Maritime Environment Research Articles

Ocean governance in practice: A study of the application of marine science and technology research techniques to maritime law enforcement in Taiwan

The research looks into the relationship between technology, international law, and marine policy in Taiwan, specifically looking at how these three factors interact to influence the way the maritime environment is monitored, understood, and regulated. The research explores how cutting-edge innovation has improved sustainable marine resource management by reshaping data collecting, analysis, and decision-making via a comprehensive literature review and case studies focused on Taiwan. The impact of international law, and UNCLOS in particular, on the standards and technologies used in marine resource management is a significant topic covered in the paper. Q&A sessions with experts in maritime policy, technology, and international law provide a qualitative analysis of the current state of marine affairs in Taiwan. The research shows that technology has revolutionized the way Taiwan oversees and monitors its marine environment. More effective and cooperative ocean governance has resulted from the rise of evidence-based decision-making made possible by technological advancements. An example of the regulatory impact of international law is UNCLOS, which sets standards for the sustainable management of marine resources and directs the use of technology. In spite of geopolitical obstacles, Taiwan is well-positioned for successful marine conservation and sustainable resource use thanks to its all-encompassing approach, which is based on continuing conversations and partnerships and is in line with worldwide technological advances and changing regulatory frameworks. This study highlights the interconnected nature of technology, international law, and marine policy, and how these factors influence Taiwan's strategy for preserving marine resources for the future.

DEVELOPING 4D MALAYSIAN MARINE CADASTRE DATA MODEL BASED ON LADM - PRELIMINARY WORKS

Abstract. The complex interactions between terrestrial and aquatic dimensions make effective land management in coastal and marine settings particularly difficult. For thorough spatial data administration, it has been acknowledged that the traditional Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) must incorporate temporal and three-dimensional (3D) elements. The main goal of this work is to develop a 4D Malaysian marine cadastre data model based on LADM that integrates the temporal dimensions (3D + T= 4D) to the current 3D Malaysian marine cadastre data model and to assess how well the extended model handles issues with the representation of 3D marine environment. The depiction and management of temporal data related to shifting coastlines, fluctuating tides, and seasonal fluctuations in the maritime environment are some of the key questions investigated. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for augmenting land administration methodologies in dynamic marine settings. The outcomes of this research hold significance for sustainable marine development and effective spatial data management in coastal regions.

An efficient algorithm for multi-scale maritime object detection and recognition

Due to the complexity of the maritime environment and the diversity of the volume and shape of monitored objects in the maritime, existing object detection algorithms based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) are challenging to balance the requirements of high accuracy and high real-time simultaneously in the field of maritime object detection. In response to the characteristics of complex backgrounds, significant differences in object size between categories, and the characteristic of having a large number of small objects in maritime surveillance videos and images, the Maritime dataset with rich scenes and object categories was self-made, and the OS-YOLOv7 algorithm was proposed based on the YOLOv7 algorithm. Firstly, a feature enhancement module named the TC-ELAN module based on the self-attention mechanism was designed, which enables the feature map used for detection to obtain enhanced semantic information fused from multiple scale features. Secondly, in order to enhance the attention to the area of dense small objects and further improve the positioning accuracy of occluded small objects, this study redesigned the SPPCSPC structure. Then, the network structure was improved to alleviate the problem of decreased object detection accuracy caused by the loss of semantic feature information. Finally, experimental results on self-made datasets and mainstream maritime object detection datasets show that OS-YOLOv7 has a better object detection effect compared to other state-of-the-art (SOTA) object detection algorithms at the cost of reasonable inference time and parameter quantity and can achieve good object detection accuracy on mainstream datasets with high real-time performance.

Production and Optimization of L-glutaminase from Halophilic Fusarium solani-melongenae Strain CRI 24 under Submerged and Solid State Fermentation

