Port Infrastructure Research Articles

Новый сфрагистический источник с южного берега Крыма: печать Патрикия и главного логофета Константина из акватории у мыса Плака

Introduction. Thanks to sigillographic sources, the sigillographic map of Byzantine Taurika is constantly being refined and expanded due to the emergence of new places for detecting molybdoboulla. Today, the finds of seals can be noted not only in the Southwestern or Eastern Crimea, but also on the southern coast of the peninsula. Methods. The attraction of sigillographic data, including from underwater archaeological research, and their comprehensive analysis (stylistic, iconographic, paleographic) often sheds light on some still dark pages both in the history of Taurika and the Byzantine state as a whole. A new find of the Byzantine seal from the water area of the Crimean South Coast opens another previously unknown point near Cape Plaka, where a sigillographic monument was first discovered, and once again raises the question of the addressees of correspondence, which, as it seems, should have been directly related to the Byzantine administration. Analysis and results. According to legend, the seal belonged to an official of the first rank – patrikios Constantine, who held one of the highest civilian posts in the Byzantine capital – the position of the genikos logothetes. The stylistic features of the molybdoboulla, together with the data of written sources, give reason to date this sigillographic monument to the beginning of the last quarter of the 9th century. The discovery of a seal in the water area near Cape Plaka may probably indicate not only a ship parking in a convenient bay, but also the existence of a certain port infrastructure in the nearby coastal town (Lambat), which, judging by the seal, in one way or another should have been directly related to both the local administration apparatus and the capital’s authorities in connection with the region’s entry into the sphere of imperial influence and the subordination of Taurika to the administrative and financial institutions of the Byzantine Empire. Contribution of authors. Нistorical, sigillographic and epigraphic analysis conducted by N.A. Alekseienko; historical-topographical and archaeological survey conducted by S.V. Ivanov.

What is Happening to Bulgaria's Maritime Transport?

This article examines the current state of maritime transport in Bulgaria with the idea of finding out what is happening in this segment of the transport market, given the serious impact on the dynamics of its development that environmental factors have had in recent years. The aim of the author is to trace the cargo turnover that passed through the Bulgarian seaports and to identify the changes occurring as a result of the pandemic and the subsequent military actions on the territory of Ukraine. The development of Bulgaria's maritime transport is associated with decision-making to cover the restoration of the fleet under the Bulgarian flag, the investment activity in the national port infrastructure and the stabilization of the geopolitical situation in the Black Sea region.

Port operation's efficiency and revenue generation in global maritime trade: implications for national growth and development in Nigeria

PurposeIt has been argued that a mono product economy experiences epileptic growth because it is prone to global dynamics such as epidemic. Therefore, the need to diversify investments cannot be over-emphasized. Hence, the study examined port operation's efficiency and revenue generation in global maritime trade: implications for national growth and development in Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to identify the factors that improve efficiency in port operations, and to ascertain how efficiency of operations will affect revenue generation and national growth.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed correlation and multiple regressions analyses to test the hypothesis which states that port operation's efficiency does not have positive and significant effect on revenue generation in Nigeria. A cross sectional research design and structured questionnaires were deployed in the study and simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample size of 200 respondents.FindingsResults revealed that efficient port operations affect revenue generation and national development.Research limitations/implicationsPort operations in Nigeria are bedeviled with daunting challenges that hamper smooth and efficient working port's system.Originality/valueThe study suggested that modern port's technologies (ICTs) be deployed to enhance operations in the ports and manpower should be trained on regular intervals to understand modern logistics management techniques in the ports. Third, government should provide port infrastructures being the backbone of efficient port system. Lastly, the private sector should be partnered with in several areas including port's concession to facilitate effective and efficient service delivery in the Nigerian ports.

