Personnel Onboard Research Articles

Personnel Monitoring in Shipboard Surveillance Using Improved Multi-Object Detection and Tracking Algorithm.

Detecting and tracking personnel onboard is an important measure to prevent ships from being invaded by outsiders and ensure ship security. Ships are characterized by more cabins, numerous equipment, and dense personnel, so there are problems such as unpredictable personnel trajectories, frequent occlusions, and many small targets, which lead to the poor performance of existing multi-target-tracking algorithms on shipboard surveillance videos. This study conducts research in the context of onboard surveillance and proposes a multi-object detection and tracking algorithm for anti-intrusion on ships. First, this study designs the BR-YOLO network to provide high-quality object-detection results for the tracking algorithm. The shallow layers of its backbone network use the BiFormer module to capture dependencies between distant objects and reduce information loss. Second, the improved C2f module is used in the deep layer of BR-YOLO to introduce the RepGhost structure to achieve model lightweighting through reparameterization. Then, the Part OSNet network is proposed, which uses different pooling branches to focus on multi-scale features, including part-level features, thereby obtaining strong Re-ID feature representations and providing richer appearance information for personnel tracking. Finally, by integrating the appearance information for association matching, the tracking trajectory is generated in Tracking-By-Detection mode and validated on the self-constructed shipboard surveillance dataset. The experimental results show that the algorithm in this paper is effective in shipboard surveillance. Compared with the present mainstream algorithms, the MOTA, HOTP, and IDF1 are enhanced by about 10 percentage points, the MOTP is enhanced by about 7 percentage points, and IDs are also significantly reduced, which is of great practical significance for the prevention of intrusion by ship personnel.

Safety on automated passenger ships: Exploration of evacuation scenarios for coastal vessels

Many advancements are being made within the domain of autonomous shipping, motivating discussions of corresponding amendments to international safety regulations within the International Maritime Organization. Near-coastal passenger ferries are a form of sea traffic that has been the target of automation trials due to their short voyages and relatively protected waters of operation. This study investigated emergency evacuation from a range of such ships, covering both the current situation (focused on crew tasks, external rescue actors and interactions) and safety aspects that should be considered when automation brings about new work patterns, such as remote supervision and control. The study employed qualitative methods – interviews, field visits and a stakeholder workshop. Results give insight into ferry evacuation processes and challenges in their current form. In addition, results from the application of different automated evacuation scenarios suggest that more detailed studies are needed within the areas of remote operation situation awareness, remote operator and onboard personnel competencies, passenger safety information and communication, simple and robust evacuation equipment, technical means allowing assistance between autonomous and regular ships, and lastly, both procedures and interfaces for collaboration in a changing rescue network.

Design of an intelligent livestock transport vehicle to improve livestock welfare

Aiming at the problems such as poor transport environment and physical stress caused by harsh environment during long-distance transport of livestock, an intelligent livestock transport vehicle was designed to improve the welfare of livestock transport. The sensor installed in the carriage of the transport vehicle enables the on-board personnel to monitor the environment of the carriage in real time. Through humidifier, dehumidifier, refrigerator, oxygen generator to timely control the environment of the carriage. The intelligent transport vehicle improves the welfare of livestock, ensures the environmental protection and convenience in the transportation process, and improves the intelligent degree of livestock transport vehicles.

Digitalization and the Future of Employment: A Case Study on the Canadian Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Occupations

