Vulnerability analysis of global container shipping liner network based on main channel disruption

The Malacca Strait, the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal play an important role in the global container shipping. To study the impact of main channel interruption on the container shipping, we analysed statistical data on all routes operated by the top 100 global container liner companies and constructed a network model. We selected four topological metrics to measure the network’s connectivity and used the network weekly total shipping capacity and average shortest shipping time to measure the network’s transportation capacity and transportation time. The interruption of the main channel is simulated, and the changes in the metrics are analysed. The results indicated that the network’s vulnerability is sensitive to main channel interruption. If the Malacca Strait is interrupted, the network’s prosperity degree fall by almost half and the network’s transportation time increase by more than a quarter if the Suez Canal is interrupted. In addition, East Asian and European container liner shipping have more than 50% dependence on the Malacca Strait and the Suez Canal. Moreover, the container transport time between ports in East Asia, Europe, and North America and the rest of the world increases by an average of 4–9 days in the main channel interruption.     

Impacts of Kra Canal and its toll structures on tanker traffic

This article discusses the proposed Kra Canal and its impacts on the tanker market from an economic perspective. We forecast tanker size distributions and further analyze the impacts of toll structures on tanker traffic. The forecast for tanker size distributions is based on distance savings for tankers as potential users of the Kra Canal. The database covers 105 busiest oil transport routes through the Strait of Malacca for the three-year period 2013–2015. Forecasts for individual routes are achieved using an autoregressive model. Two toll polices, namely the willingness-to-pay policy and the differential-pricing policy, are analyzed in order to maximize the annual toll income of the Kra Canal. The findings for the proposed Kra Canal will attract large vessels from the Strait of Malacca. An interesting finding is that the Kra Canal becomes more profitable during an unfavorable tanker market situation when the time-charter rate is low and fuel price is high. The article concludes with a policy that satisfies the goals of canal operator and government.     

中国石油在马六甲海峡运输的安全研究

介绍了马六甲海峡的基本情况,分析了马六甲海峡对中国石油运输的重要性,对马六甲海峡的安全形势及对中国石油运输的影响进行了研究,最后提出了缓解马六甲海峡石油运输通道安全压力的一系列对策。     

Examining quick delivery at an affordable cost by the NSR/SCR-combined shipping in the age of Mega-ships

ABSTRACT

The Mega-ships, the maximum containerships represented by 20,000TEU-class (LOA:400m, Breadth: 60m, Draft: 16m) which are able to transit both the Malacca Strait and the Suez Canal, have emerged in 2013, aiming at lower shipping cost by economy of scale. At the same time, they inevitably increased port calls in a rotation to collect more cargo demand, resulting in the longer transit time than ever before. Taking this trend into account, the authors proposed the quick delivery scenario between East Asia and Northwest Europe by the NSR (Northern Sea Route)/SCR (Suez Canal Route)-combined shipping, of which 4,000 TEU ice-class containership transits the NSR during the summer season and the SCR in the wintertime, based on a year-round scheduled operation. The quick delivery scenario gives the shorter transit time at an affordable shipping cost depending on the NSR navigable season length. However, the quick delivery scenario cannot avoid uncertainties in navigation especially via the NSR in the summer season, due to rough weather, sea ice, low visibility and icing in the icy water section of the NSR. The authors preliminarily concluded that a year-round scheduled operation of the NSR/SCR-combined shipping will be secured, if the practical navigation schedule is appropriately prepared.     

Development of ship sinking frequency model over Subsea Pipeline for Madura Strait using AIS data

It is important to study the risk posed by heavy shipping traffic to a subsea pipeline located near an industrial port area. In this context, it is essential to estimate the accident frequency in an attempt to eliminate subjectivity in the analysis process. This study proposes a model for estimating the ship sinking frequency over the subsea pipeline in the Madura Strait area. The Madura Strait is one of the busiest shipping lanes in Indonesia. Many ships pass through the fairway in the strait, and many industrial ports have been built in this area. The proposed model is developed based on Fujii’s Model, and it uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) data as a ship traffic survey. Ship sinking accidents are considered based on ship–ship collisions over the critical subsea pipeline area. The ship–ship collision locations around the subsea pipeline and the ship traffic distribution models are estimated using AIS data. The causation probability Pc is determined based on a synthetics approach using a Bayesian network modified from Det Norske Veritas’ and Hänninen’s models. The causation probability is estimated by considering factors such as human performance, weather, technical problems, and support. The proposed model is validated by comparing its result with actual accident records for the Madura Strait area. The ratio value of 0.33 is considered to be reasonably agreement (ratio value ≥0.2).     