Port Reforms and Concession: A Study of Apapa and Tin Can Island Seaports

This research looked at the impact of port reforms and concessions on the management of ports in Nigeria, using Apapa and Tin Can Island Seaports as case studies. The study’s goal was to ascertain if the concessions at these ports had improved port infrastructure as well as decreased ship waiting time. The research was explained using the New Public Management Theory, which promotes the notion of developing a performance-oriented culture in a decentralised public sector. The survey research was used for the study, and this guided the use of a standardised questionnaire to gather information from the research participants. Hard data from the Nigerian Ports Authority supplemented this. Even though they cannot be compared to international best practices, the study’s results indicated that there have been advances in the level of turnaround time for oceangoing vessels, the level of cargo throughput, and the berth occupancy rate. As a result of this discovery, it was suggested, among others, that the government work with the concessionaires to increase infrastructure spending so that it is simple to enter and exit the port facilities. Additionally, steps should be taken to lessen the presence of MDAs and other security personnel at the ports.

Challenges in the Digital Transformation of Ports

Digital transformation plays a significant role in modernizing and improving the efficiency of ports around the world. However, digitalization also brings a set of challenges that ports must face. They have to respond to several unique challenges because of the complexity of their operations and the varying demands of stakeholders. This study seeks to identify and summarize the challenges of digital transformation processes in ports. For this purpose, the World Ports Sustainability Program database was used. The findings revealed 74 digitalization initiatives carried out by ports, which makes it possible to recognize 7 dimensions and 32 sub-dimensions of challenges to the digital transformation process. Among the identified dimensions are port infrastructure, the interconnection between various systems, the port organization model, regulation, security and privacy, market evolution, and the establishment of partnerships to implement these projects. The results of this study are relevant to mitigate the risks of the digitalization process in ports and respond to market needs that demand greater transparency and visibility of their operations.

Optimizing Smart Energy Infrastructure in Smart Ports: A Systematic Scoping Review of Carbon Footprint Reduction

To lessen the environmental impact of the maritime industry, ports must decarbonize in conformity with various standards such as the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this regard, they must demonstrate integrated low-emission energy production, distribution, and supply, as well as sustainable alternative infrastructure for refueling ships, cargo handling equipment, and other vehicles inside port boundaries. To address this issue, ports must progress toward smartening their operations. This requires intelligent infrastructure and components, with smart energy infrastructure being one of the most crucial ones. It is a part of port energy management systems (EMSs) and works based on modern technology to balance energy demand, distributions, and supply while transitioning to renewable energies. This study investigates the “scoping review” of “smart energy infrastructure” deployment and its efficiency in seaport EMSs to reduce the port’s carbon footprint (C.F). The “Introduction” section discusses the subject’s significance. The “Materials and Methods” section explains the process of selecting and revising references and relevant material. The “Findings” section then examines the several aspects and sections of a smart port and smart energy infrastructure, as well as how they function. The “Discussion” section explains the interpretation based on the present situation. Finally, the “Conclusion” part gives scientific thoughts and comments on the work-study debate and ideas for future research in the same field to help port authorities achieve sustainability.

Managing noise from port operations via the use of automated noise monitoring systems

Ports are key pieces of infrastructure that enable the transportation of goods and passengers. Bays Port, Sydney NSW is located in close proximity to communities and balances the increased demand for Port facilities and services with community expectations, environmental requirements and regulatory approvals. For noise generated from Port activities at Bays Port, historically, individual port users have been required to monitor and evaluate noise under different environmental requirements and planning approvals, which can lead to inconsistent reporting, noise limits and regulation between operators and a lack of clarity for the community. Port Authority of NSW has implemented a first of its kind policy in Australia for the management of Port noise from both individual vessel and landside noise sources. To achieve these objectives, an automated directional noise monitoring system has been implemented to provide real-time measurement and analysis of noise contributions from vessel and landside activities. The system utilizes live data of individual vessel tracking locations, meteorology and an array of 6 direction microphones located around the port infrastructure. This information feeds into a live platform to facilitate management of port noise operations. This paper provides an overview of the Port Noise Policy and the use of unattended directional noise monitoring systems to meet the policy’s aims. Case studies are also provided to illustrate the benefits of real time monitoring systems in pro-actively managing port noise.