This paper presents a novel approach to identifying reskilling requirements, job merging pathways, and a tentative timeline for transforming offshore oil and gas drilling occupations amid the fourth industrial revolution (industry 4.0). The proposed algorithm focuses on potential job merging due to technological adoption. It introduces a scaling factor named digital readiness level to incorporate modulation factors (e.g., cost of development and deployment of new technologies, labour market dynamics, economic benefits, regulatory readiness, and social acceptance) that act as catalysts or hindrances for technology adoption. A feature-based approach is developed to assess the similarities between occupations, while a mathematical model is developed to project automation trajectories for each job under investigation. These facilitate the consideration of potential job merging scenarios and the associated timeline. Since technology adoption depends on the industry, region, occupation, and stakeholder’s ability to manage the transformation, the proposed algorithm is presented as a case study on Canadian offshore oil and gas drilling occupations. However, this algorithm and approach can be applied to other industries or occupation structures. The proposed algorithm projects that the total number of personnel on board (POB) in a typical offshore drilling platform will be reduced to six by 2058. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of the proposed algorithm against variations in the feature values and weighting factors. It was found that when changing feature values and weighting factors up to <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\pm 20\%$</tex-math> </inline-formula> of their original values, only one job that remains after 2058 follows three different job merging pathways, while others remain unchanged. Even the job that followed three different pathways was composed of the same source jobs compared to the corresponding job in the baseline results. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Note to Practitioners</i> —This research is inspired by the ongoing digital transformation initiatives and their socioeconomic impact. The adoption of digital technologies, such as automation, robotization, digital twins, data-driven decision-making systems, smart devices, and cloud computing technologies, gradually transform existing workplaces into digitally-enabled smart workplaces. Therefore, stakeholders must invest in training programs to reskill existing workforces and to orient prospective employees to work at these smart workplaces. If technology adoption occurs at a rapid or slower pace than workforce reformation, industries cannot gain the optimum benefit from their digital transformation initiatives. Also, human capital investments may not generate much benefit if technology adoption and workforce reformation occur at different rates. Therefore, this work presents a novel framework to predict future employment scenarios, particularly for the workers in offshore oil and gas drilling activities, along with a tentative timeline. Stakeholders can utilize the proposed framework to effectively plan the pace of technological adoption, future workforce transformation and human capital investments.

Technology Focus: Offshore Drilling and Completion (October 2023)

Optimizing and continually increasing efficiencies at every stage of the drilling and completion process are central themes in the papers showcased in this feature. Innovating our way through difficult times is what the oil and gas industry excels at, especially during challenging periods. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the offshore energy industry faced immense struggles with high upfront capital investment and long lead times in uncertain circumstances with extremely low oil prices. The challenges brought about by the pandemic served as a backdrop to many of these innovations. Companies were compelled to discover creative solutions to maintain efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure safety during an era of unprecedented disruption. Innovation in advanced analytics and machine-learning algorithms is used to optimize drilling-center locations, leading to cost reduction. This development became even more critical during the pandemic as companies aimed to maximize efficiency and minimize expenses. The execution of large-scale projects such as the Johan Sverdrup development highlights innovation in project management, enabling timely and cost-effective operations in a challenging environment. The emphasis on digital solutions and fiber-optic technology in Guyana’s offshore operations illustrates the industry’s adaptation to the pandemic by enabling remote operations and real-time data collection while maintaining efficiency in a new discovery. Innovations in riserless light well intervention systems are particularly relevant during the pandemic. These systems improved efficiency and safety for offshore interventions, enabling the industry to operate with minimal personnel onboard. The focus on well-planning strategies to overcome challenges in deep depleted reservoirs includes approaches that optimize drilling in complex conditions, which is crucial when efficiency is paramount. Retrofitting autonomous inflow control devices proved an effective approach in implementing state-of-the-art technology to improve reservoir sweep and productivity. Moving forward, this innovative spirit in our industry as seen in these papers is a testament to our resilience during challenging times. In the coming years, this ability to sustainably increase recovery efficiencies to ensure energy security is crucial to shaping the future of energy production. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 212499 4D Radar Imaging of Wellbore Geometry While Drilling by Lars Øy, Well ID, et al. OTC 30979 Guyana Operations and First Oil by Mike F. Ryan, ExxonMobil, et al. SPE 212915 Enhancing Riserless Light Well Intervention Operability From Operator Perspective by Michael Long Ge, BP, et al. SPE 214057 Challenges of Drilling Deep Wells in a Complex Overburden With Severe Depletion and Experiences From Caspian Sea by Anwar Juma Al Saadi, Dragon Oil, et al.

