Starboard Research Articles

The Study of Risk Assessment Method for Ship Berthing Based on the “Human-Ship-Environment” Synergy

Berthing is one of the most dangerous phases in the process of ship navigation, and its risk assessment is crucial for both ship safety and port scheduling. To effectively enhance the safety and reliability of the berthing process, a berthing risk assessment method based on the synergy of “human-ship-environment” has been established. First, the impact of the human, ship, and environmental factors on berthing risk was analyzed, and a risk assessment index system for ship berthing was constructed. Then, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) methods were employed for a comprehensive risk assessment. AHP was used to determine the weight of each factor reasonably, while FCE was applied for the evaluation of the berthing risk. Finally, the proposed method was applied to evaluate the berthing operations of two ships, namely the KCS ship type and the S-175 large passenger ship type, at the Qingdao Intelligent Ship Testing Field, China. The experiment’s results indicate that the evaluation results of the method proposed here have good consistency with the expert survey method.

A Systematic Review of Traceability and Monitoring in Port Transportation Processes for Halal Compliance and Certification

This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of halal transportation practices at ports, with a focus on the critical aspects of traceability and monitoring mechanisms. As the global halal market continues to expand rapidly, ensuring the integrity of halal products across the entire supply chain, particularly during port clearance and transportation—has become increasingly vital. This article synthesizes current research on the challenges faced in transportation, technological advancements, and the regulatory frameworks governing halal logistics at ports. It evaluates existing methods for tracking and verifying the halal status of goods from their origin to the destination, emphasizing the pivotal role of traceability and monitoring in upholding halal integrity. The review identifies significant gaps in the literature, particularly concerning the standardization of halal transport protocols and the integration of advanced tracking technologies. Additionally, it examines the policies and regulatory bodies responsible for overseeing the halal transport process. The findings underscore the urgent need to develop comprehensive, globally recognized guidelines that can adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape and address the diverse needs of the halal market. This study is instrumental in fostering more efficient, transparent, and reliable halal shipping practices at ports, ultimately bolstering consumer confidence and supporting the continued growth of the global halal market.

Spatial and seasonal variations in trace metals in marine sediments from the Dubai coastal environment.

This study was conducted to assess sediment trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn) contamination using a systematic approach by collecting sediment samples from 8 transects along the Dubai coastline, each 10 km long, and each transect included its nearshore sediment sampling station. Additionally, 10 sediment samples were collected from the Dubai creek and other potential sources of metal pollution. The sediment samples were collected in December and again in August. However, no significant difference in sediment metal concentration was found between the two sampling campaigns. The sediment trace metal concentrations (0.92-1.31mg Cd/kg, 2.82-176.6mg Cr/kg, 2.27-621.67mg Cu/kg, 0.88-23.6mg Pb/kg, 1.92-192.2mg Ni/kg and 9.1-391.05mg Zn/kg) showed considerable variability, except for Cd (1.08 ± 0.06mg/kg, 5.55% variability). Despite this, no significant differences in sediment metal concentrations were found between the sampled transects. However, significant variations in Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were evident between distances from the shoreline to offshore stations along the Dubai coast, and the nearshore locations presented clear evidence of elevated/maximum sediment metal concentrations. Most of the sediment trace metal concentrations, however, were found well within the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) for nearshore sediments. Trace metal contamination hotspots, nonetheless, were identified at some nearshore stations as determined by metal level exceedance over the SQGs, background levels and the pollution load index, with limited potential ecological risk. Overall, the findings suggest that sediments in the Dubai coastal environment are mainly influenced by anthropogenic activities in stations located in the proximity of ship maintenance, ports, and industrial areas such as Dry Dock, Jaddaf, Jebel Ali Port, Wharfage, Hamriya and DUBAL.