Wave Reflection of Concrete Armour Unit: A 2D Physical Model Study

A breakwater is a coastal structure that breaks the wave energy coming towards the beach. When a wave hits an object, it will be reflected entirely or partially. Initially, the primary layer units on the coastal protection structure were only composed of large piles of natural stone. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a natural stone of the right size, and to prevent its scarcity; natural stones are commonly replaced with concrete blocks. This study conducted the reflection coefficient analysis on the BPPT Lock concrete armor unit. Physical model testing was carried out on the wave channel of the Coastal and Port Infrastructure Laboratory, Department of Ocean Engineering ITS. From this study, it was found that the reflection coefficient on BPPT Lock ranges from 0.512 to 0.828 at a wave steepness of 0.002088 to 0.0117 with a structural slope angle of 1: 2. The reflection coefficient value is influenced by wave height, wave period, and the slope angle of the structure.

The Construction of Seaports in the Arctic: Prospects and Environmental Consequences

The Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is of strategic importance for the country. Considering the fragility of Arctic ecosystems, special attention needs to be paid to the sustainable development of transport and related infrastructure within the framework of the “blue economy” concept, which is relevant for Arctic waters. At the same time, it is necessary to identify the main factors and tasks of creating transport and port infrastructure, building a modern fleet, and organizing fisheries and tourism in an environmentally sound manner. The purpose of the study is to consider the problems of anthropogenic influence for seaport facilities and to create a conceptual model of an environmental risk management system. The existing problems of Arctic ports and infrastructure are analyzed and existing business processes are considered, taking into account the peculiarities of their functioning in Arctic conditions. To systematize environmental assessments and establish dependencies between the main indicators describing the impact of port activities on elements of the natural environment, ontological domain engineering is proposed. It systematizes the basic terminology used within different subject areas of ecology and risks and allows one to visualize the relationships between elements of the natural environment, objects, port systems, their parameters and impact factors to assess the impact of the seaport on the natural environment. The results of ontological engineering (design and development of ontologies) in the field of risk management are presented. Future research will be aimed at developing the applied aspect of applying the results of ontological engineering in terms of specific engineering studies related to the assessment of anthropogenic load on the Arctic territory using simulation modeling.

코로나19 전후 항만 효율성 분석에 관한 연구

Since COVID-19, congestion has become an important factor that can hinder the efficient operation of ports and cause direct and indirect economic damages. Therefore, this study conducted an SBM-DEA analysis with congestion as a undesirable output variable to investigate the impact of congestion on the efficiency of four Korean ports (Busan, Yeosu-Gwangyang, Ulsan, and Incheon) before and after COVID-19. The analysis revealed that the overall efficiency of the ports was lower after the outbreak of COVID-19 than before, and that the efficiency of each port was relatively different depending on its infrastructure and budget. This analysis shows that port efficiency is being negatively affected by congestion both pre- and post- COVID-19. Additionally, port infrastructure and budgets have a direct impact on congestion levels. To enhance port efficiency, it's important to implement appropriate systems and policies to manage congestion while considering the unique characteristics of each port.

Transformative Resilience in Port Infrastructure: Behavior Analysis of the New Oil Dolphin Quays Access Bridge at Bandar-e Anzali

Transformative Resilience in Port Infrastructure: Behavior Analysis of the New Oil Dolphin Quays Access Bridge at Bandar-e Anzali

FEATURES OF FUNCTIONING OF AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE CONDITIONS OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

The article highlights the theoretical essence of the concept of «entrepreneurship» and reveals the views of domestic scientists regarding this term. The rights used by business entities are reflected. The peculiarities of the development of entrepreneurship in the agrarian sphere are clarified, namely: the seasonal nature of production, an increase in the share of traditional goods and services, interaction with agricultural producers, the unique role of land as a production factor, and the creation of new opportunities for employment of the unemployed rural population. An equally important feature is that the economic process of reproduction is always closely intertwined with the natural one. The importance of signing the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, which creates an opportunity for business entities to produce products and look for better options for their implementation on the European market, is substantiated. The monthly dynamics and current state of the export of products were analyzed and appropriate conclusions were drawn regarding the factors that had a significant impact on the decrease of Ukrainian exports in 2022. The analysis of the export of agricultural products in 2022 by category was carried out and the ranking of the countries to which Ukraine exported the most grain crops was displayed. The importance of the use of sea transport, in which business entities are able to reduce costs for the delivery of Ukrainian agricultural products to the countries of the European Union and other countries, is noted. The article presents the importance of signing the Black Sea Grain Initiative, also known as the «grain agreement», which consists of two separate agreements with different contents: between the russian federation and the United Nations (hereinafter - the UN) with the participation of Turkey; between Ukraine and the UN with the participation of Turkey. The agreement gives our country the opportunity to export grain crops by sea transport, since the russian federation has taken responsibility not to attack the port infrastructure of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Yuzhnoye. However, in October 2022, the russian federation suspended its participation in the agreement.