Compact and modular autonomous surface vehicle for water research: The Naval Operating Research Drone Assessing Climate Change (NORDACC)

Research, monitoring, and management of marine and aquatic ecosystems often require surface water samples to measure biogeochemical and optical parameters. Traditional sampling with a boat and several personnel onboard can be labor-intensive and safety requirements limit sampling activities in high-risk environments. This paper describes the Naval Operating Research Drone Assessing Climate Change (NORDACC). NORDACC is an open source, light-weight, and portable autonomous surface vehicle that can acquire surface water samples while also measuring sea surface temperature and salinity for the duration of its deployment. NORDACC is ideal for operations in remote areas where resources and personnel are limited. Two sample bottles, each one liter in volume, can be filled, either at pre-programmed sampling stations or manually, using the remote control. A trimaran design provides buoyancy and stability, with hulls constructed of vacuum-formed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic. NORDACC can navigate autonomously between waypoints and features first person view capabilities for enhanced situational awareness. NORDACC’s performance was validated in Aarhus Bay, Denmark, collecting multiple surface water samples in winds in excess of 8 ms−1 and steep, choppy waves.

Case Study: Remote Monitoring of a Solids-Management System in the UKCS

_ A well in the Southern North Sea was shut in due to clay and proppant production. Before it was shut in, it had been producing 1,199 B/D. The challenge presented by the operator was to clean out the well and reestablish production. The operator wanted to boost sustainability metrics and reduce emissions as much as possible. Adding further complexity to the project, the platform in use was a normally unmanned installation (NUI). This type of platform meant no crew could stay overnight and resulted in several new challenges being considered upfront. 1. Remote monitoring abilities were crucial. 2. A reliable, accurate information flow was key for planning workflow during the day. 3. The work window was reduced to 12 hours per day, so maintenance and the emptying of solids had to be carried out during the day. 4. Limited crane capacity was available for the rig-up and assembly. The above considerations, coupled with the ability to remove personnel on board (POB), the efficiency of solids handling, and compact footprint, meant the DualFlow 5K PSI desander was selected as the equipment of choice by the operator. Advance Planning A 7-week wellbore cleanup was planned to reinstate production while also removing the clay/proppant solids. During this time, the FourPhase team also monitored the well performance. Understanding the space constraints offshore was key. To kick off the project, a feasibility report was developed to capture basic well data, which included flow rates, oil/gas properties, pressure, temperature, expected solids production, and expected erosional rates. A site visit was arranged to identify laydown areas, pipework routing, connections, utilities, and rig-up possibilities. Simulations were also carried out to assess the flow and erosional performance and to ensure the planned work was within the operational window of the desander. By creating a 3D rig-up simulation in advance, it was determined that an efficient rig-up could be achieved. This stage also created logistical efficiencies, as accurate measurements for equipment and piping ensured that minimum excess material was shipped offshore. This approach further boosted the ESG metrics of the projects. Implementation The desander contains two patented, single-liner cyclones in one unit. As one vessel is isolated and flushed, production continues through the other, delivering a proven separation efficiency of 99.8% and a dynamic range of 20-μm to 10-mm solids up to 20,000 B/D and 20 MMscf/D. The result is continuous production and better asset management because the data allow early stages of erosion to be managed. Due to its design, it was uniquely able to tackle the specific challenges posed by this project. The system was monitored by the operator’s nearby control platform, where the well could be shut in if there was an emergency. The Operations and Technology Centre in Bergen, along with the FourPhase Aberdeen facilities, remotely monitored the system’s key operating parameters. From a POB perspective, the solution removed traditionally labor-intensive manual operations such as valve manipulation and flushing operations. These operations were run automatically or with a click of a button remotely. Removal of such operations directly reduced POB and associated emissions.

