Port Activities Research Articles

Integrated Application of Innovative Technologies for Oil Spill Remediation in Gran Tarajal Harbor: A Scientific Approach

This study examines recovery efforts at Gran Tarajal Harbor following a significant oil spill, employing a combination of innovative technologies tailored to enhance oil spill remediation. Cleanup operations incorporated advanced absorbent sponges with high reusability, absorbent granulates for targeted hydrocarbon capture, bioremediation techniques using allochthonous microorganisms to accelerate natural degradation processes, and the integration of newly designed oil containment barriers coupled with sponges. These technologies were instrumental in effectively mitigating environmental damage, as evidenced by a reduction in hydrocarbon concentrations in sediments from nearly 60,000 mg/kg to under 1600 mg/kg within seven months. Notably, advanced absorbent sponges demonstrated superior capacity for repeated use, optimizing the cleanup process and contributing to the sustainability of the response efforts. The most important finding of this research is the demonstrated efficacy of integrated approach in not only reducing hydrocarbon contamination but also in promoting ecological recovery. Heavy metal analyses revealed that lead and copper concentrations were primarily associated with routine port activities, while mercury levels, attributed to the spill, decreased significantly over time. Tissue analysis of local organisms showed minimal contamination, and assessments of biological communities indicated signs of ecological recovery. This work highlights the necessity of introduce new disruptive technologies in contingency plans.

Impact Assessment of Ports and Effluent Discharge on Macrobenthic Communities in Indian Coastal Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Review

ABSTRACTThe burgeoning industrialization and urbanization along the Indian coastline have led to an increased prevalence of port infrastructure and effluent discharge, raising concerns about their potential impact on the delicate macrobenthic communities in coastal ecosystems. This comprehensive review aims to evaluate and synthesize existing literature on the ecological repercussions of port activities and effluent discharge on macrobenthic organisms in Indian coastal regions. The study encompasses a thorough analysis of relevant research articles, government reports, and scientific databases, focusing on diverse ecosystems such as estuaries, mangroves, and open coastlines. The review discusses the various stressors associated with port operations, including dredging, habitat alteration, and chemical contamination from effluent discharge. Furthermore, it explores the response mechanisms of macrobenthic communities, encompassing changes in species composition, abundance, and diversity. Special attention is given to the potential long‐term impacts on ecosystem functioning and services. The synthesis of available data enables the identification of knowledge gaps and the formulation of recommendations for future research and management strategies. Understanding the cumulative effects of port activities on macrobenthic communities is crucial for developing sustainable practices and policies to mitigate adverse impacts while fostering the resilience of coastal ecosystems in the face of anthropogenic pressures. This review contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the ecological consequences of human activities in Indian coastal areas, providing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and environmental managers alike.

Importance of tides and winds in influencing the nonstationary behaviour of coastal currents in offshore Singapore

Abstract. Coastal currents significantly impact port activities, coastal landform morphodynamics, and ecosystem functioning. It is therefore necessary to understand the physical characteristics and natural variability of these currents within coastal settings. Traditional methods, such as harmonic analysis, assume stationarity of tide-driven currents and may thus not be applicable to systems modulated by variable nontidal inputs and processes. Here we deployed eight tilt current meters in shallow (< 5 m) coral reef environments in southern Singapore. Tilt current meters were positioned around the reefs at the main compass bearings to analyse the spatiotemporal variability of coastal currents in the frequency domain for 1 year (March 2018 to March 2019). Tidal motions were the primary mechanism of current flow on reefs and account for between 14 % and 45 % of total variance across all sites, with diurnal currents having either a similar or greater proportion of energy compared to semidiurnal currents. The relationship between currents and wind stress was then investigated across various frequencies. There is high correlation at low frequencies during the northeast monsoon, when the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) is more active, thus generating currents that propagate either in phase or ahead of the MJO. At diurnal frequencies, the interaction between P1 and K1 results in a semi-annual cycle where currents are stronger during the monsoon seasons. This interaction could help to explain the seasonal variation in correlation as well as the K1 amplitude, the latter of which could be further enhanced by the diurnal wind stress. The phase relationship between currents and wind stress is highly complex due to the variable bathymetry and could only be partially accounted for by the orientation of the coastlines relative to that of the wind. Given the importance of wind, we thus require longer time-series datasets to examine the role of atmospheric phenomena at greater timescales to improve our understanding of the variability of coastal currents.

