Safety culture in shipping

The emergence of a safety culture in shipping has been promoted, especially by the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization. However, what is really meant by a safety culture? The adoption of the International Safety Management Code and of the amended International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, STCW 95, together with the introduction of Formal Safety Assessment in the IMO rule making process are considered as the major tools contributing to the emergence of such. This article examines the evolution of the concept of maritime safety concept during the last decades and discusses how the adoption of new international instruments has contributed to improve the maritime safety system. It provides possible definitions of maritime safety and safety culture and discusses how far the maritime safety system is from a culture of safety.     

EU maritime transport

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the European maritime transport policy within the context of maritime politics at large. At the outset the legal framework conditions and supportive instruments for the shipping and port industries are presented. Against the background of recent accidents at sea, such as the sinking of ERIKA and PRESTIGE, the EU legislation on maritime safety is of particular interest as it is both complex and rapid in reaction to environmental needs and political pressure. Finally, the sensible relationship between the EU as a regional organization and the IMO as “the competent international organization” is discussed with a view to reconcile possible rivalry and to suggest a complementary cooperation between the two organizations.     

Maritime safety: To be or not to be proactive

The purpose of this paper is to address important issues regarding policy formulation in the maritime safety area. The main thesis of the paper is that there is some way to achieve a truly proactive maritime safety regime, and there even seems to be recent progress toward this end. A qualitative assessment on the nature of maritime safety policies and on the way that these are put forward is attempted, along with some opinions on the possible pitfalls and on what needs to be done so that this process can be further improved.     

The relationship between maritime education and employer trust: the structural equation modelling (SEM) perspective

The research is aimed to identify factors in the maritime education and training (MET) system and its relationship on maritime labour employers’ (MLEs) trust based on current practice in Malaysia. A questionnaire survey was used, and the respondents were the participants of a related conference in Malaysia. The structural equation modelling technique was used to explain the relationships in the stipulated research model. The test of structural model confirms that the model is adequate in explaining the MLEs’ trust. The results reveal that the perceived MET institutions’ efficiency has significant direct effects on the MLEs’ trust and the perceived seafarers’ competency. In addition, the perceived implementation of International Convention was found to significantly affect the seafarers’ competency. However, the perceived seafarers’ competency was not found to directly affect the MLEs’ trust. This study suggests that the MLEs’ trust is an important indicator and feedback on it can be used to further enhance the current MET system and its policies. Thus, one of the strategies is to develop a policy in order to achieve an effective maritime education and training. This is to support the maritime communities in progressing towards a more sustainable development in the MET in the context of enhancing the maritime safety.     

从"亚平"轮事故谈海上安全应急信息共享机制的建立

为切实保障海洋公共交通安全,建立海上安全应急信息共享机制已经迫在眉睫。本文认为,要打破“信息孤岛”现象,建立相互依存、有机联系、实用高效的海上安全应急信息共享机制,就必须加强四个系统建设,包括建设高效的指挥系统、密切的协同系统、完备的技术系统、长效的反馈系统。同时,本文提出,要发挥海事部门在海上安全应急信息共享机制中的主导作用,切实保障海洋公共交通安全。     

The determinants of maritime policy

The paper is to explore the relation between national economic development and the formulation of maritime policy. It collects and examines data from 30 maritime nations, and shows that maritime policy is determined by economic circumstance rather than the result of rational decision of policy makers. A general solution is produced for an optimum maritime policy under a given economic condition. The general solution can serve as a benchmark for future maritime policy making and research in general.     

The determinants of maritime policy

The paper is to explore the relation between national economic development and the formulation of maritime policy. It collects and examines data from 30 maritime nations, and shows that maritime policy is determined by economic circumstance rather than the result of rational decision of policy makers. A general solution is produced for an optimum maritime policy under a given economic condition. The general solution can serve as a benchmark for future maritime policy making and research in general.     

Maritime policy in Scotland

This paper begins by defining the meaning of the term ‘maritime policy’. Since devolution in the UK, the opening of the new Scottish parliament in 1998 and the creation of the Scottish Executive, little effort has been made to establish a distinct maritime policy for Scotland. As was evident prior to devolution, the primary emphasis from any maritime policy perspective has continued to be a focus on lifeline island ferry services. This ignores significant developments in several other key maritime transport sectors, and this paper provides examples of areas that require some form of policy response, including intra-European short sea shipping, UK coastal shipping, urban/river transport and global container shipping. Long-standing institutional bias against maritime transport coupled with subsidy devoted almost entirely to land transport systems has resulted in a quite distorted marketplace. This suggests that a maritime policy is now imperative if maritime transport is to play a more significant role in the overall transport system. Further discussion centres on the need to consider, from a Scottish policy perspective, the role of various state-sponsored maritime service providers and how these bodies might fit better within evolving policy. The conclusion is that formulation of a maritime policy by the Scottish Executive is overdue and that a degree of restructuring of transport responsibilities within the Executive, combined with adequate resource allocation towards the maritime industry, will be necessary in order that market distortions can be overcome, so enabling Scotland to fully exploit the competitive and environmental advantages that maritime transport can provide.     