Prediction of dynamic responses for execution of marine operations using partitioning of multimodal directional wave spectra and machine learning regression models

Safe execution of marine operations (MOs) depends on accurate prediction of vessel dynamic responses, which are necessary to help a superintendent make on-board decisions. However, it can be challenging to conduct complex numerical simulations prior to execute a MO, especially at offshore sites characterized by complex wave conditions, i.e. multimodal directional (2D) wave spectra. In this context, this article introduces a methodology for assessing vessel dynamic responses using characteristics of actual 2D wave spectra and regression models from machine learning. First, a state-of-the-art algorithm is used for 2D spectra partitioning and spectral characterization (climate). This allows identifying wave systems that can occur at a study location, and their integral parameters. For that, a data set for the North Atlantic Ocean, spanning 36 years is used. Then, the main wave parameters of each wave system including significant wave height, peak period and peak direction, are used as features to train and test regression models from machine learning tool kits. Accurate predictions of dynamic responses were obtained with a “boosted trees” regression model considering all six long-term wave systems (18 features) detected at the site. These findings are valuable as new tools to help on-board personnel make safe and quick decisions.

An exploratory investigation of public perceptions towards autonomous urban ferries

Autonomous vessels are envisioned to enhance safety, improve environmental sustainability, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. With much effort directed towards merchant shipping, technical designs for urban ferries are also under development to facilitate smart mobility. Safety perceptions of such autonomous ferries are likely important drivers of the adoption of such novel technologies. Understanding the public’s perceived benefits and concerns can support policy makers and industry in implementing responsible risk governance and can have design and operational implications. This article explores this topic for a hypothetical autonomous urban ferry in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Through phone surveys and interviews, focus is on safety perceptions of different automation degrees, which are further explored in relation to selected population characteristics. Improved environmental performance is the most important perceived benefit, whereas safety is the most important concern. Overall, there is support for increased automation, but an on-board presence of qualified operators is considered important for safety and security related reasons. Remotely controlled ferries without onboard personnel or fully autonomous vessels are generally perceived as (very) unsafe. Men are slightly more favourable of increased automation than women, as are people with more digital knowledge and skills. Acknowledging several limitations of this exploratory study, of which the focus on older age groups in the studied population is the most significant, the findings suggest that understanding the public’s safety perceptions is important to ensure the successful design, implementation, and operation of autonomous urban, so that the envisaged benefits of these new systems can be achieved.

Technical reliability of shipboard technologies for the application of alternative fuels

BackgroundNaval traffic is highly dependent on depleting fossil resources and causes significant greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, marine transportation is a major backbone of world trade. Thus, alternative fuel concepts are highly needed. Different fuels such as ammonia, methanol, liquefied natural gas and hydrogen have been proposed. For some of them, first prototype vessels have been in operation. However, practical experience is still limited. Most studies so far focus on aspects such as efficiency and economics. However, particularly in marine applications, reliability of propulsion systems is of utmost importance, because failures on essential ship components at sea pose a huge safety risk. If the respective components lose their functionality, repair can be much more challenging due to large distances to dockyards and the complicated transport of spare parts to the ship. Consequently, evaluation of reliability should be a core element of system analysis for new marine fuels.ResultsIn this study, reliability was studied for four potential fuels. The analysis involved several steps: estimation of overall failure rates, identification of most vulnerable components and assessment of criticality by including severity of fault events. On the level of overall failure rate, ammonia is shown to be very promising. Extending the view over a pure failure rate-based evaluation shows that other approaches, such as LOHC or methanol, can be competitive in terms of reliability and risk. As different scenarios require different weightings of the different reliability criteria, the conclusion on the best technology can differ. Relevant aspects for this decision can be the availability of technical staff, high-sea or coastal operation, the presence of non-naval personnel onboard and other factors.ConclusionsThe analysis allowed to compare different alternative marine fuel concepts regarding reliability. However, the analysis is not limited to assessment of overall failure rates, but can also help to identify critical elements that deserve attention to avoid fault events. As a last step, severity of the individual failure modes was included. For the example of ammonia, it is shown that the decomposition unit and the fuel cell should be subject to measures for increasing safety and reducing failure rates.