THE CHALLENGE OF BENCHMARKING CARBON EMISSIONS IN MARITIME PORTS

The carbon footprint of ports is an essential step in understanding the most impactful activities in ports and designing reduction strategies to comply with the ambitious target set up by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of cutting GHG emissions by 50% until 2050 (compared to 2008 levels). Acknowledging the importance of decarbonization, several ports have started to report their carbon emissions in recent years. However, currently, there is not a commonly acknowledged approach to quantify the carbon footprint of ports, making the benchmarking of ports that is the main goal of this paper, a challenging task. The focus is on the topmost polluting European ports, although other major ports outside Europe are also considered. Results show that considering only GHG emissions controlled by port authorities (Scope 1) and emissions related to purchased electricity by port authorities (Scope 2), the carbon footprint of EU ports ranges from 0.017 kg CO2 eq./tonne to 1.27 kg CO2 eq./tonne. When, in addition, indirect emissions from sources not owned or controlled by port authorities (Scope 3) are considered, then the range of values varies from 2.0 to 5.4 kg CO2 eq./tonne. Moreover, results show that Scope 3 is usually neglected in the inventory of emissions of ports due mainly to the complexity of setting the boundaries and extensive data collection. However, when emissions associated with vessels are considered, the contribution of Scope 3 becomes dominant, with shares higher than 97%. Finally, given the importance of having consistent benchmarks for the carbon footprint of ports, this paper further suggests the need for adopting a standardized approach to calculate the carbon footprint of ports.

A Conceptual Model for Automation of Small Ports

Abstract For large ports and terminals, the loading and discharge operations have to a great extent been automated already. However, for the vast number of small ports, for instance all Norwegian ports, this large-scale automation is not possible due to the small size of the ports compared to the cost of introducing full automation. Still, these small ports are important logistics hubs in the transport system. They facilitate the shift from congested roads to the sea by allowing the goods to arrive closer to the final destination by using smaller, possibly autonomous, vessels. However, this puts pressure on the ports to facilitate reduced laytime in the port, to increase the port efficiency and to improve interoperability towards hinterland systems and terminals. For small ports, this means that manual and automated work processes need to exist side by side, and that it will be important to get an overview of which processes to automate and which will remain manual, in addition to the handling of the hand-over between humans and automation. This paper describes a conceptual model that can be used by small ports as a starting point on their way to introduce automation of their services supporting the cargo flow through the port. The model includes a description of port functions, tasks and responsibilities and use the concept of operational envelope to define the overall capabilities of the system, including both automation and human. This will be the starting point for how to structure the description of an operation centre that monitor and control the maritime terminal operations. The starting point for this work is a use case analysis performed in some small ports in Norway, and their need to optimize the utilization of their assets. The work is done as part of the AutoPort project which is a research project funded by the Norwegian Research Council (project number 337211). The goal of this work is to describe a methodology on how to identify the interface between automation and human operators when it comes to small ports and the movement of cargo through its terminals, and by this give a description on how different levels of automation can be implemented. The methodology consists of several steps, including definition of the context (big picture of the use case, actors and their roles, and communication), the scenario (port activities and processes), and the use cases including the control tasks performed by the automated systems.

Effect of Port Activities and Urban Discharge on Water Quality in the Port of Oran, Western Algeria

Effect of Port Activities and Urban Discharge on Water Quality in the Port of Oran, Western Algeria

Assessment of Essential Trace Elements Cu, Zn, Mn, and Ni in Mediterranean Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Algerian Coast.