L-glutaminase is a unique enzyme with catalytic activity and the ability to modulate glutamine levels, making it a valuable enzyme with numerous potential applications. L-glutaminase triggers a distinctive reaction by converting L-glutamine into glutamic acid while releasing ammonia concurrently. This enzymatic process holds potential applications across diverse industries, notably in food and pharmaceuticals. The primary objective of the present research was to identify and isolate a fungal strain proficient in L-glutaminase production from soil found in maritime environments. The physical and nutritional conditions were optimized for maximum synthesis of L-glutaminase under solid state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation conditions (SmF). The isolated organism was identified as Fusarium solani-melongenae strain CRI 24 by morphological and 18S rRNA analysis. The optimum carbon source under SmF and SSF was found to be starch (0.2% w/v). Wheat bran as solid substrate among others showed optimum enzyme activity. On the seventh day of incubation, at pH 8.0 and 0.7% L-glutamine concentration under SSF and SmF, the highest enzyme activity was detected. The greatest enzyme activity in SSF was seen at a moisture content of 10%. Fusarium solani-melongenae species produced the enzyme under optimal conditions and 4.20 and 4.73-fold increase (from 0.8 U/mL to 3.61 U/mL and from 0.781 U/mL to 3.69 U/mL) was achieved after optimization in submerged and in solid state fermentation, respectively. The selective isolation and optimization processes described in this work are a promising technique for the industrial production of L-glutaminase and can be applied in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Development of Competency Manual for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commanding Officers

The study emphasized the importance for effective leadership in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and introduces the development of a specialized Competency Manual tailored for PCG Commanding Officers, guided by the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition. While effective leadership is vital for maritime safety and security, the absence of a structured competency framework poses challenges for PCG Commanding Officers, impeding their adaptability and effectiveness in rapidly evolving maritime environment. The development process encompassed a thorough needs assessment, which included reviewing PCG regulations, competency frameworks, and conducting a comprehensive analysis of the Dreyfus model. Collaborative efforts with subject matter experts, surveys, and pilot testing involving PCG officers played a pivotal role in refining the content of the manual. The result of the study yields a Competency Manual that meticulously defines specific competencies, knowledge, skills, and behaviors deemed essential at each stage of the Dreyfus model. Covering critical areas such as maritime regulations, navigation, decision-making, leadership, and crisis management, the manual precisely caters to the unique demands placed on PCG Commanding Officers. The Competency Manual stands out as a structured and progressive tool for skill development, ensuring that PCG Commanding Officers are well-prepared to navigate the difficult challenges inherent in their roles. Effective implementation that entails the seamless integration of the manual into PCG's training programs, conducting routine assessments, and establishing channels for continuous improvement. This strategic approach seeks to foster the development of PCG Commanding Officers into highly proficient leaders, empowering them to adeptly protect maritime interests in the Philippines.

Artificial intelligence algorithms in unmanned surface vessel task assignment and path planning: A survey

Due to the complex environment and variable demands, unmanned surface vessel (USV) task assignment and path planning have received much attention from academia and industry in recent years. Artificial intelligence technologies are increasingly adopted for solving the USV task assignment and path planning problems. This paper aims to give a comprehensive literature review of achievements, trends and challenges about the USV tasks assignment and path planning. First, the concerned problems are divided into two categories (single-USV and multi-USV), and the related work is thoroughly reviewed. Second, the solution methods, especially artificial intelligence (AI) related technologies and approaches, are analyzed and discussed. Third, the common external constraints and disturbances in the maritime environment are described. In particular, the obstacle avoidance strategies and algorithms are discussed and summarized systematically. Next, the applications to scientific exploration , military, and fishery industry are presented. Finally, we conclude this survey and indicate future research directions.

Nautilus: An autonomous surface vehicle with a multilayer software architecture for offshore inspection

AbstractThe increasing adoption of robotic solutions for inspection tasks in challenging environments is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly in the offshore wind energy industry. This trend is driven by the critical need to safeguard the integrity and operational efficiency of offshore infrastructure. Consequently, the design of inspection vehicles must comply with rigorous requirements established by the offshore Operation and Maintenance (O&M) industry. This work presents the design of an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV), named Nautilus, specifically tailored to withstand the demanding conditions of offshore O&M scenarios. The design encompasses both hardware and software architectures, ensuring Nautilus's robustness and adaptability to the harsh maritime environment. It presents a compact hull capable of operating in moderate sea states (wave height up to 2.5 m), with a modular hardware and software architecture that is easily adapted to the mission requirements. It has a perception payload and communication system for edge and real‐time computing, communicates with a Shore Control Center and allows beyond visual line‐of‐sight operations. The Nautilus software architecture aims to provide the necessary flexibility for different mission requirements to offer a unified software architecture for O&M operations. Nautilus's capabilities were validated through the professional testing process of the ATLANTIS Test Center, involving operations in both near‐real and real‐world environments. This validation process culminated in Nautilus's reaching a Technology Readiness Level 8 and became the first ASV to execute autonomous tasks at a floating offshore wind farm located in the Atlantic.