Effect of submarine microclimate on respiratory physiology of submariners: An observational study

Introduction: A few personnel feel more tired staying and working inside submarine, as compared to ashore/outdoor spaces, or even onboard afloat platforms (ships). The microclimate onboard underwater platforms play a vital role in determining the respiratory physiology parameters of personnel onboard. There exists a felt need for deeper evidence in this regard. Aims and Objectives: This study is an effort to analyze if there exists any relationship between concentrations of respiratory gases (such as oxygen and carbon dioxide) and other parameters of submarine microclimate, on the respiratory physiology parameters (such as respiratory rate [RR] and SpO2) of personnel onboard underwater platforms. The difference in concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in exhaled air of personnel both inside and outside submarine was also studied. Any difference between smokers and nonsmokers regarding this parameter was also evaluated. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on thirty healthy volunteers posted onboard a submarine. Concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as also the exhaled air, were measured using a digital gas analyzer. Humidity, temperature, and oxygen saturation were measured using digital meters. The values both inside and outside were recorded and compared. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the temperature, humidity, and level of CO2 inside and outside the submarine. There was no statistically significant difference in level of oxygen in atmosphere, oxygen and carbon dioxide in exhaled air, RR, and SPO2 level inside and outside the submarine. Conclusion: The corrected effective temperature inside a submarine is to be measured periodically and maintained in the comfort zone. The level of CO2 should be maintained close to environmental levels.

Development of The E-Personal Safety Logbook (e-PSLB) Optimization Registration Process of Personnel Onboard FSRU

PT PGN LNG Indonesia (PGN LNG) aims to develop the LNG business that consists of natural gas liquefaction, LNG storage and shipment, and regasification to natural gas. Since July 2014, PGN LNG has been operating Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) which located 21km offshore from Lampung. In order to support PGN LNG operation on FSRU related to requirement of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) data of personnel onboard vessel, PGN LNG developed a system to mitigate potential hazards and risk that called Personal Safety Logbook (PSLB). PSLB consist of personnel data of identity, basic sea survival certificate, and health. Since July 2014 to December 2016 registration of PSLB data done manually by collecting registration paper filled by applicant and approved by management. Based on the evaluation conducted by management, it showed implementation of manual registration requires long approval time. In this case, PGN LNG require system that reduces approval time and provides comprehensive information. In July 2016, Department HSSE has been developed an online e-PSLB Application that started to be implemented in January 2017. Until December 2019 it has already done 846 PSLB submissions with an average 282 per year. Based on the analysis of the data, it showed that if still using manual PSLB Registration in the period of January 2017 until December 2019 it is required total cost of Rp.333,630,000 in three years. Whereas when compared with the use of e-PSLB within same period, it is required a total cost of Rp176,846,741. In addition, reviewed from the completion duration of one Manual PSLB takes 3 hours 15 minutes, while e-PSLB only takes 45 minutes. Therefore, based on the results of the analysis of e-PSLB proved effective and efficient in assisting operation excellence of PGN LNG.

Implementation and Evaluation of Tactical Combat Casualty Care for Army Aviators.