Enhanced Port Vulnerability Assessment Using Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle-Based Structural Health Monitoring

Port vulnerability assessment is inherently linked to the delivery of sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Identifying the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of a port system allows for the minimization of disaster effects and optimization of maintenance, repair, or mitigation actions. The current port vulnerability assessment practices are built upon the examination of a diversity of indicators (parameters), including technical, physical, environmental, and socioeconomic pressures. From an engineering perspective, and given that ports are tangible infrastructure assets, their vulnerability is highly affected by the structural condition of their facilities. Hence, the present research seeks to enhance port vulnerability assessment by introducing structural condition parameters based on Structural Health Monitoring applications. The four fishing and leisure harbors of the Municipality of Thebes, located in central Greece, were used as a case study. Two approaches were considered for the harbors’ vulnerability assessments: (a) enabling and (b) disabling the use of the proposed parameters. In situ inspections were conducted with the employment of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for condition monitoring. UAV data were analyzed to generate geospatial images that allow for the mapping and detecting of defects and failures in port infrastructure. The overall research assists decision-makers in gaining valuable insight into the system’s vulnerabilities and prioritizing their interventions.

Evaluation of port competitiveness along China’s “Belt and Road” based on the entropy-TOPSIS method

Based on the literature on the factors influencing port competitiveness, this paper evaluates the competitiveness of Chinese ports along the Belt and Road based on Porter’s diamond model. The evaluation system includes four primary indicators, including port infrastructure, port operation scale, port hinterland economic level and port development potential, and 13 secondary indicators. Then, based on the entropy-TOPSIS method, an evaluation model of port competitiveness is constructed. Finally, 15 seaports along China’s “Belt and Road” are used to evaluate competitiveness, and a comprehensive ranking of port competitiveness is obtained. The advantages and shortcomings of each port are pointed out according to the evaluation results to provide a reference for the long-term development of the competitiveness of ports along the “Belt and Road” in China.

Port Competitiveness at Sapangar Bay Container Port from Shipping Lines Perspectives in BIMP EAGA Region

Feeder ports in archipelago of the sub-region of BIMP EAGA often face challenges in terms of connectivity due to the dispersed nature of the islands. Realizing the untapped economic potential in the area and the robust geopolitical landscape that has taken place in the last decades, there is an exigency of the countries in BIMP EAGA to improve their port to be the preferred choice by shipping lines. A port's competitiveness holds a paramount significance for shipping lines to call a certain port. Thus, this study aims to examine the perspective of Main Line Operators (MLO) on level of importance of the competitiveness of ports in BIMP EAGA, especially Sapangar Bay Container Port. Ten Main line Operators (MLO) of Intra Asia were selected to respond to the questionnaires using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The result revealed that the MLO ranked the most important attributes from top to bottom were port efficiency and facilities (EP), port pricing and support services (PP), Hinterland Characteristics (HC), Maritime Accessibility (MA) and lastly Institutional Regulatory (IR). The specific priorities and preferences of shipping lines in this sub-region may be influenced by factors such as trade patterns, port infrastructure, market demands and overall competitiveness of the ports in the region. Findings of this study contribute to the general understanding of port competitiveness in the BIMP EAGA from the perspective of the MLO and may guide the policymakers, port authorities and industry stakeholders in addressing the specific needs and prioritizing their strategic planning to improve the port

A multi-variable hybrid system for port container throughput deterministic and uncertain forecasting

