto del capitalismo financiero en Baja California.

Soft Robots for Ocean Exploration and Offshore Operations: A Perspective.

The ocean and human activities related to the sea are under increasing pressure due to climate change, widespread pollution, and growth of the offshore energy sector. Data, in under-sampled regions of the ocean and in the offshore patches where the industrial expansion is taking place, are fundamental to manage successfully a sustainable development and to mitigate climate change. Existing technology cannot cope with the vast and harsh environments that need monitoring and sampling the most. The limiting factors are, among others, the spatial scales of the physical domain, the high pressure, and the strong hydrodynamic perturbations, which require vehicles with a combination of persistent autonomy, augmented efficiency, extreme robustness, and advanced control. In light of the most recent developments in soft robotics technologies, we propose that the use of soft robots may aid in addressing the challenges posed by abyssal and wave-dominated environments. Nevertheless, soft robots also allow for fast and low-cost manufacturing, presenting a new potential problem: marine pollution from ubiquitous soft sampling devices. In this study, the technological and scientific gaps are widely discussed, as they represent the driving factors for the development of soft robotics. Offshore industry supports increasing energy demand and the employment of robots on marine assets is growing. Such expansion needs to be sustained by the knowledge of the oceanic environment, where large remote areas are yet to be explored and adequately sampled. We offer our perspective on the development of sustainable soft systems, indicating the characteristics of the existing soft robots that promote underwater maneuverability, locomotion, and sampling. This perspective encourages an interdisciplinary approach to the design of aquatic soft robots and invites a discussion about the industrial and oceanographic needs that call for their application.

LIVING ON THE EDGE – A NEW PARADIGM FOR REMOTE MONITORING OF VESSELS AND MARINE EQUIPMENT

Adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in the marine industry is accelerating and the applications result in a vast amount of data to be processed. By deploying edge computing, independent and autonomous decisions can be made by vessels and remote marine assets without relying on constant communication with servers on shore or in the cloud. This paper proposes a system architecture that enables condition monitoring of remote marine assets with higher performance, improved latency and reduced total cost of ownership.

Economic Block Model Development for Mining Seafloor Massive Sulfides

To support open-pit studies related to seafloor massive sulfides mining projects, an economic block-model is required. A modular framework is proposed to produce economic block models accommodating various levels of data. The framework is illustrated on a site of interest located on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge. Random sampling based on literature datasets is performed to assign grades, porosity and grain density to the model. Other required parameters are produced using relationships found in the literature. Revenues are estimated using literature values within a net smelter return methodology. Mining costs are determined using the cost of a mining system and the estimated time required for excavating the ore. The excavating time is assessed through the specific energy for the ore and the mining machines. The specific energy is calculated with a hyperbaric rock-cutting model. An economic block value of each mining block is then provided. The mining block database resulting from the study constitutes a valuable input into further studies on resource development. The framework has also been used to support a sensitivity study. The availability of the marine assets has been found as having the greatest influence on the economic value of the study case.

Offshore Powering with a Closed Loop and Bus: Coupling Energy Storage for Maritime Electrical Networks

The current usage of the term hybrid electric power, when referring to electrical networks installed on offshore and marine assets, describes the coupling of energy-transformation systems (ETSs) that utilize different technologies to exchange energy with the electrical network. An ETS is composed of an energy-transformation device (ETD) and, if necessary, an energy converter that is used to match the electrical characteristics of the ETD to those of the electrical network; the converter facilitates the exchange of energy between the ETD and the electrical network at the required rate. An ETS may also be considered a source if it is able to supply net positive energy to the electrical network for consumption by the loads.

Technology Focus: Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Social Responsibility