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of essential trace elements copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel in two size groups of mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, sampled from three sites along the Algerian coast with different levels of pollution. The results of this work are very interesting for determining the effect of mussel size on the variation of contaminant levels in environmental monitoring studies. Thirty individuals from 2 size groups, less than 4-cm and more than 4-cm shell length, were collected over 4 seasons at each site studied. The samples were dissected, and copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel were measured in the whole soft tissues by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The maximum concentrations of copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel expressed in mg/kg dry weight at the three sites were 54.01, 146.25, 20.69, and 8.85, respectively. A clear distribution pattern of the studied elements was observed in the two size classes. In fact, significantly higher concentrations (P < 0.05) were found in individuals with a shell length of less than 4 cm. Significantly, higher concentrations (P < 0.05) were found in individuals with a shell length of less than 4 cm due to their high filtration and low excretion activities compared to long individuals. In addition, metal pollution index (MPI) values were higher in small bivalve individuals. The trace element contents found in the mussel samples of the present study showed large spatial and temporal variations among the different sites studied, highlighting the typical exposure of marine sites to different marine pollutants. Notably, elevated concentrations of copper were observed in the port of Zemmouri, likely due to port activities. Conversely, the highest levels of manganese and nickel were recorded at Boudouaou El Bahri, potentially attributable to the use of fertilisers by agricultural activities. Some shellfish samples had exceeded the permissible concentration levels of copper and manganese, thereby posing a danger to bivalve consumers.

Seismic performance assessment of pile supported wharves with seismic isolation system considering pile-soil interaction

Pile-Supported Wharves (PSW) are critical for maritime operations but are highly vulnerable to seismic events, which can disrupt port activities. Previous seismic events have highlighted that short free length piles in wharf structures are particularly prone to earthquake damage. This paper aims to mitigate damage between the wharf deck and piles connections by adopting the seismic isolation systems. Conventional Wharf (CW) and Isolated Wharf (IW) structures were comprehensively assessed, focusing on Pile-Soil Interaction (PSI), using the finite element software OpenSees for advanced numerical simulations. Non-Linear Time History Analysis (NLTHA) of CW and IW has been conducted to verify the design under Contingency Level Earthquake (CLE) and Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE) scenarios. The analysis aims to enhance the performance of short free length piles within the IW structure. Comparative analysis of fragility curves between CW and IW structures shows that isolation systems significantly reduce seismic fragility by 49%, 60%, and 67% at the MCE level for minimal damage, control & repairable damage and life safety protection across three performance levels, respectively. These findings indicate that the implementation of isolation measures has significantly enhanced the seismic performance and safety of PSW structures.

Uncovering sediment pollution sources: A comparative assessment of two South African Estuaries

Richards Bay Harbour is South Africa's largest and busiest deep-water port by tonnage, and this ongoing shipping and port activities will expectedly result in metal contamination issues. The adjacent Mhlathuze Estuary is a nature reserve with a long history with Richards Bay Harbour and may be prone to metal contamination from multiple sources. The study investigates the sources of contaminated sediments in these two South African estuaries arising from their proximity to various anthropogenic activities. Investigating these sources of contamination is crucial for developing effective pollution control strategy since Richards Bay Harbour and Mhlathuze Estuary are regarded as estuaries of national conservation importance in South Africa. To provide further insights, sediment samples were acid digested and quantified for metal concentrations using Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Multivariate (SIMPROF and cluster) analysis was used to identify how sampling sites in Richards Bay Harbour and Mhlathuze Estuary were grouped based on sediment metal concentrations. Results of pollution load index for Richards Bay Harbour showed site 4 to be heavily polluted, while site 3 in Mhlathuze Estuary showed moderate pollution. Multivariate analysis (SIMPROF and cluster) further revealed sites related to anthropogenic activities and those that were unpolluted. Engaging this advanced analysis enhanced the ability to delineate potential pollution sources and further helped in the identification of the main contributors to sediment pollution. The findings indicate that port and industrial activities are the major contributors to sediment contamination at the estuaries. The results provide specific insights into the sources of pollution, informing targeted environmental management and policy-making efforts to protect and improve the estuarine environments.