A holistic risk assessment under the D–S evidential theory and FMECA approach of ship recycling process hazards in the maritime environment

The ship recycling process is one of the most dangerous works performed in marine environments for not only human health but also marine environment and ecology due to the nature of the work. The process contains various hazards such as asbestos, heavy metal residues, pollutants, etc. for the marine environment. The aim of this paper is to systematically analyze ship recycling hazards and reveal potential consequences to the marine environment. To achieve this purpose, a holistic risk assessment incorporating failure mode effect critical analysis (FMECA) and Dempster–Shafer (D–S) evidence theory is adopted. Whilst the FMECA presents a systematic assessment of potential hazards and their consequences, the D–S evidence theory is capable of managing epistemic uncertainty in the assessment of risk parameters. The findings show that H6 (heavy metal residues) and H8 (toxins) have the highest RPN (risk priority number) which requires utmost attention for a sustainable ship recycling process in the maritime environment. The outcomes of the research provide valuable insight to maritime environment researchers, safety inspectors, and health safety environment and quality (HSEQ) managers for minimizing environmental hazards and enhance safety associated with the ship recycling process.

The Role of Natural and Synthetic Flavonoids in the Prevention of Marine Biofouling.

Marine biofouling is a major concern for the maritime industry, environment, and human health. Biocides which are currently used in marine coatings to prevent this phenomenon are toxic to the marine environment, and therefore a search for antifoulants with environmentally safe properties is needed. A large number of scientific papers have been published showing natural and synthetic compounds with potential to prevent the attachment of macro- and microfouling marine organisms on submerged surfaces. Flavonoids are a class of compounds which are highly present in nature, including in marine organisms, and have been found in a wide range of biological activities. Some natural and synthetic flavonoids have been evaluated over the last few years for their potential to prevent the settlement and/or the growth of marine organisms on submerged structures, thereby preventing marine biofouling. This review compiles, for the first-time, natural flavonoids as well as their synthetic analogues with attributed antifouling activity against macrofouling and microfouling marine organisms.

The Advantages and Challenges of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers for Tidal Current Turbine Systems - An Overview

A significant step in reducing the effects of greenhouse gases is obtaining electric energy from renewable sources. Electricity from tidal currents using underwater turbines is one of the most promising and well-liked technologies. The turbine systems are the key element in the tidal current energy. They are built using hydrodynamic principles to extract the most power possible from tidal ocean currents and are designed to last for extended periods in a maritime environment. The performance of tidal turbines is also significantly influenced by their materials, i.e., carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) used in them. This paper also reviews the CFRP materials used in tidal current turbine systems. Besides, an analysis of their advantages and challenges regarding CFRP materials that can impact tidal current turbine efficiency is further explored.

Maritime Emission Monitoring: Development and Testing of a UAV-Based Real-Time Wind Sensing Mission Planner Module

Maritime emissions contribute significantly to global pollution, necessitating accurate and efficient monitoring methods. Traditional methods for tracking ship emissions often face limitations in real-time data accuracy, with wind measurement being a critical yet challenging aspect. This paper introduces an innovative mission planner module for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that leverages onboard wind sensing capabilities to enhance maritime emission monitoring. The module’s primary objective is to assist operators in making informed decisions by providing real-time wind data overlays, thus optimizing flight paths and data collection efficiency. Our experimental setup involves the testing of the module in simulated maritime environments, demonstrating its efficacy in varying wind conditions. The real-time wind data overlays provided by the module enable UAV operators to adjust their flight paths dynamically, reducing unnecessary power expenditure and mitigating the risks associated with low-battery scenarios, especially in challenging maritime conditions. This paper presents the implementation of real-time wind data overlays on an open-source state-of-the-art mission planner as a C# plugin that is seamlessly integrated into the user interface. The factors that affect performance, in terms of communication overheads and real-time operation, are identified and discussed. The operation of the module is evaluated in terms of functional integration and real-time visual representation of wind measurements, and the enhanced situational awareness that it can offer to mission controllers is demonstrated. Beyond presenting a novel application of UAV technology in environmental monitoring, we also provide an extensive discussion of how this work will be extended in the context of complete aerial environmental inspection missions and the future directions in research within the field that can potentially lead to the modernization of maritime emission monitoring practices.

Analysis of Unfunction Fire Alarm Analysis on MT. Pangrango

Ships are a very efficient and effective means of transportation. With today's increasingly advanced, modern, and demanding developments, ships are also designed to be able to meet every expected human need. This research method uses a qualitative research approach which is analyzed descriptively. The research results show that an effective fire alarm system has enormous significance in the context of the maritime environment; maintenance of the detector will reduce the failure of the detector to detect fire so that the optical system and electronic circuit in the detector can work optimally. To ensure that the fire alarm is always operational in the event of a fire, we regularly test the alarm using our testing equipment.