Contribution of Onshore Power Supply (OPS) and Batteries in Reducing Emissions from Ro-Ro Ships in Ports

Increasingly restrictive environmental regulations for the maritime sector have led shipping companies to look for technological alternatives to reduce emissions. This article introduces a methodology to analyse emission reductions of ships in port by incorporating batteries into the ships or using an onshore power supply system. These have not yet been considered together for comparison or with a focus on ship operation. The aim is to avoid the use of auxiliary engines in ports. First, the cost calculation method to be used is specified; then, the engine’s behaviour and the established basic navigation criteria are analysed; and finally, different alternatives are considered. A methodology is afterwards defined for selecting alternatives, comparing their costs with those of using auxiliary engines in port. As an example, it is applied to a Ro-Ro route between the ports of Montoir (France) and Vigo (Spain). The results indicate that incorporating batteries into the ship produces greater savings in annual costs than onshore power supply. The cost savings from onshore power supply depend on the range of prices in each port. However, the greatest emission savings are obtained by using the onshore power supply. This methodology can be extrapolated to other routes and vessels by incorporating real operating data.

Compact Eddy Structure of Turbulence Aft of an Inclined Slender Body

The compact eddy structure and the correlation structure of three distinct turbulent boundary layers were investigated, with a view to understanding the turbulent inflow seen by a stern-mounted propulsion tail rotor. The first is of a zero-pressure-gradient, equilibrium, flat plate boundary layer, and the second and third are on the lee and port sides of a body of revolution (BOR) inclined at a 5° angle of attack. The BOR is an axially symmetric body with an ellipsoidal nose, straight midbody, and 1.17-diam-long stern ramp with a stern-mounted tail rotor. Measurements on the BOR were taken at a body-diameter-based Reynolds number of 600,000 and a rotor advance ratio of J=1.27. Particle image velocimetry was taken at two principal locations at the stern of the BOR. Distortion of the correlation function was evident in the compact eddy structure of the BOR boundary layer on both the lee and port sides. On the port side, the turbulent modes were dominated by the embedded shear layer, whereas the lee side showed more significant pressure gradient effects in the eddy structure.

A micro-network within the port for vessel anchorage selection decision support

Upon arrival at ports, selecting the appropriate anchorage is a critical concern shared by ship captains and port managers. This study aims to exploit the rich geographic and semantic information embedded in historical ship trajectory data to construct a micro-network of port elements and employ network analysis techniques to mine spatial service relationships among port elements, thereby establishing an Anchorage Selection Decision Support (ASDS) model. This process involves extracting vessels’ dwell location information within ports from trajectory data and using this information and its sequence to establish an Anchorages-Berths Micro-Network (ABMN) in port. By applying association rule mining techniques, this research reveals the spatial service relationships within the micro-network between anchorages and berths, and integrates relevant indicators to develop the ASDS model. The aim is to help pilots of approaching vessels in making more rational anchorage choices, thus optimizing the operational efficiency of vessels in ports. The effectiveness of this approach has been validated through experiments conducted in the research region at the Nanjing port of the Yangtze River. This research is significant for exploring the correlation between port anchorages and berths, as well as for selecting appropriate anchorages for vessels arriving at the port.

Global path planning for inland vessels based on fast marching algorithm

Ship path planning is essential for enhancing navigation safety, shipping efficiency, cost savings and autonomy. This paper presents a path planning algorithm specifically designed for inland vessels, exemplified on the Western Scheldt waterway area from Hansweert to Bath in the Netherlands (known as the area of Schaar van Valkenisse). The algorithm utilizes the fast marching (FM) method to generate safe and cost-efficient paths for both autonomous and conventional navigation, considering factors such as water depth, distance to waterway borders, preferential navigation zones (e.g. starboard side and parallel routes), ship dimensions, and manoeuvring characteristics.The fast marching algorithm uses starting points and a velocity grid, generated based on the aforementioned factors, to produce an arrival time map. The velocity here represents preferences for deeper water, and wider and starboard navigation zones. Subsequently, a gradient descent algorithm is applied to determine the fastest route from the destination to the starting point on the arrival time map. To ensure the route is navigable, the optimal path is updated to a Dubins path that satisfies the ships’ dynamic constraints by using a so-called Dubins model filter.Case studies with various navigation scenarios demonstrate that the path planning tool can provide expected results with tunable parameters allowing for customized preferences. This work can further assist in predicting paths for a traffic study, designing fairways, aids to navigation and can possibly serve as an operational tool to assess the accessibility of a (alternative) fairway.