Maritime policy in Scotland

This paper begins by defining the meaning of the term 'maritime policy'. Since devolution in the UK, the opening of the new Scottish parliament in 1998 and the creation of the Scottish Executive, little effort has been made to establish a distinct maritime policy for Scotland. As was evident prior to devolution, the primary emphasis from any maritime policy perspective has continued to be a focus on lifeline island ferry services. This ignores significant developments in several other key maritime transport sectors, and this paper provides examples of areas that require some form of policy response, including intra-European short sea shipping, UK coastal shipping, urban/river transport and global container shipping. Long-standing institutional bias against maritime transport coupled with subsidy devoted almost entirely to land transport systems has resulted in a quite distorted marketplace. This suggests that a maritime policy is now imperative if maritime transport is to play a more significant role in the overall transport system. Further discussion centres on the need to consider, from a Scottish policy perspective, the role of various state-sponsored maritime service providers and how these bodies might fit better within evolving policy. The conclusion is that formulation of a maritime policy by the Scottish Executive is overdue and that a degree of restructuring of transport responsibilities within the Executive, combined with adequate resource allocation towards the maritime industry, will be necessary in order that market distortions can be overcome, so enabling Scotland to fully exploit the competitive and environmental advantages that maritime transport can provide.     

Consistency in the development of performance assessment methods in the maritime domain

The maritime industry is considered to be a backbone of the global economy. It is therefore imperative to ensure that maritime operations run safely and efficiently. Assessment of maritime performance is necessary for designers and engineers to be able to pinpoint the weakest links in the system and make impactful system improvements. The current article presents a systematic quantitative literature review of research on performance assessment in the maritime industry with the goal of establishing an understanding of accuracy and consistency in the development of methods used to assess performance. The review focuses on four major segments within the industry—port logistics, ship handling, safety and environmental research—and investigates their uses in developing accurate and consistent performance assessment methods. After the completion of an exclusion process, 62 articles published in a wide range of academic journals were used in the analysis. Two important conclusions were drawn from the analysis. First, performance assessment is generally consistent throughout the maritime industry; most papers used accurate and consistent approaches to develop the methods (n?=?43). A subsequent bivariate analysis revealed a call for increased attention to the development of assessment methods within the maritime segment of ship handling. The current study suggests and discusses certain directions with regard to assessment research in the maritime industry.     

The seafaring labour market in Brazil

The most recent reports on the supply and demand for seafarers suggest that there is an increasing lack of officers for the expanding world's merchant fleet. With a focus on Brazil, this paper discusses a particular seafaring labour market highlighting specific challenges that need to be overcome. The paper looks into the current condition of the imbalance in Brazilian seafaring labour market as well as the prospects for merchant marine officers from the only two maritime schools in the country. Key issues on demand forecast and supply expectation, policy amendment, promoting maritime career, sea career commitment and maritime career empowerment are discussed to illustrate possible means to overcome the imbalance.     

The ISM Code and the ISPS Code: A critical legal analysis of two SOLAS regimes

Within the comprehensive body of law encompassed by the International Convention on Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS), there are two regimes that are topical and outstanding in the current maritime milieu. These are the international safety management and the international ship and port facility regimes, both characterized by two codes serving as the centre of gravity of each, namely, the ISM Code and the ISPS Code, respectively. In this article the concept of the code as a legal instrument is perused following which a critical legal analysis is carried out of the two above-mentioned Codes, including their backgrounds, the evolutionary process culminating into the regimes and their interrelationships. Several anomalies and inadequacies in the two regimes are identified but in the final analysis it is concluded that both instruments are salutary additions to the body of convention law generated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). They will undoubtedly influence the continuing development of international law in the field of maritime safety and security.     

Economic incentives for maritime shipping relating to climate protection

This paper aims to analyze the various policy options for addressing greenhouse gas emissions from international maritime shipping, with an emphasis on the use of economic instruments. The economic incentives provided for the industry are categorized and examined with regard to their effectiveness for climate protection purposes. An analysis of the potential use of market-based mechanisms for the shipping sector follows alongside with the review and evaluation of the various proposals for a Maritime Emissions Trading Scheme that are submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization and are currently under consideration. The importance of the adoption of a maritime global cap-and-trade scheme for climate change mitigation is particularly emphasized. Within this context, it is also considered whether the possible introduction of economic incentive measures on a broader (regional or global) level may cause problems of implementation and how these obstacles can be overcome.     