Optimal distributed energy scheduling for port microgrid system considering the coupling of renewable energy and demand

The increased uptake of distributed renewable energy in port areas is facilitating the electrification and net zero transition of marine ports. Effective operation that considers unique characteristics of the port is critical to minimize the operating cost in the port microgrid (PMG). In this paper, we propose a joint scheduling method that considers the impact of tidal patterns on the period and intensity of port operations. The method takes advantage of the strong correlations between renewable energy (solar, wind and tidal) and multi-class load to support the PMG operator in determining the most cost-effective scheduling of energy supply and flexible loads during port activities. Additionally, the traditional centralized operation is vulnerable to local failures, and distributed operation for hundreds of energy units will result in significant computational burden, neither of which is suitable for the PMG operation. Our work decouples the PMG system based on the port functions and thus decomposes the PMG operation into a few subproblems. Then, we hierarchically solve the primal and dual problems by a distributed algorithm. Simulation results illustrate the benefits of tidal energy in the renewable generation mix. Furthermore, the proposed method achieves cost reductions of 12.4% and 21.7% under two different tidal patterns.

Refining maritime Automatic Speech Recognition by leveraging synthetic speech

Maritime transport serves as a critical component of global trade and logistics, enabling the movement of goods and resources across oceans and waterways. Especially in busy waterways and ports, effective and accurate communication is essential, as it ensures the seamless exchange of information and the coordinated execution of port activities. However, comprehensibility is often hindered by factors such as poor audio quality, background noise, and diverse languages and accents. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems can mitigate these issues by providing real-time transcription and enabling the implementation of automated, value-adding services to enhance situational awareness. While pre-trained ASR models excel on general speech, maritime ASR faces unique challenges due to a lack of annotated data, diverse accents, and specialized terminology.To this end, we focus on improving the transcription quality of pre-trained ASR models for maritime communication with a particular focus on accurately recognizing maritime-specific terminology such as vessel and location names. Due to the scarcity of transcribed maritime communication, we create a synthetic training dataset tailored to regional maritime terminology. The synthetic audio is augmented with general human speech and used to fine-tune an end-to-end ASR model under various settings. The evaluation of the models employs a proprietary dataset of regional maritime radio communication from the port of Hamburg.The experimental results demonstrate a notable enhancement in ASR performance. Specifically, our approach yields an absolute improvement over the pre-trained baseline of 13.46% Word-Error-Rate and an increase of 41.57% recall for vessel names and 38.65% recall for locations. Our findings underscore the efficacy of integrating synthetic training data to address the challenges encountered in maritime ASR, paving the way for more robust and accurate speech recognition systems tailored to maritime applications.

Environmental Aspects and Impacts of Porto Seco: the Case of the Largest Dry Port in Latin America, Located in Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil)

Objective: This work aims to present and describe the process of identifying and classifying environmental aspects in a Brazilian dry port. Theoretical Framework: The Climate Change Adaptation Strategies aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increase the share of renewable energy in total energy production and increase the energy efficiency. Unfortunately, road-based dry ports increase heavy truck congestion, energy consumption and, inherently, GHG emissions. Method: The general approach includes a literature review on the importance of managing environmental aspects and impacts in dry ports, followed by the description of the holistic procedure that involves the inventory of port activities linked to environmental aspects, the Leopold matrix and specialized knowledge about the local context (e.g., compliance with law, regional climate change adaptation strategy, stakeholder concerns) to perform the classification. Results and Discussion: The results showed that atmospheric emissions, noise and resource consumption are among the most significant environmental aspects of dry port. The absence of a railway that enables a multimodal transport system and the fact that the port is located in the city center constitute a disadvantage that worsens road congestion and air emissions, since the train would reduce GHG emissions. Research Implications: The work contributes to the planning and management of the activities of Foz do Iguaçu Dry Port considering environmental aspects and impacts, direct and indirect, from a holistic perspective. Originality/Value: The work presents a ranking of the environmental aspects and impacts of dry port to help defining priority actions in light of climate change strategies.