Reliability and validity assessment of instrument to measure sustainability practices at shipping ports in India

Sustainability has emerged as one of the most critical factors influencing the competitiveness of maritime shipping ports. This emergence has led to a surge in research publications on port sustainability-related topics. However, despite the increasing awareness and adoption of sustainability practices, documented literature on empirical studies with survey and interview data is very limited. Moreover, the existence of validated instruments to objectively assess sustainability through sustainability practices for shipping ports in India needs to be traced. This study contributes by validating an instrument to evaluate objectively sustainability practices in shipping ports by adopting a four-stage process, starting with item identification based on an extensive literature review, instrument evaluation by subject matter experts, assessing of the instrument with suitable content validation indices, and finally evaluating the validity and reliability of the hypothesized theoretical model. For content validation, Content Validity Index, Cohens Kappa coefficient, and Lawshe’s Content Validity Ratio were computed with the assessment by a subject matter expert panel comprising six members from the port industry as well as academicians cum researchers in the field of shipping ports. The content-validated instrument was administered to 200 samples comprising officer category port employees. The measurement model was evaluated and validated using the Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess the extent to which the measured variables represent the theoretical construct of the study and ascertain the factor structure. The empirically validated instrument met the required guidelines of model fit, reliability, and construct validity measures and was found to be a confirmed model for measuring sustainability practices in shipping ports. Structural Equation Modeling methodology was adopted to explain the variance and the path relationship between the higher-order and lower-order constructs of sustainability. The results indicate that the economic dimensions are the major contributors to the overall sustainability of the port as they drive investments in environmental and social dimensions, leading to overall sustainable development. The study’s findings will be helpful for researchers, academicians, policymakers, and industry practitioners working towards sustainability practices that contribute to sustainable growth and development in the shipping industry.

Potential Contributions of IMO Area-Based Shipping Management and Port State Jurisdiction to the Regulation of Ship-Borne Tourism in Antarctica

Given the rapid growth of ship-borne tourism in Antarctica, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) area-based management tools (ABMTs) could be a timely and effective contribution to mitigate some of the associated risks. Utilization of IMO ABMTs in Antarctic waters, which constitute high seas, raises several legal and practical issues. The central challenge is how to ensure compliance with IMO measures on the high seas, given the lack of generally accepted coastal state jurisdiction in Antarctica and shortcomings in flag state control. This article addresses these questions and analyzes port state jurisdiction as a potential mechanism to enforce IMO ABMTs in the Antarctic. The article concludes that Antarctic port states have sufficient legal arguments to justify the exercise of jurisdiction in relation to IMO ABMTs, and that significant constraints lie in the economic and political dimensions of regulation rather than in regulation itself.

Research on the Optimization of Ship Trajectory Clustering Based on the OD–Hausdorff Distance

With the growth of global trade, port shipping is becoming more and more important. In this paper, an analysis of a ship’s inbound and outbound track characteristics is conducted using the OD–Hausdorff distance. The accuracy and efficiency of trajectory data analysis have been enhanced through clustering analysis. Trajectories are arranged in a time sequence, and representative port segments are selected. An improved OD–Hausdorff distance method is employed to capture the dynamic characteristics of a ship’s movements, such as speed and heading. Additionally, the DBSCAN algorithm is utilized for clustering, allowing for the processing of multidimensional AIS data. Data cleaning and preprocessing have ensured the reliability of the AIS data, and the Douglas–Peucker algorithm is used for trajectory simplification. Significant improvements in the accuracy and efficiency of trajectory clustering have been observed. Therefore, the main channel of the Guan River and the right side of Yanwei Port are usually followed by ships greater than 60 m in length, with a lateral Relative Mean Deviation (RMD) of 7.06%. Vessels shorter than 60 m have been shown to have greater path variability, with a lateral RMD of 7.94%. Additionally, a crossing pattern at Xiangshui Port is exhibited by ships shorter than 60 m due to the extension of berths and their positions at turns. Enhanced clustering accuracy has provided more precise trajectory patterns, which aids in better channel management.