Technology Focus According to Investopedia, in 2015, the oil and gas industry accounted for between 4.6 and 6.5% of the global economy. In a recent discussion I had with a friend, we spoke about the effect this industry has on the lives of so many people. Many of the effects are positive, and, as we see in the current discussions of climate change, some are potentially negative. As Janeen Judah, 2017 SPE president, stated in her April 2017 JPT column, we have the power to build sustainable communities and improve the lives of people where we operate. Our innovation across all aspects of health, safety, security, environment, and social responsibility not only helps our industry reduce the chances, or consequences, of unplanned events but also may help develop the capacity of a country or village to take care of its own citizens. Some of these recent improvements can be seen in the papers that follow, from understanding well control and human factors better to using robotics to remove people from hazardous environments. We also see increasing interest in effects on the environment from our activities in the form of publicly funded studies on the potential for groundwater contamination. At the 2017 SPE Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Social Responsibility Conference—North America, held in April in New Orleans, we held a series of plenary discussions on the science of the human brain, on social interactions, and on how to apply this knowledge to improve our performance. Our industry is conducting some amazing research and development, and the tools and processes we develop will help us, and the world, to better develop and use the natural resources we need now and in the future. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 181109 Monitoring of Nontechnical Barriers by S. Næss, Statoil, et al. SPE 183117 iRisk: A New Practical Guide to Cross-Functional Risk Leadership in Oil and Gas Megaprojects by Zarina Kenzhetayeva, Maersk Oil Kazakhstan, et al. SPE 183595 Whole Systems Analysis of a High-Reliability Organization by C.O. Chukwunta, Imperial College London SPE 185188 Developing Regulations Concerning Dispersant Use—A Recommended Good-Practice Approach by T.S. Coolbaugh, ExxonMobil, et al. IPTC 18827 The Survey for Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Workers Performing Manual Material-Handling Work by A. Thongpradit, PTT Exploration and Production, et al. SPE 180365 Dynamic Considerations for Induced Seismicity by Robert L. Walker, University of Southern California, et al. OTC 27750 Use of a Cybersecurity Laboratory in Support of the Virtual-Vessel Concept To Increase Safety Onboard Marine and Offshore Assets by Naveen Selvam, ABS, et al.

STRATEGI PERENCANAAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN OBJEK WISATA (STUDI KASUS PANTAI PANGANDARAN KABUPATEN CIAMIS JAWA BARAT)

Tourism can be defined as a whole activity by people who do traveling to stay in one place out of the daily activities for not more than one year for leisure, business, and other purpose. Ecotourism as mentioned on UU No.9 year 1990, article 16 as an objects groups for an attractive tourism can be defined as a unique travel at national park, forest and nature tourism. Bay tourism and marine tourism is a part of Ecotourism. Marine tourism development in general is an effort for developing and using tourism object and marine tourism in Indonesian sea. The consumers behavior patterns from the tourist, they are not focus on leisure enjoying sun, sea and sand but change to higher tourism, that is enjoying the product or cultural creation and heritage. Than nature or ecotourism from one place to other country. This change need to be taken care with a lot of development tourism product also promotion on government and self investor. Marine tourism activities will need a big investment, condition, and law. To handle all this complex problems with optimal, will need to arrange regulation in order using the potential of the sea for tourism activities in marine tourism development. Indonesia so rich with marine assets that can be use or oriented, so that the marine tourism development paradigm must be handle soon with the regulation from all parties, to explore all marine tourism potential through strategic planning with obeying the save principal.

Projected SST trends across the Caribbean Sea based on PRECIS downscaling of ECHAM4, under the SRES A2 and B2 scenarios

The Caribbean Sea and adjacent land areas are highly sensitive to the projected impacts of global climate change. The countries bordering the Caribbean Sea depend heavily on coastal and marine assets as a major source of livelihood support. Rising sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are known to be associated with coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and other phenomena that threaten livelihoods in the region. The paucity of SST systematic observations in both the Caribbean Sea and adjoining Western Atlantic waters is a limiting factor in the projection of future climate change impacts on the region’s marine resources. Remote sensing of SST by satellites began only within the last three decades and although the data collected so far might be insufficient to provide conclusive definitions of long-term SST variations in the Caribbean waters, these data along with the output from climate model simulations provide a useful basis for gaining further insights into plausible SST futures under IPCC SRES scenarios. In this paper, we examine the recent SST records from the NESDIS AVHRR satellite data and NOAA Optimum Interpolation (OI) sea surface temperature V2 and provide a comparative analysis of projected SST changes for the Caribbean Sea up to the end of the twenty-first century, under the SRES A2 and B2 scenarios’ simulations of the sea surface skin temperatures (SSsT) using the Hadley Centre’s regional model, PRECIS. The implications of these projected SST changes for bleaching of coral reefs, one of the region’s most valuable marine resource, and for rainfall are also discussed.