Is Somali piracy a random phenomenon?

This paper investigates whether Somali piracy is a random phenomenon. The investigation takes place in two distinct parts. Its statistical analysis spans over a period of 11 years, from 2000 until 2011 for the first part (flags), and 5 years, from 2007 until 2011 for the second one (crews). The reason is that although prior to 2007 there have been a substantial number of attacks (parameter used in the first part of the research), very few ships were practically pirated (parameter used in the second part) within the same period. Firstly, it is widely believed that Somali pirates select their targets at random and the decision on attacking a vessel registered under a particular flag is unrelated to the participation of the flag state in any of the naval forces operating around the Horn of Africa. The enquiry attempts to assess whether these two common beliefs are supported by historical data and to what extent. Secondly, this paper asks whether there are certain nationalities of crews which are for ethnic and/or cultural reasons more (or less) vulnerable to fall victims of pirates off Somalia. Such groups (if there are any) would in effect indirectly ‘support’ Somali piracy, and for this reason, they could be considered as ‘passively supportive crews’. The analysis focuses on the crew composition of the attacked vessels with special interest cast upon those ships (meaning the crews) which eventually succumbed to Somali pirates and were in the end seajacked.     

Improvement of combustion efficiency and emission characteristics of IC diesel engine operating on ESC cycle applying Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) with vaneless turbine volute

Based on experimental data, the present study investigates the influence of turbine adjustment in a turbocharger with vaneless turbine volute on diesel combustion efficiency indices and emission characteristics. Experimental investigations were conducted on engine modes as set out by the European Stationary Cycle (ESC). The adjustment algorithms selected for the experiment under ESC modes included adjustment to achieve minimal values of specific fuel consumption (SFC), NOx, CO and particulate matter (PM). In present research only VGT adjustment was investigated, the factors like fuel injection timing and EGR were not investigated. As a result we were able to make a comparison of the engine combustion efficiency and emission indices for VGT and a common turbocharger running on ESC cycle modes.     

Aspects of the European Maritime Industry

This article discusses the regulatory and operational issues which have recently confronted a number of U.S. ports as a result of their dredging programmers. It describes the environmental concerns which have led community groups to raise legal objections to the traditional practice of ocean dumping of dredged material, the federal/state regulatory framework within which these objections have been considered and recent legislative changes to that framework. The paper describes in some detail the specific case of the Port of New York and New Jersey, which has experienced severe delays in its dredging programme since 1992 (and a resulting loss of business) as well mounting costs for dredged material disposal. The paper concludes that, complicated as the technical problems involving dredged material disposal may be, it is the political and economic issues involved which are likely to be decisive in the eventual outcomes for affected ports.     

Demand Information from Incomplete Data—Application to Commercial Catfish

This paper provides general background information relating to the physical characteristics and operations of the Suez Canal. In connection with the future development of the Canal, the research programme currently being undertaken by a British consortium is outlined, with particular reference to the traffic system presently operating.     

On the measurement of benefits from shipping services

This brief paper extends the author's comments on Conference pricing policy, and represents a reply to comments made by E. T. Laing.     

The maximum shipping capacity of the Suez Canal

This paper considers the determination of the maximum shipping capacity of the Suez canal. Initially, some assumptions are made in order to calculate the ‘theoretical’ maximum capacity in terms of ‘standard ships’. This last term defines ships which transit the Canal at a given speed and at a given time interval from the vessel ahead and astern.

Data has been collected from the Canal Zone, the analysis of which provides the necessary information regarding speeds of vessels at different sections of the Canal, time gaps between different classes of ship at different nodes of the Canal, and relationships between time widths of convoys and numbers of ships in those convoys at different points of the Canal.

This data has then been used to calculate the maximum capacity of the Canal in terms of ‘real ships’. For that purpose four schemes have been devised, each taking a different mix of categories of ships. A sensitivity analysis has been undertaken in order to investigate the effect of each class of ship on the real maximum shipping capacity of the Canal. The last two schemes take into consideration the effect of the future introduction of supertankers.     

The new economic order and African shipping policies

This paper approaches the problem of port labour training in Africa. It examines various aspects of immediate training, apprenticeship training and career training with the implementation of a pedagogic method of training, fully adapted to the specific needs of a port.