Peer Effects of Corporate Disclosures: Evidence From the Registration-Based IPO System in China

China launched the registration-based IPO system in 2019 whereby all firms listed on the newly established STAR board (“peer firms”) are required to disclose specific innovation and industry-related information in their prospectus. Using this event as a quasi-experiment, our study investigates the causal effects of peer firms’ disclosures on individual firms’ disclosure strategy. We find that the precision of individual firms’ management earnings forecast (MEF), both its form and width, significantly decreases when peer firms disclose more information during the IPO period. In cross-sectional analyses, we find this effect to be more pronounced for individual firms that are likely to experience greater competitive pressure from industry peer firms and firms with higher risks and performance uncertainty that make them more cautious to external competitive pressure. This result suggests that peer firms’ disclosures induce greater competitive pressure and uncertainty about future firm performance, triggering managers of individual firms to adopt a more cautious disclosure strategy. Overall, our study extends the literature on the peer effects in corporate disclosure decisions and documents potential unintended consequences of mandatory disclosure policies.

Biogeographic variation in environmental and biotic resistance modifies predicted risk of marine invasions by ships

IntroductionGlobal shipping has accelerated the spread of non-native species. Factors such as environmental filtering and interactions with local biota can affect invasion likelihood, yet their relative contribution to predicting invasion risk remains unresolved. To test how abiotic filters and an experimentally-derived measure of biotic resistance interact with propagule pressure, we developed an integrated model to evaluate their relative effects on invasion risk of marine biofouling organisms to different focal port regions. We predicted that environmental filtering impacts invasion risk when fewer but stronger connections are part of the network. Further, predation is a mechanism of biotic resistance, which can reduce invasion risk, with most pronounced effects predicted in the tropics that decline at higher latitudes.MethodsWe examined shipping traffic and predation impact at three coastal bioregions spanning 47-degrees of latitude al range in the Northeast Pacific (Alaska, California, and Panama). We used vessel traffic databases to characterize propagule pressure and construct a worldwide port network of marine shipping routes and ports. Environmental resistance was estimated using temperature and salinity data from donor and recipient regions. We further used standardized predator exposure experiments to quantify predation impact on fouling community biomass as an estimate of potential for biotic resistance. We then expanded on existing models of relative invasion risk to incorporate the probability that propagules will survive predation by local predators and overcome environmental filtering to generate a predicted invasion risk for each port.ResultsEnvironmental filtering in all regions and predation pressure in the tropics worked to reduce the invasion risk, resulting in markedly different cumulative risk profiles over time among regions.DiscussionIn an increasingly connected world with more vessel traffic, our results highlight that while the number and distribution of shipping routes are important to understand risk, abiotic and biotic filters can modify model predictions.

Portside-shipside interaction on shore-power installation: A perspective of tramp shipping deployment

Due to the high initial costs and the uncertain returns of investment, the efficient green technology in shipping industry, shore power (SP), is still in a developmental dark age, especially its installation at bulk terminals and ships. This study examines the factors influencing the SP installation for bulk terminals and ships, elucidates the impacting mechanisms of one party's installation on the investment returns of the other, and reveals the decisive role of fleet operations in the installation decisions of both parties and corresponding carbon emissions. Employing a dataset representing real-world shipping routes and cargo types, the ship-cargo matching and ships' port-of-calls within a planning horizon are optimized with the objective of maximizing the profit of tramp shipping business by taking SP installation and usage cost into account. Portside SP decision-making model is also conducted to estimate the revenue generated by portside SP usage, and guide portside installation decisions based on the cost-benefit ratio. Finally, recommendations are proposed for ship owner, port operator and government to collaboratively navigate through the dark age of SP development, supported by the further discussion regarding fuel-electricity price gap and port loading efficiency.