Impact of the container security initiative on Taiwan's shipping industry

This paper evaluates the impact of risk factors from the container security initiative on Taiwan's shipping industry by employing a risk management matrix to identify the severity and frequency of CSI risk factors, and discovers some appropriate risk management alternatives. This paper's findings are as follows: (1) The majority of risk factors have a moderate-risk level, and possible alternative risk management measures include risk prevention, self-retention and insurance. (2) Ensuring a balance between the efficiency of maritime logistics and supply chain security is of vital importance to any trading countries dealing with security risk issues. (3) The government should encourage the private sector to design and market security hardware and software, which will promote the growth of the domestic security industry and generate employment opportunities.     

The impacts of strait and canal blockages on the transportation costs of the Chinese fleet in the shipping network

ABSTRACT

Straits and canals have always served as key nodes in shipping networks. The blockage of a strait or canal will lead to ship deviations and increased transportation costs. To measure this impact on the Chinese fleet, our study develops a mathematical model that is based on a programming formulation. Each strait or canal is assumed to be blocked in turn, and the increased transportation costs for the Chinese fleet in different scenarios are calculated and compared using the proposed programming formulation in order to measure the impact of the blocked strait or canal on the Chinese fleet. Larger increases in transportation costs have greater impacts on the fleet. The results show that a blockage of the Strait of Hormuz would have the greatest impact of all straits and canals; it would cause the Chinese fleet to lose a portion of its import and export market, and such a blockage cannot be addressed through ship deviations. Based upon increased transportation costs, the four straits or canals that would have the greatest impact if blocked are the Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal, the Sunda Strait and the English Channel.     

大型油轮通过新、马海峡的航行安全

在实船航行经验的基础上,分析了新、马海峡的航道特点和通航条件,论述了大型油轮通过海峡的航行方法和操船注意事项,供航海人员参考。     

The hydrology and biochemistry of the Cretan Straits (Antikithira and Kassos Straits) revisited in the period June 1997–May 1998

Three CTD surveys (June 1997, January 1998, May 1998) were undertaken at the Antikithira and the Kassos Straits of the Cretan Arc in the Eastern Mediterranean. In these cruises, water samples were also collected for oxygen, nutrients and chlorophyll-a analyses, while current-meter moorings were deployed in the channels of the Cretan Deep Water (CDW) outflow from June 1997 to July 1998. The same sub-basin-scale circulation features as in 1994–1995 govern the upper circulation: The Mirtoan/West Cretan Cyclone prevails throughout the study period in the Antikithira Strait, while in the Kassos Strait the East Cretan Cyclone in the north part of the Strait interacts either with the Ierapetra Gyre or the Rhodes Gyre in the southern part of the Strait, thus creating varying flow regimes. The Transitional Mediterranean Water (TMW) appears denser (σ_θ∼29.17–29.18) in comparison to its density values in 1994–1995 and its core occupies a deeper layer (∼500–700 m). The CDW occupies a near-bottom layer in the outflow channels less than ∼200 m thick. An overall decrease in the CDW volume is observed from June 1997 to May 1998 which is correlated with a weakening in the presence of TMW in each Strait. The CDW and TMW distributions and variability are also illustrated through their chemical signal of, correspondingly, high-oxygen, low-nutrient and low-oxygen, high-nutrient values. The existence of a cyclonic/upwelling circulation structure in the Antikithira Strait, as opposed to a more variable hydrodynamic regime in the Kassos Strait, results in higher chlorophyll-a concentrations and shallower chlorophyll-a maxima in the Antikithira Strait during summer in comparison to the corresponding phytoplankton parameters in the Kassos Strait. The CDW outflowing speeds are on the order of ∼20 cm/s and the mean CDW transport from both straits during the deployment period is ∼0.15 Sv, which is substantially reduced with respect to the total mean value of ∼0.6 Sv of the period 1994–1995. The total CDW transport during spring and early summer of 1998 for both straits is ∼0.05 Sv. This decrease denotes an inter-annual weakening in the evolution of the East Mediterranean Transient.     