The importance of developing military strategies to decrease preventable death by mitigating hemorrhage and reducing time between the point of injury and surgical intervention on the battlefield is highlighted in previous studies. Successful implementation of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) throughout elements of the USA and allied militaries begins to address this need. However, TCCC implementation is neither even nor complete in the larger, conventional force. Army Aviators are at risk for preventable death as they do not receive prehospital care training and are challenged to render prehospital care in the austere environment of helicopter operations. Army aviators are at risk for preventable death due to the challenges to render prehospital care in the austere environment of helicopter operations. Helicopters often fly at low altitudes, engage in direct action in support of ground troops, operate at a great distance from medical facilities, typically do not have medical personnel onboard, and can have long wait times for medical evacuation services due to the far forward nature of helicopter operations. This is a quality improvement pre-post-intervention design study evaluating the implementation of a combat casualty care training program for Army aviators using well-established evidence-based guidelines for providing care to casualties on the battlefield. The evaluation consisted of participants' self-perceived confidence in providing care to a casualty and change in knowledge level in combat casualty care in a pre/post-intervention design. Clinical skills of tourniquet application, nasopharyngeal airway placement, and needle chest decompression were assessed on a pass/fail grading standard. A total of 18 participants completed the pre- and post-education surveys. A paired t-test showed a statistically significant increase in total composite scores from pre (M=24.67, SD=5.06) to post-education self-efficacy (M=37.94, SD=2.10), t (17)=-11.29, p<0.001. A paired t-test revealed a significant increase in exam scores from pre (M=70.22, SD=9.43) to post (M=87.78, SD=7.19), t (17)=-7.31, p<0.001. There was no pre-intervention skills assessment, however, all participants (n=18, 100%) passed the tourniquet application, needle chest compression, and insertion of nasopharyngeal airway. TCCC for Army Aviators is easily implemented, demonstrates an increase in knowledge and confidence in providing prehospital care, and provides effective scenario-based training of necessary psychomotor skills needed to reduce preventable death on the battlefield. TCCC for Army Aviators effectively takes the TCCC for All Combatants curriculum and modifies it to address the unique considerations in treating wounded aviators and passengers, both in flight and after crashes. This project demonstrates on a small scale how TCCC can be tailored to specific military jobs in order to successfully meet the intent of the upcoming All Service Member TCCC course mandated in DoD 1322.24. Beyond Army aviation, this program is easily modifiable for aviators throughout the military and civilian sector.

Testing the Process of Evacuation from the Passenger Aircraft with the Use of Computer Simulation

Aim: The main aim of the study was to investigate the possibility to use the Pathfinder simulation software to determine the duration of an evacuation and to plan its course for various scenarios of evacuation organisation, for specific profiles and behaviours of passengers and on-board personnel, and for a specific geometrical arrangement of the passenger cabin of a selected passenger aircraft. In addition, the paper discusses selected factors that affect the evacuation from the passenger aircraft. Project and methods: The Pathfinder software used in the research has the graphical interface to create an evacuation simulation model (2D and 3D) as well as tools to visualise the results. Pathfinder is based on artificial intelligence algorithms, in which each passenger has a number of individual features that can influence his/her movements and decisions during the simulation. The simulation of people's movement is determined by their profiles and behaviours, the parameters of which can be entered by means of probability distributions, which makes it possible to take into account the stochastic nature of the evacuation process. Results: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was selected for the study, for which six options for simulating the evacuation of 252 passengers and eight members of on-board personnel were conducted. The shortest evacuation time was achieved by changing the even distribution of the number of passengers to the individual emergency exits, thus avoiding congestions in sensitive areas of the passenger cabin. The increase in passengers' maximum speed has paradoxically increased evacuation times, as it has increased the intensity of passenger collisions. It was found that one of the key issues affecting the timing of an evacuation is the proper organisation of the evacuation by on-board personnel, who, by guiding passengers through the geometrically most advantageous passageways, results in the fastest possible evacuation. The simulations in variants five and six have achieved satisfactory evacuation times, which are within the emergency aircraft evacuation time limit required in a certification process. Conclusions: The presented simulation models, the results obtained, and the wide range of possibilities of three-dimensional visualisation of research results give a rational basis for the use of Pathfinder software for testing the evacuation process and thus: for the usage in the aircraft design process, for preparing aircrafts for tests, for shaping evacuation procedures, for on-board personnel training and for air accident investigation.

Atmospheric turbulence detection by PCA approach

By detecting the severe meteorological situations on flight route, airborne weather radar (WXR) can ensure the safety of the aircraft and on-board personnel. Among these critical weather conditions, atmospheric turbulence is one of the main factors that affect flight safety. Atmospheric turbulence detection method that the current WXR adopts mainly is the pulse pair processing (PPP) method, which estimates Doppler spectrum width of weather target echo and compares it with a threshold to determine whether this weather target is turbulence or not. PPP method is simple and easy to implement, but the performance of this method under the condition of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is poor. In this paper, we propose a new turbulence detection method based on the principal component analysis (PCA) approach. This new method uses PCA approach to preprocess the weather target echo and divides it into two parts: the principal component part as signal and the rest part as noise, so as to realize the de-noising function of PCA approach, and it is then combined with PPP method to estimate the spectrum width. Due to the good de-noising performance of PCA approach, this new method improves the detection performance of traditional PPP method especially under the condition of low SNR.