The health and economic impacts of exposure to marine mobile emissions from ships in Durban port, South Africa

South Africa remains an uncharted realm in terms of marine mobile emissions inventory and hence the impact of pollution from ships in coastal cities remains unknown. Such a void creates uncertainties about the extent of population exposure to pollution from ships, the health impact and economic value associated with the changes in policies for the port city of Durban.This study was aimed at estimating the health and economic impact of marine mobile emissions and the health and economic benefits associated with improvement in air quality within the port city of Durban, which is under eThekwini municipality. The population exposure to particulate matter of less than 2.5 and 10 μm (PM2.5 and PM10) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) from ships calling into Durban port were estimated using the AERMOD air dispersion model. The BenMAP modelling tool was then used to estimate the health impact and economic value of changes in emission of PM2.5, PM10 and SO2 from ships visiting Durban port. The reduction in emissions from ships was due to the reduction in the sulphur content of fuel from 3.5% to 0.5% that was implemented by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on the 01st of January 2020.The results showed that PM2.5 and PM10 emissions reduced by 63% in 2020 compared to 2018, whilst SO2 emissions reduced by 82% over the same period. The BenMAP results indicated that 49 premature mortalities were avoided in 2020 compared to 2018 since the IMO's forced reduction in sulphur content of fuel by 85% in 2020. These avoided cases on mortality were estimated a monetary value of R228 million using the World Bank’s 2016 estimates and R683 million using the USEPA Mean VSL estimate. Such monetary values were respectively equivalent to 0.05% and 0.2% of the eThekwini's GDP, which was estimated at R468 billion in 2016.

Considerations on Prevention of Pollution from Ships in a Seaport

Negative effects on the port environment can originate from ports’ hinterland, ports’ activities and operations, and from ships. According to the available literature and long-lasting experience of numerous ports presented in different sources, pollution from ships belongs to the group of environmental priorities in ports. After a theoretical introduction where the importance of ports, their development, and the challenges/risks faced by ports (with special attention to environmental risks) are analyzed, an overview of the literature from the domain of prevention of pollution from ships is presented. Based on the standard structure of the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) management cycle, in this paper, a process model of the management (sub)system of prevention of pollution from ships in a port is proposed. Key demands related to the modeled (sub)system and bases which directly determine those demands are made concrete through an analysis of a case study: the Port of Bar (Montenegro). A categorization of domains of risks of pollution from ships in the analyzed port is conducted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method: considerations are based on a three-level hierarchy model: “0”—goal; level “1”—criterion; and level “2”—choice. The results of the analyses show that a domain with the highest rank of risk of pollution from ships is variant (alternative) M1: unloading oil/oil derivatives from ships to tanks (and vice versa), with a composite weight of 0.5365 (53.65%). The results of considerations presented in this paper can be used in a process of optimization of the (sub)system of prevention of pollution from ships in a multipurpose port as well as a reliable base for further research in this domain.

«Elle, melle, deg fortelle, skipet går ut i år, rygg i rann, to i spann, snipp, snapp, snute, du er ute!» Om København som utskipningshavn for leidangen i det 11. og 12. århundre

«Elle, melle, deg fortelle, skipet går ut i år, rygg i rann, to i spann, snipp, snapp, snute, du er ute!» About Copenhagen as a shipping port for the leidang in the 11th and 12th century. The remains of a large semi-circular rampart in the central parts of Copenhagen is discussed as part of the city’s defence and leiðangr organisation, Norwegian leidang, during the 11th and 12th century. Despite the lack of archaeological evidence, the proposal is based on the site’s geographic location by Øresund and function as a natural shipping port. As part of this hypothesis, the leidang as a military organisation and coast guard arrangement is discussed over time, as well as the proposed link between the leidang as an organisation and the occurrence of snekke-names. After Bishop Absalon’s takeover of the village of Hafn at the end of the 12th century and the constructionof a new castle on Strandholmen, the location continued as an important place for defence and mobilisation. The leidang in its original form gradually came to lose its importance in the following century, due to further structural and defence efforts in what would later become the market town of Copenhagen.