Container transport is the most environmentally friendly and sustainable way to transport bulk cargo currently. The accurate prediction of container throughput is of great significance to the operation of the port. It is directly related to the healthy development of the entire logistics system, and also serves as a reference for decision makers in the construction of port infrastructure. However, the container throughput sequence contains the influence and restriction of a variety of superimposed factors, and has the characteristics of nonlinear and non-stationary. Traditional technology cannot effectively capture the changes of external related factors. To make up for the deficiencies, a multi-variable hybrid deterministic and uncertain forecasting framework based on improved preprocessing technique and swarm intelligence optimizer is constructed. It not only considers the impact of port hinterland economic indicators, port transport system and transport capacity factors, but also calculates the upper and lower limits of container throughput under different probabilities. The results and tests show that mean absolute percentage errors obtained by the presented forecast system are 1.1551%, 2.0936% and 2.5546% respectively, and the prediction interval coverage probability values of 1 can be achieved. The hybrid system is effective, stable and has reasonable running time, which can be widely popularized. And it is conducive to the orderly operation of transportation industry and the development of container port cities.

Application of bubble streams to control biofouling on marine infrastructure-pontoon-scale implementation.

There is a lack of cost-effective, environmentally-friendly tools available to manage marine biofouling accumulation on static artificial structures such as drilling rigs, wind turbines, marine farms, and port and marina infrastructure. For there to be uptake and refinement of tools, emerging technologies need to be tested and proven at an operational scale. This study aimed to see whether biofouling accumulation could be suppressed on marine infrastructure under real-world conditions through the delivery of continuous bubble streams. Submerged surfaces of a floating marina pontoon were cleaned in-situ by divers, and the subsequent colonisation by biofouling organisms was monitored on treated (bubbles applied) and untreated sections. Continuous bubble streams proved highly effective (>95%) in controlling macrofouling accumulation on the underside surface of the marina pontoon for the first 2 months after deployment, but efficacy dropped off rapidly once bubble stream delivery was partially obscured due to biofouling accumulation on the diffuser itself. Although extensive macrofouling cover by mussels, bryozoans and hydroids was observed on treated surfaces by 4 months (27.5%, SE = 4.8%), biofouling % cover and diversity was significantly higher on untreated surfaces (79.6%, SE = 2.9%). While this study demonstrates that continuous bubble streams greatly restrict biofouling accumulation over short-to-medium timescales, improved system design, especially the incorporation of diffusers resistant to fouling, is needed for the approach to be considered a viable long-term option for biofouling management on static artificial structures.

ANALYSIS OF MARITIME TRANSPORT ACTIVITIES OF UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF ENSURING GLOBAL SECURITY

Topicality. russia's aggression against Ukraine was the main factor behind the food crisis and the increase in food prices at the international level. Acceptable logistics routes were blocked. Domestic water transport, rail transport and road transportation of goods were not able to export enough crops to ensure global food security. All these pressing issues in the field of maritime transport in Ukraine prompt us to investigate the nature of the problem.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to analyze the activities of Ukraine's maritime transport based on national and global security.Materials and methods. The study was based on the results of scientific works of leading scientists in the field of maritime transport development and ensuring national, economic and food security. In writing the article, the methods of synthesis, theoretical generalization, empirical and analytical models of scientific research were applied.Research results. The study analyzes the activities of the ports of Great Odesa under the Grain Agreement (for the year of the agreement's existence). A significant impact on the disruption of the systematic operation of the grain corridor is caused by the russian federation, which led to a complete blockade of the Pivdennyi port and significant damage to port infrastructure, grain terminals and elevators in Odesa and Odesa region. The ports of Great Odesa exported 32.8 million tons of agricultural food products. In total, 1006 vessels left the ports of Great Odesa. The most active exporting countries are: China (8.0 million tons), Spain (6.0 million tons), Turkey (3.2 million tons), Italy (2.1 million tons), the Netherlands (2.0 million tons), Egypt (1.6 million tons) and Bangladesh (1.1 million tons).Conclusion. The analysis shows that for the further smooth functioning of the Black Sea Initiative, it is necessary to involve more influential international organizations in its regulation; to improve the institutional and economic system of maritime transport and introduce mechanisms that will encourage it to compete at the international level; to optimize the logistics supply chains of cargoes, to improve the multimodal approach to the functioning of the transport system of cargo transportation.