A method for extracting key performance indicators from maritime safety management norms

The maritime transportation industry currently employs several mandatory and non-mandatory norms of organizational safety management. These safety norms are commonly included in integrated maritime safety management systems, which aim at developing, monitoring, controlling and improving the safety of all related shipping operations. These systems are typically evaluated by following key performance indicators, which enable defined measures for various safety management components. However, the identification of indicators addressing safety management requirements constitutes a complex and generally unsystematic process for safety managers in the maritime industry. This article proposes a new method to assess the guidelines available in maritime safety management norms. The proposed method is applied to assess the content of two maritime safety management norms. The aim of this assessment is to identify a set of maritime safety management indicators that can systematically measure the most relevant components of maritime safety management. The application of this method resulted in the identification of 53 key performance indicators for monitoring and reviewing 23 identified safety management components that are commonly integrated into the functioning of maritime safety management systems. The method proposed provides guidance to accurately capture the actual aim and function of the key performance indicators. Furthermore, the indicators and safety components obtained with this method can be adopted as the basis for a safety management system and/or for the analysis of a safety management system already established in the industry.     

The international legal instruments in addressing piracy and maritime terrorism: A critical review

This paper critically reviews four international legal instruments in addressing piracy and maritime terrorism - UNCLOS, SUA, PSI and the ISPS Code. Piracy on high seas is currently becoming key tactics of terrorist groups - many of today's pirates are also terrorists with ideological bents and a broad political agenda. The intertwining of piracy and maritime terrorism poses substantial risks for global markets, understanding that much of the world's energy and cargoes being shipped through pirate-infested regions like Southeast Asia. Through investigating the contributions and limitations of the stated instruments, several constructive recommendations are offered to improve their effectiveness in controlling and deterring piracy and maritime terrorism from threatening the well-being of the maritime industries in the post-2008 world.     

海事公约对第三国产生效力之原理

“条约不约束第三国”是一项古老的国际习惯法规则，亦称为“条约的相对效力原则”。即条约只约束缔约国，未经第三国同意，条约既不能为第三国创设权利，也不能为第三国施加义务。这一原则早就得到众多国际法学者的肯定，并被国际司法实践所接受和确认。国际海事公约在明确这一原则的同时，规定了“不优惠条款”，     

基于AHP法的船载固体散货安全评价指标体系研究

文中研究借鉴《IMSBC》的要求,将影响船载固体散货运输安全的因素分为三大类,应用层次分析法构建了固体散货运输安全评价指标体系,并结合实例进行了说明,为解决固体散货船舶监管问题提供了一个全新的思路。     

浅谈海事网络安全管理

内网安全是网络安全最重要的主题之一,它是保障内网运行畅通的前提和保证。文中分析了当前海事网络建设中存在的安全问题,介绍了海事内网安全管理的重要性,阐述了加强海事内网安全应采取的几项措施,旨在为今后海事内网安全建设提供参考。     

一种大型隧道沉管运输安装工程船的推进电控系统应用研究

沉管运输安装工程船是连接岛屿和岛岸之间的管隧工程施工的必须工程装备，鉴于沉管需要在岸边的坞内制作，然后使用船只运输到施工地点进行安装。在如何实现海上运输安全、快捷、高效是当今的一大难题，回顾以往的施工，采用了驳船捆绑着沉管，通过多台拖轮进行拖行，此过程既耗时也耗费多方资源，更需要海事局配合保证航行区域无其他船只，以便驳船将沉管拖行。本文以中交一航局的深中通道项目的自航式沉管运输安装一体船为工程应用实例，系统的介绍推进电控系统的设备配置、设计过程和控制逻辑。此技术方法应用于大型隧道沉管运输沉放工程船的运载航行寻迹及水下定位的推进电控系统领域。     

Safety, security, the environment and shipping: The problem of making effective policies

This paper examines where problems of shipping policy jurisdiction between international, supra-national and national levels have occurred. These range across the issues of public goods — safety, security and environment— and show up inadequacies in the current shipping policy-making processes. New frameworks — commonly termed “polycentric governance” and “multi-level governance”— sensitive to the complexities of the maritime industry and its associated political structure urgently need to be adopted. The paper is based upon research work recently carried out across the European Union supported by a number of publications and will include examples from Greece, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and also the new member states. Suggestions for improvements in policy-making structures will be made and recommendations put forward for consideration by policy-makers in the maritime sector at all jurisdictional levels