The Existence of the Gili Mas Cruise Port to Support Sekotong Tourism

The Gili Mas cruise ship port has become a huge opportunity for developing tourism on the island of Lombok, especially Sekotong area which is a buffer area for the port. However, in its operations, in the last half decade, there has been no research examining the impact of the existence of the Gili Mas port in supporting tourism development in its buffer area. This research aims to explore the role and existence of the Gili Mas cruise ship port in supporting the tourism industry in the Sekotong area. The research method used is descriptive analysis, with data collected through surveys, literature studies, and interviews with 3 informants from the government industry, travel and the community as managers of the destination. The results of this research are that the presence of cruise ships does not show a high intensity of visits to destinations in the Sekotong area. This is demonstrated by direct interviews conducted with informants from both the government and destination managers. The aspects that influence this are in terms of the suitability of the destination to the preferences of cruise ship tourists, most of whom are elderly tourists, and the readiness of each destination in the Sekotong area to adapt to existing tourists. To be able to increase the number of tourist visits to Sekotong, there needs to be increased promotion and guarantees that the places to be visited in the area are safe in terms of accessibility, amenities and activities that can be carried out by elderly tourists who make up the majority on cruise ships

Proses Penerbitan Dokumen Persetujuan Keagenan Kapal Asing (PKKA) pada PT. Pelayaran Dwi Putra Laksana Batam

The Approval of Foreign Ship Agency (PKKA) is a requirement in the form of a letter obtained from the system established by the Ministry of Transportation. This letter is useful when the Shipping Agency tasked with representing foreign ships in Indonesian ports, or appointed by the shipowner to carry out duties. Approval for foreign-flagged vessel agencies serves the PKKA Tramper route to support domestic and international maritime transport. The registration of foreign ships involves adding data or registering ships in Simlala that have never entered or been represented by the respective company due to the absence of the ship's name on the Approval of Foreign Ship Agency (PKKA). If the ship has already entered an Indonesian port through the respective agency, there is no need to register the ship in the Simlala system. Simlala is an innovation from the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, involving the use of online systems or the internet in ship and port services, with Port Authorities as the implementers, to keep up with the developments in the maritime world, where the speed of port services is crucial. In the Simlala system, shipping companies have accounts registered with the Port Authority, and anyone wishing to access the Simlala system must also have an account used to request ship services. In writing this paper, the author conducted field research, including observation, which is the most dominant method used, as well as interview and library research methods.

Propeller-rudder interaction under different rudder angle

The rudder operating in downstream of propeller suffers extra loading induced by propeller wake. Evolution of propeller wake also can be affected by the rudder especially when the rudder has non-zero rudder angle. Hence, the propeller-rudder interaction under different rudder angle is studied. The evolutions of propeller wake are studied considering different rudder angle. The distributions of pressure and vorticity are compared under different rudder angles. Loading fluctuations on the port and starboard sides of rudder are also discussed. The results demonstrate that larger rudder angle results in higher hydrodynamic performance of the propeller. Loading fluctuations on the rudder surface are dominant at blade passage frequency (BPF) of propeller. The distributions of Loading fluctuations become asymmetric on the two sides of rudder when the rudder angle reaches to 30°.

Application of renewable energy systems in seaports towards sustainability and decarbonization: Energy, environmental and economic assessment

The application of green energy technologies to supply berthed ships in ports with the necessary power instead of using their diesel generators is considered an initiative towards sustainability and climate change mitigation. Therefore, the current paper investigates the implementation of solar panels, offshore wind turbines, and hydrogen fuel cell systems as green technologies to supply the berthed ships with power in three Egyptian ports. The power requirements are determined by analyzing the annual ship traffic data and estimating the energy demand for each ship type. As a relevant result, the annual energy demand for ships berthed in Alexandria, Damietta, and Safaga ports is about 44.2 × 103 MWh, 22 × 103 MWh, and 5.6 × 103 MWh, respectively. The analysis results reveal a potential annual carbon dioxide reduction of 31.7 k-tons, 15.7 k-tons, and 4.2 k-tons in Alexandria, Damietta, and Safaga ports, respectively. From an economic perspective, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of solar panels is estimated to be 80.7–90.1 $/MWh, while hydrogen fuel cells have a cost of 166.8–172 $/MWh. On the other hand, LCOE in the case of wind turbines is estimated to be 140.8 $/MWh for Alexandria ports, 178.3 $/MWh for Damietta port, and 103.9 $/MWh for Safaga port.