A triboelectric smart carpet with an optimized braided structure for cruise ship monitoring enabled by deep learning

In pursuit of comprehensive monitoring of personnel within cruise ship cabins, this study introduces a novel triboelectric smart carpet featuring an intricate braided design. This innovative carpet is allowed to gather individual information without the privacy concerns associated with video recording. The discourse begins with a detailed examination of the output characteristics inherent to the sensing unit, pixel, and the carpet as a whole. The findings suggest that the smart carpet not only precisely identify any walking trajectory but also enhances sensor scalability, showcasing its considerable promise for monitoring over extended floor areas. Further, this study integrates the smart carpet with Deep Learning (DL) techniques to validate its real-time monitoring capabilities, which encompasses state detection, personnel identification, and trajectory tracking. The outcomes demonstrate a commendably high level of precision, indicating a robust performance. Additionally, the smart carpet's design facilitates its integration with a suite of other sensors, positioning it as an instrumental asset for reinforcing maritime safety and fostering the development of Internet of Things (IoT) applications for maritime environments.

Karakteristik Bahasa Inggris Maritim Secara Kata dan Frasa

English is an international language used in various fields, including the maritime sector. In the maritime sector, English is used for communication, both between seafarers and between seafarers and related parties, such as port officers, cargo agents and shipping companies. In order to provide competent resources in the maritime world, the role of maritime vocational education is present to address these problems. In Indonesia, maritime vocational education aims to produce graduates who have competence in the maritime field. One of the competencies that maritime vocational education graduates must have is the ability to speak maritime English. In order to provide competent resources in the maritime world, the role of maritime vocational education is present to address these problems. Although the importance of maritime English is recognized, there is a gap between industry needs and the competencies of Indonesian maritime vocational education graduates. Mastery of correct maritime terminology is essential for sailors and maritime personnel. Maritime terms used incorrectly can lead to potentially dangerous misunderstandings. Maritime jargon is often used in oral and written communication in the maritime environment. Maritime jargon is usually used to convey messages briefly and clearly.

A novel multi-degree of freedom kinetic energy harvester for self-powered low-power applications in ships

The utilization of kinetic energy from the motion of small fishing boats to energize ship-borne wireless sensors offers a promising solution to address the power supply challenges of these sensors in the maritime environment. Nonetheless, the constrained scope of retrievable kinetic energy in the prevailing ship-borne kinetic energy harvester has evolved into a hindrance, curbing its progression. Hence, this paper proposed a novel multi-degree of freedom kinetic energy harvester for low-power applications in ships, where the harvester is harnessed by combining a ball rod, sliding bearing, and slider body. Relying on this mechanical device, the ship's kinetic energy in the surge, roll, sway, and pitch directions is transformed into the swinging motion of the mass ball, subsequently converted into the movement of the slider body. Under the influence of the magnetic force between the slider body and the piezoelectric beam, the piezoelectric beam experiences frequent oscillations, ultimately translating mechanical motion into electrical energy. The experimental results show that the harvester can charge capacitors with capacities of 220 μF, 470 μF, and 1000 μF to 1 V within time intervals of 15 s, 24 s, and 36 s. The prototype has been effectively deployed on a ship in an artificial lake, achieving an impressive maximum average power output of 173.10 μW. This study serves as compelling evidence that the harvesting of kinetic energy from ships presents a promising solution for self-powering low-energy applications onboard while also introducing a novel design concept for applying kinetic energy harvesters on fishing vessels.

Evaluation of ML-based classification algorithms for GNSS signals in ocean environment

Abstract In the maritime environment, multipath interference exhibits a significantly pronounced influence, resulting in GNSS system performance degradation. Enhancing system performance involves the identification and elimination of NLOS signals. This study focuses on the analysis of multipath data induced by sea waves, collected off the coast of Kakinada Sea (16.98° N, 82.29° E), to categorize signals as Line-of-Sight (LOS), Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) and Multipath (MP). A machine learning (ML) approach is employed to identify the presence of LOS, NLOS and MP signals in a coastal environment, both before and after the advancement of tidal waves. In the proposed approach, ML algorithms are trained using 3 key parameters namely elevation angle, signal strength and pseudorange residuals. This study involves the implementation of 14 prominent supervised classification algorithms and their accuracies and computational times are compared. The results due to GPS (L1) and IRNSS (L5 and S1) are considered. Decision Tree and its ensemble function AdaBoost, exhibited exceptional performance of accuracy (99.99 %) and computational time (0.45 s).