Numerical simulation of the barotropic tides in the Tunisian Shelf and the Strait of Sicily

We have investigated the barotropic tides in the Tunisian shelf and the Strait of Sicily using the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) with very high-resolution. Model performance was evaluated with respect to tide gauge, satellite data, and current meter measurements. The model fields faithfully reproduced the major feature of the barotropic tidal currents and agreed well with existing tidal elevation and phase observations. General features for the various semidiurnal constituents are nearly similar to each other with maximum amplitude in the Gulf of Gabes. The larger tidal currents occur over the continental shelves. In the Adventure Bank, the current is essentially of diurnal type whereas in the Gulf of Gabes it is of semidiurnal type.Tidal energy lost, which is primarily due to bottom stress dissipation, is predominantly in the Gulf of Gabes ( 61%), the Strait of Sicily, and the Strait of Messina. The forcing function for internal tides shows for both M₂ and K₁ constituents, significant spatial variability in the Strait of Sicily. This suggests that some internal tides will be generated in these regions and could thus explain the observed strong diurnal internal waves in the Adventure Bank.     

Recent observations in the straits of the East/Japan Sea: A review of hydrography, currents and volume transports

Recent observations of hydrography, currents and volume transports in the straits of the East/Japan Sea are reviewed. It is newly found that bottom cold water in the Korea/Tsushima Strait originating from the northern region of the East/Japan Sea appears not only in summer and autumn but also in winter. Intensive observations in the Korea/Tsushima Strait revealed two distinct cores of northeastward currents in the upper layer of the western and eastern channels. Mean volume transport through the Korea/Tsushima Strait is calculated as 2.5 ± 0.5 Sv from four-year direct and indirect measurements. As continuous monitoring has started in the Tsugaru and Soya Straits, understanding of temporal variability of currents and volume transports through the straits is in progress. For the first time, simultaneous time series of volume transports are available in the Korea/Tsushima and Tsugaru Straits during the winter of 1999–2000. Ouflow through the Tsugaru Strait accounts for about 70% of inflow through the Korea/Tsushima Strait for this period.     

新加坡自引抛锚

就船舶从马六甲海峡和新加坡海峡东部航行到新加坡锚地的航法和自引抛锚的方法以及抵达该区域抛锚的注意事项进行全面阐述,并将最近自引抛锚的体会进行汇总和介绍,为船舶在新加坡自引抛锚提供具体详尽的参考资料和指导。     

Analysis of ship drifting in a narrow channel using Automatic Identification System (AIS) data

With maritime transportation has played an important role in global economy development, ship traffic has become more congested. Therefore, ships navigate under risk conditions, and thus maritime accidents have occurred frequently. Especially, ship passing through a narrow channel is even more dangerous. Because, the ships are easy to be affected by external forces such as wind and currents that can cause ship drifts. Many latent risks are present during navigation. In order for the development of a sensible and appropriate traffic model for the safety and efficiency ship navigation, this study has focused on the actual ship behavior to understand the ship drift in the Kurushima Strait, Japan, which is one of the most dangerous routes in Japan. The analysis of ship behavior was carried out using the Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. As a result, the ships drift was understood in detail, and the latent risk was unveiled when ships pass through the narrow route. Moreover, the risk areas were obtained and visualized by the ship drift behavior analysis. The obtained results can be applied to ensure safe navigation and the development of an eco-friendly and economy efficient for ship navigation.     