FAKTOR PERAN SYAHBANDAR DALAM MELAKSANAKAN PENGAWASAN, PEMERIKSAAN DAN PEMBERIAN SURAT PERSETUJUAN BERLAYAR TERHADAP KESELAMATAN PELAYARAN

Sea transportation is one of these modes of transportation, in addition to having a role as a means of transportation nationally, it can reach all regions through waters so that it can support, encourage and drive the growth of regions that have great natural resource potential in an effort to improve and distribute development and its results. In accordance with the function of the harbormaster's duty to supervise the seaworthiness of the ship which includes safety, se curity and security at the port. In this case, the port plays an important role in the port system, both in shipping, law enforcement and in all port activities. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the independent variables, namely supervision, inspection, and the granting of a Sailing Approval Letter, for the dependent variable of shipping safety. The population in this study were all crew members and employees of the ships docked in May at the port of Padangbai and the sample in this study was 100 respondents with the technique used was a non-probability sampling technique, namely by using quota sampling, Kouta sampling was a technique to determine the sample. from a population that has certain characteristics to the desired number (quota). The analytical method used is descriptive analysis and quantitative analysis, the data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis with the help of (Software) Statistical Package For Social Science (SPSS). The results of the research by testing the hypothesis indicate that the variables of Supervision, Inspection, and Granting of Sailing Approval Letters are positive and significant for Shipping Safety in the Class IV Port Authority and Harbormaster Office Area Padangbai Port. Based on the results of the study, it can be seen that the research model of the multiple linear regression equation is Y=2,898+0,436X1+0,214X2+0,189X3+ µ. From the regression results, it can be seen that the most dominant variable affecting shipping safety is the supervision variable with a regression coefficient of 0.436. With the r square test of 0.526 or 52.6% which means that the increase in shipping safety in the KSOP class IV Padangbai area is influenced by supervision, inspection and granting of approval letters which is 52.6% and other factors that affect the improvement of shipping safety in the areas served by KSOP Class IV Padangbai by 47.4%.

S-BESE: Strategy for Improving the Quality of Life for Coastal Area Communities in West Kalimantan

The coastal area of West Kalimantan has a wealth of marine and river fishery resources that have the potential to be utilized optimally, including fishing, conservation, port activities, marine cultivation, coastal tourism, and water. Various problems in coastal areas that need to be prioritized to provide solutions include the occurrence of illegal fishing, damage to coral reef ecosystems and mangroves, coastal abrasion, not yet optimal development of ponds where utilization only reaches 40% of their potential, natural disasters which result in increased poverty and ecosystem damage, as well as the growth of corruption and injustice. The number of people living in poverty has been steadily increasing at an average rate of 6.86% over the past three years, reaching 353,350 individuals in 2023. This research aims to develop coastal areas, creating local economic development innovations to reduce poverty, unemployment, and inequality and preserve natural resources. The method developed in this study was carried out descriptively and qualitatively by developing an in-depth analysis through SWOT. The results provide solutions for improvements and innovations, which include implementing a blue economy by utilizing the modernization of fishing gear, developing a paradigm shift from land to water resources, and producing garbage filters in rivers so they do not wash away into the sea. This study will improve the quality of life economically and socially while maintaining the ecology in coastal areas.