Ice crushing forces on offshore structures: Global effective pressures and the ISO 19906 design equation

Failures of offshore structures in ice covered waters carry high consequences for onboard personnel, the environment, and the economy. To avoid these consequences designs must address one of the most severe loading scenarios: the crushing of level ice sheets against a structure. Unfortunately, the ability to accurately predict global effective pressures is impeded by the complexity of the ice crushing process. Ice crushing, and the resulting effective pressure, is influenced by a number of parameters. Currently, ISO 19906 provides an equation for engineers to use in predicting these pressures. This equation incorporates the consideration of the aspect ratio, region specific ice properties and the ice thickness. This paper uses the format of the ISO 19906 equation to provide an exploration into how ice-structure interaction parameters influence global effective pressures. Full-scale loading data, empirical studies and theory are utilized. Additionally, the scope of this study is limited to level ice interactions with vertical or near-vertical faced structures. The ISO 19906 equation is determined to provide a reasonable empirical consideration of aspect ratio effects. However, an improved ability to quantify the aspect ratio effect is thought to be achievable in the future. Freezing degree days (FDD) are shown to support variations in the relative severity of ice pressures across different regions and ice seasons. Still, further statistical support is required in order to associate FDD based ice strength coefficients with specific return periods. Lastly, a multivariate analysis of the ice thickness and temperature effect is conducted. The validity of a linear relationship with the inverse square root of the ice thickness (h−0.5) is strongly supported. Furthermore, it is strengthened when a linear relationship with measured temperatures is also considered.

Telemedicine Services for the Arctic: A Systematic Review.

BackgroundTelemedicine services have been successfully used in areas where there are adequate infrastructures such as reliable power and communication lines. However, despite the increasing number of merchants and seafarers, maritime and Arctic telemedicine have had limited success. This might be linked with various factors such as lack of good infrastructure, lack of trained onboard personnel, lack of Arctic-enhanced telemedicine equipment, extreme weather conditions, remoteness, and other geographical challenges.ObjectiveThe purpose of this review was to assess and analyze the current status of telemedicine services in the context of maritime conditions, extreme weather (ie, Arctic weather), and remote accidents and emergencies. Moreover, the paper aimed to identify successfully implemented telemedicine services in the Arctic region and in maritime settings and remote emergency situations and present state of the art systems for these areas. Finally, we identified the status quo of telemedicine services in the context of search and rescue (SAR) scenarios in these extreme conditions.MethodsA rigorous literature search was conducted between September 7 and October 28, 2015, through various online databases. Peer reviewed journals and articles were considered. Relevant articles were first identified by reviewing the title, keywords, and abstract for a preliminary filter with our selection criteria, and then we reviewed full-text articles that seemed relevant. Information from the selected literature was extracted based on some predefined categories, which were defined based on previous research and further elaborated upon via iterative brainstorming.ResultsThe initial hits were vetted using the title, abstract, and keywords, and we retrieved a total of 471 papers. After removing duplicates from the list, 422 records remained. Then, we did an independent assessment of the articles and screening based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, which eliminated another 219 papers, leaving 203 relevant papers. After a full-text assessment, 36 articles were left, which were critically analyzed. The inter-rater agreement was measured using Cohen Kappa test, and disagreements were resolved through discussion.ConclusionsDespite the increasing number of fishermen and other seafarers, Arctic and maritime working conditions are mainly characterized by an absence of access to health care facilities. The condition is further aggravated for fishermen and seafarers who are working in the Arctic regions. In spite of the existing barriers and challenges, some telemedicine services have recently been successfully delivered in these areas. These services include teleconsultation (9/37, 24%), teleradiology (8/37, 22%), teledermatology and tele-education (3/37, 8%), telemonitoring and telecardiology (telesonography) (1/37, 3%), and others (10/37, 27%). However, the use of telemedicine in relation to search and rescue (SAR) services is not yet fully exploited. Therefore, we foresee that these implemented and evaluated telemedicine services will serve as underlying models for the successful implementation of future search and rescue (SAR) services.