SEA PORT INDUSTRY OF UKRAINE: CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS FOR PORT DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PORT-LANDLORD MANAGEMENT MODEL

Topicality. The port industry acts as a link in the global transport services arena and is the basis for the development of the entire economy. The ability of ports to compete in the international transport market depends not least on how the government manages this sector, and therefore the need for a comprehensive study to implement the right (effective) management model and increase the level of economic development of seaports is becoming increasingly important.Aim and tasks. The purpose of this article is to reveal the essence of the operation of maritime economic complexes management models, to understand the current state of Ukrainian ports and develop recommendations for further development of port infrastructure, taking into account the experience of the most developed EU ports.Materials and Methods. To achieve this goal, the article uses general scientific research methods, namely: methods of system analysis, methods of comparison and logical generalisation. The information sources for this study are the scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists on the problems of implementing the model of management of the maritime economic complex, analytical data and data from open sources.Research results. In today's environment, when trade between countries is gaining significant momentum, it is important to improve the port sector and its components. This is a driver for development and change in the infrastructure, especially as shipping is one of the cheapest ways to transport goods. Ukraine's stable development as an importing and exporting country depends on the state's ability to create the necessary conditions for effective changes in this area. The article emphasises the need to change the model of port infrastructure management and briefly describes each of the port management models defined in accordance with the criteria set by the World Bank. The necessity of bringing port management closer to the port-landlord model was emphasized. It is emphasised that the transition to the port-landlord model is not about the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (hereinafter - USPA) obtaining land ownership, but about transforming the USPA into a port authority with full powers and tools to increase the competitiveness of the Ukrainian port system.Conclusion. This work proposes a set of measures aimed at qualitatively bringing the Ukrainian model closer to the practice of port management in Northwest Europe.

Field testing of an enzymatic quorum quencher coating additive to reduce biocorrosion of steel.

Microbial colonization can be detrimental to the integrity of metal surfaces and lead to microbiologically influenced corrosion. Biocorrosion is a serious problem for aquatic and marine industries in the world and severely affects the maritime transportation industry by destroying port infrastructure and increasing fuel usage and the time and cost required for maintenance of transport vessels. Here, we evaluate the potential of a stable quorum quenching lactonase enzyme to reduce biocorrosion in the field. Over the course of 21 months, steel samples coated with lactonase-containing acrylic paint were submerged at two different sites and depths in the Duluth-Superior Harbor (Lake Superior, MN, USA) and benchmarked against controls, including the biological biocide surfactin. In this experiment, the lactonase treatment outperformed the surfactin biocide treatment and significantly reduced the number of corrosion tubercles (37%; P < 0.01) and the corroded surface area (39%; P < 0.01) as compared to the acrylic-coated control coupons. In an attempt to evaluate the effects of signal disruption of surface microbial communities and the reasons for lower corrosion levels, 16S rRNA sequencing was performed and community populations were analyzed. Interestingly, surface communities were similar between all treatments, and only minor changes could be observed. Among these changes, several groups, including sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), appeared to correlate with corrosion levels, and more specifically, SRB abundance levels were lower on lactonase-treated steel coupons. We surmise that these minute community changes may have large impacts on corrosion rates. Overall, these results highlight the potential use of stable quorum quenching lactonases as an eco-friendly antifouling coating additive. IMPORTANCE Biocorrosion severely affects the maritime transportation industry by destroying port infrastructure and increasing fuel usage and the time and cost required to maintain transport vessels. Current solutions are partly satisfactory, and the antifouling coating still largely depends on biocide-containing products that are harmful to the environment. The importance of microbial signaling in biofouling and biocorrosion is not elucidated. We here take advantage of a highly stable lactonase that can interfere with N-acyl homoserine lactone-based quorum sensing and remain active in a coating base. The observed results show that an enzyme-containing coating can reduce biocorrosion over 21 months in the field. It also reveals subtle changes in the abundance of surface microbes, including sulfate-reducing bacteria. This work may contribute to pave the way for strategies pertaining to surface microbiome changes to reduce biocorrosion.