Assessing the resilience of coral reefs against macroalgae invasion in the Sempu Island Nature Reserve, Malang District, Indonesia

Abstract. Isdianto A, Yorarizka PD, Aliviyanti D, Sari SHJ, Yanuar AT, Asadi MA, Setyanto A, Bintoro G, Lelono TD, Atikawati D, Fathah AL, Putri BM, Supriyadi, Luthfi OM. 2024. Assessing the resilience of coral reefs against macroalgae invasion in the Sempu Island Nature Reserve, Malang District, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 2877-2887. The living coral cover in the Sempu Strait is known to be stuck in the range of 37% due to average data from 2009-2016. Several coral diseases have been documented in this region, which can result in the transformation of coral reefs into algae-dominated communities. This study examines the dynamic interplay between coral reefs and macroalgae within the marine ecosystems of the Sempu Island Nature Reserve, Malang District, Indonesia. Conducted across five research stations, our analysis utilized the Underwater Photo Transect (UPT) method, combined with image analysis tools CPCe and Image-J, and statistical analysis through SPSS. The findings indicate a persistent competition between corals and macroalgae, exacerbated by sedimentation from port activities and river discharges, and significant nutrient loads from human settlements. The average living coral coverage varied significantly, with a range from 12% to 53% across the study period, while macroalgae coverage showed an increase, especially in turf algae. The correlation analysis revealed a 'quite strong' relationship (r=0.783 between coral and macroalgae coverage, suggesting that increases in coral cover could potentially facilitate macroalgae proliferation under current environmental conditions. Notably, the study highlighted the critical role of water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, and salinity, which were within optimal ranges yet facilitated competitive interactions. This research underscores the complexity of coral-macroalgae relationships and the pressing need for integrated management strategies focusing on water quality and habitat preservation to ensure the resilience of these critical marine ecosystems.

The Environmental Impact of Port Activities at the Manila North Harbor: A Qualitative Investigation

The Environmental Impact of Port Activities at the Manila North Harbor: A Qualitative Investigation

Probabilistic assessment of climate-related impacts and risks in ports

Port activities are crucial for sustained, long-term economic growth, serving as the primary nodes for importing and exporting goods within global supply chains. Given their coastal locations, ports are inherently exposed to climate hazards, such as waves and extreme sea levels, requiring large investments in resilient infrastructure. This study introduces an innovative methodology for assessing climate-related impacts and risks in ports, applicable to both existing and new constructions. This approach aims to facilitate climate-informed decision-making and enhance the management of coastal structures and ports under high uncertainty. The methodology’s novelty resides in: (1) the development of a port-specific risk framework capable of estimating impacts from both extreme events and daily conditions; (2) the integration of the latest advancements in nearshore climate hazard modeling; (3) the application of high-resolution tools for accurately simulating wave propagation towards harbor basins and the interaction between waves and structures; (4) the probabilistic determination of failure modes and operational shutdowns susceptible to climate conditions; and (5) the estimation of economic losses resulting from diminished operational capacity, in addition to the degradation of reliability and functionality in port infrastructures. Formulated within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) risk framework and anchored in established Spanish Recommendations for Maritime Works (ROM Program), this methodology has been applied to a complex, state-owned, newly-built outer port in the Mediterranean Sea. Preliminary findings suggest that, over the course of a 50-year lifespan, climate-related risks could lead to cumulative losses nearing 10 million euros for such infrastructure. Nevertheless, in scenarios marked by extreme events, potential losses could escalate to as much as 100 million euros, despite their occurrence being relatively rare (with a probability of only 0.1%). It stresses the significant uncertainties encountered when evaluating climate-related risks for critical infrastructure, including ports, and highlights the critical need for advanced methodologies to accurately understand these risks.

ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT STATE OF FUNCTIONING OF COMMERCIAL PORTS OF UKRAINE

Thearticle presents the results of the study of the functioning of the ports of Ukraine through the prism of the impact of the war. A generalized analysis of the operation of Ukraine's ports from the first wave of blockade by the Russian Federation in 2022 to the current state is presented, including the actual throughput capacity of functioning ports and the nomenclature of cargo handling by Danube ports in 2023. In addition, the dynamics and structure of the supply of agricultural products by the main modes of transport are provided, where the importance of the ports of Ukraine as the main way of exporting agricultural products to ensure their arrival on international markets is highlighted; shows changes in grain and wheat prices between January 2021 and August 2023 based on International Grains Council indices. The role of the ports of the Danube region and the grain agreement for the export of cargo flows of agricultural andother products to African and Asian markets is singled out. The question of the potential for further development, development, modernization and renewal of the infrastructure of the ports of Izmail, Reni, and Ust-Dunaysk was revealed. The restoration of ship calls to the ports of Greater Odessa thanks to the formation of Ukraine's own humanitarian corridor was emphasized. The consequences of Russia's large-scale war against Ukraine in the field of port activity are grouped due to the consequences of direct and indirect influence. The risks of shipping among the countries of the Azov-Black Sea basin from the standpoint of security are summarized. It is concluded that the consequences of the protracted war scenario in Ukraine will have a negative impact not only on the port industry, but will also become a catalyst for an economic crisis in the developed economies of the world.

Analisis Komparatif Tutupan Mangrove Menggunakan Citra Landsat 9 dan Sentinel 2A di Desa Labuan Tereng Kabupaten Lombok Barat

Labuan Tereng Village is a place where mangrove vegetation grows and develops. The location close to the harbor sheet makes the mangrove ecosystem damaged by port activities. High port activity can disrupt the condition of mangrove ecosystem development in Labuan Tereng Village. This study was conducted to evaluate mangrove health by looking at canopy cover or canopy density using the Hemispherical Photography method analyzed using Landsat 9 and Sentinel 2A to assess the extent of relationship between mangrove canopy cover and images. The findings revealed that the mean mangrove cover density value of 66% which is included in the medium category. Statistical analysis of several vegetation indexes with mangrove cover obtained the highest linear regression results in the SAVI model with a value of 0,41 for Landsat 9 images and 0,65 for Sentinel 2A images. The results of image data analysis on Sentinel 2A show a smaller pixel size value and contain more pixels so as to produce better and complex data analysis when compared to Landsat 9 imagery.

Urbanisation on the coastline of the most populous and developed state of Brazil: the extent of coastal hardening and occupations in low-elevation zones

Worldwide, coastlines have been replaced and altered by hard infrastructures to protect cities and accommodate human activities. In addition, human settlements are common and increasing in lowland areas threatened by coastal risk hazards. These urbanisation processes cause severe socioeconomic and ecological losses which demand policy reforms towards better coastal management and climate resilience. A first step in that direction is to comprehend the status of coastal hardening and occupation of vulnerable areas. Here, we mapped the coastline of the most populous and developed state of Brazil: São Paulo (SP). Our goal was to quantify the linear extent of natural habitats, artificial structures (AS), and occupations in low-elevation coastal zones (≤ 5 m) within 100 m from marine environments (LECZ100m) along the coastline and within estuaries. SP coast has a total extent of 244 km of AS, of which 125 and 119 km correspond to AS running along the coastline (e.g., seawalls, breakwaters) and extending from the shoreline into adjacent waters (e.g., jetties, pontoons, groynes), respectively. 63% of the total extent of AS is located in the most urbanised region. Breakwalls were the most common infrastructure (108 km), followed by jetties and wharves (~40 km each), and aquaculture and fishing apparatus (~24 km). Over 300 km of the SP coastline has inland occupations in LECZ100m: 235 and 67 km are adjacent to sandy beaches and estuarine/river margins, respectively. Coastal hardening is advanced in the central region of SP resulting from intense port activities and armoured shorelines. In other regions, much of coastal urbanisation seems to be driven by secondary usage of the cities, such as real estate development for beach houses and tourism. Our findings suggest that coastal urbanisation poses a major but often neglected source of environmental impact and risk hazards in SP and Brazil.