Wireless Channel Model Based on Ray Tracing Algorithm in the Sea Environment

The maritime environment is complex and changeable, and an accurate maritime wireless channel model is particularly difficult to establish. This study investigates the sensitivity of a three-dimensional (3D) maritime ray tracing (RT) model for the use of the geometrical optics in radio channel characterizations of maritime environments. The channel measurement experiments are mainly carried out at three frequency points of 1.5, 1.8, and 2.5 GHz, and the simulation results of the model are compared and corrected with the measured received power. Analysis shows that the modified model simulation results at 1.5, 1.8, and 2.5 GHz frequency points are in good agreement with the actual measurement, and the RMS is within 7 dB. Moreover, the reverse RT algorithm has the advantages of fast calculation speed and high efficiency. The effects of the different sea conditions, frequencies, and distances on the propagation of electromagnetic waves are analyzed on the basis of this model.

Fisheries observers: An overlooked vulnerability for crime and corruption within the global fishing industry

Human fishery observers play an important role in monitoring fish stocks, providing scientific data upon which management organizations set applicable fishing limits and quotas to maintain sustainable populations. At-sea observers, however, sometimes sustain harassment from crews that object to being monitored, and at least one observer has disappeared or died under suspicious circumstances while underway every year since 2009. This exploratory paper examines inherent vulnerabilities within the monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) framework that nations and regional fisheries management organizations (RFMO) have adopted to support sustainable fish stocks. As rational actors, perpetrators of observer harassment, assault, and murder likely do so to manipulate observers’ monitoring role in the MCS framework to conceal illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other criminal activities. Qualitative analysis of reporting on observer harassment and suspicious disappearances over the past 15 years indicates the following institutional, situational, jurisdictional, and physical conditions appear to contribute to observer safety issues—privatization of fishery observer programs, crime convergence on fishing vessels, conflicting maritime jurisdictional considerations, and harsh conditions endemic to the remote maritime environment. While recorded suspicious observer deaths are too few to draw general conclusions, most occurrences befell observers working for tuna RFMOs in the Pacific Ocean, and a disproportionate number of deaths were observers from Kiribati and Papua New Guinea. Alternative surveillance approaches such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) produce limited results without human observers. Future policies that could contribute to observer safety include applying lessons learned from international efforts to address maritime transnational organized crime and providing observers personal communications and safety equipment to directly connect with search and rescue entities if under duress.

Intelligent Task Allocation and Planning for Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Using Self-Attention Mechanism and Locking Sweeping Method

The development of intelligent task allocation and path planning algorithms for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) is gaining significant interest, particularly in supporting complex ocean operations. This paper proposes an intelligent hybrid algorithm that combines task allocation and path planning to improve mission efficiency. The algorithm introduces a novel approach based on a self-attention mechanism (SAM) for intelligent task allocation. The key contribution lies in the integration of an adaptive distance field, created using the locking sweeping method (LSM), into the SAM. This integration enables the algorithm to determine the minimum practical sailing distance in obstacle-filled environments. The algorithm efficiently generates task execution sequences in cluttered maritime environments with numerous obstacles. By incorporating a safety parameter, the enhanced SAM algorithm adapts the dimensional influence of obstacles and generates paths that ensure the safety of the USV. The algorithms have been thoroughly evaluated and validated through extensive computer-based simulations, demonstrating their effectiveness in both simulated and practical maritime environments. The results of the simulations verify the algorithm’s capability to optimize task allocation and path planning, leading to improved performance in complex and obstacle-laden scenarios.

Novel synergy mechanism for carbon emissions abatement in shipping decarbonization

Greenhouse gas emissions lead to climate change, subjecting the maritime environment to severe threats. In response, globally, states and organizations are taking actions to decarbonize. In this context, this paper builds an evolutionary game analysis involving the government and shipping company under a governance framework with IMO, from a perspective of economic regulations, and explores how to establish a proper shipping decarbonization mechanism and implementation plans in the process of dynamic evolution. Based on a system dynamics simulation model, we analyzed how the cap-and-trade policy system, tax-and-subsidy policy system, and cooperative policy system perform in terms of shipping decarbonization and the role of IMO in shipping decarbonization. Our research proves that the cooperative system is more efficient and stable in decarbonization than singular economic regulations; static and dynamic implementation plans should be coordinated in different stages; and finally, IMO plays an active role in multi-agent coordinated controls.