Fire impact assessment in FLNG processing facilities using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Increasing demand for natural gas has pushed the exploration of natural gas to remote offshore locations using a Floating LNG (FLNG) facility. In this facility, fire hazards are comparatively high and even a single fire accident may be catastrophic due to the congested and complex layout of the facility. This study proposes a novel methodology for modelling the impact of a fire event in an FLNG facility. Hazard identification and accident credibility assessment have been used to discover the three most credible fire accident scenarios. These scenarios have been simulated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code, Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS). The results have then been compared to identify the most severe impact of the fire on personnel and assets using thermal radiation and risk levels. It has been found that the fire event in all three scenarios has a high potential to cause damage to adjacent assets. From this comparison, it is evident that the scenario in the Mixed Refrigerant Module in the liquefaction process has the highest risk of fire to both on-board personnel and assets. The proposed methodology may be adopted further for safety measure design to mitigate or avoid the impacts of a fire event in any complex processing facility.

Enhancing offshore process safety by selecting fatigue critical piping locations for inspection using Fuzzy-AHP based approach

Topside piping is the single largest source of the hydrocarbon releases (HCRs) on the offshore oil and gas (OOG) platforms in the North Sea region. Consequently, if the leaked hydrocarbons from the process pipework are ignited, it may lead to a catastrophic event, thereby causing significant economic losses, environmental damage, and posing serious threat to the safety of the onboard personnel. In order to avert such a fateful event and to enhance process safety, it is vital to maintain the technical integrity of the topside piping. In regard to this, risk based inspection (RBI) plays a vital role, as the inspection locations and frequency are decided based on the risk of potential failure. However, international standards such as API 570, API 581 and DNV RP-G101 provide limited guidance in regard to inspection of the fatigue degradation of the offshore topside piping. Due to the aforementioned, selection of the fatigue critical piping locations for inspection, is currently done either on the ad-hoc basis or using the three staged Risk Assessment Process (RAP) mentioned in the Energy Institute (EI) guidelines. Nevertheless, it has been revealed that the methodology for stage 1 of the RAP is laborious and time consuming. Thus, to reduce the toil of the practicing inspection engineer and with the aim of mitigating the dearth of RBI methodologies for topside piping fatigue, this manuscript proposes a Fuzzy-Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) centered approach for selecting the fatigue critical piping locations for inspection and repair. The usability of the proposed approach is demonstrated by an illustrative case study.

Information Systems for Cooperation in Operational Train Traffic Control

The operational phase in train traffic control is very complex and dynamic. Many different actors are involved. The traffic control organization is complex in itself and consists internally of different roles in different parts of the organization, such as dispatchers, signallers, regional and national coordinators etc. The railway companies, railway undertakings, have their own complex organization and systems. Train drivers and on-board personnel are involved in driving and support of passengers. Passengers and other customers require precise information. Today there are no information or control systems that support efficient coordination of actions and cooperation between actors. Systems for common access to central information, such as the current traffic plan, do not normally exist. The result is non-optimal performance and difficulties to handle perturbations and disruptions. We have studied new principles for traffic control and developed support systems based on the principle ‘control by operational re-planning’ of a continuously updated real-time traffic plan (RTTP). This concept also includes the use of automation, but only in a way that cannot reduce skills, situation awareness or the possibilities to handle all such situations that automation are not designed for. Support systems for traffic controllers have been developed and evaluated and found to be useful in both normal and disturbed traffic situations. Studies have indicated that today's driver advisory systems provide too little information, e.g. only a speed advice, and do not improve drivers’ skills or their situation awareness. In a research project, a prototype for a new driver advisory system has been developed, in cooperation with a group of experienced drivers.