The enforcement of shipping standards under UNCLOS

This article discusses the enforcement of shipping standards, with a particular focus on Part XII of UNCLOS. Section 6 of Part XII contains the only comprehensive set of vessel-related enforcement provisions in the Convention, but the Part’s scope is limited to “the preservation and protection of the marine environment.” Therefore, not all shipping standards fall clearly within Part XII’s ambit, including those centered on safety, security, and crewing considerations. The enforcement provisions of Section 6 are favorable to flag states and their vessels, and Section 7 contains a number of safeguards for their benefit, so it is in the interests of these parties to have coastal state enforcement governed by Part XII. However, the ability of coastal states to establish and enforce shipping standards that apply within the territorial sea extends to more than just environmental matters. The result is that different standards give rise to different enforcement powers, depending on the maritime zone in which a vessel is located, even if those standards arise from the same international agreement. It is suggested that to remedy these problems, UNCLOS would need to be amended in order to provide a comprehensive enforcement regime for the enforcement of shipping standards.     

The marine electronic highway in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore—an assessment of costs and key benefits

The Straits of Malacca and Singapore are an important trade route linking the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean. They are also rich in resources and support a range of activities that benefit the economies of the littoral states (Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore). This important shipping route is a very congested waterway and the authorities are keen to improve navigation facilities to promote ship safety and reduce the risk of groundings, collisions and accidents. This will also help to protect the marine environment from the effects of pollution and hence reduce its damaging impact on activities related to the Straits, e.g. fisheries and tourism. The Marine Electronic Highway (MEH) is an attempt to bring together maritime safety technologies and environmental management systems. The paper examines the costs of providing such a highway and considers some of the benefits which could accrue from its implementation. The analysis, conducted in the form of a cost-benefit study, clearly shows the economic viability of the scheme.     

日本关门海峡航法

就关门海峡的航道、潮流、信号、通航情况、航法及船过海峡时应注意的问题进行了论述,并根据多次通过关门海峡的经验总结出一些可供借鉴的航法。     

Effective maritime security: conceptual model and empirical evidence

In recent years, the issue of maritime security has become a major concern on the international maritime agenda. One of the issues in this respect is how to enhance security while not jeopardizing organizational efficiency and effectiveness, or to manage security effectively, e.g. facilitating the smooth flows of materials while enhancing supply chain security at the same time. In addressing this issue, we place three cornerstones for the effective management of security in maritime transport: quality management (QM), risk management (RM) and business continuity management (BCM). A conceptual model of effective maritime security, including 13 dimensions and 24 associated critical success factors, is devised following this reasoning. The model was tested through a survey of 119 maritime transport organizations and 25 interviews conducted in Vietnam. Findings support that all proposed 24 factors are valid and should be used as critical factors for success in effectively managing security in maritime transport, in that those involving security incident handling and response are rated as the most important in magnitude, along with security risk assessment, risk-based security mitigation strategies and plans, and senior management commitment and leadership. Managers can use the model designed and tested in this research to develop a checklist of essential components for their company's security management policies, strategies and plans. The use of a universal checklist to evaluate maritime security management would also greatly facilitate benchmarking across organizations in the industry.     

Maritime security and seafarers’ welfare: Towards harmonization

This article examines the negative situation surrounding seafarers’ welfare in the post 9–11 shipping world. Its main focus is the denial of shore leave which has become a prime source of disharmony since the implementation of post 9–11 security measures. It discusses the implementation of these measures which has been at the expense of seafarers’ customary right to shore leave.     

琼州海峡航标配布优化方案的研究

文中介绍了琼州海峡的自然条件，详细分析了船舶交通状况和航标配布现状，提出了改善琼州海峡船舶交通状况的航标配布优化方案。     

台湾船员培训、考试和发证现状研究

在两岸“大三通”的背景下，开展我国台湾地区船员参加大陆船员培训、考试和发证工作，拓展两岸船员劳务合作空间，具有积极的现实意义，文中对两岸船员的培训、考试和发证制度进行研究比较分析，从法律、行政管理和技术层面探讨台湾地区船员参加大陆船员培训、考试和发证工作，及两岸船员劳务多层次交流合作的可行性，并对具体做法提出建议，为今后开展相应工作提供参考。