Sail-assisted motor vessels weather routing using a fuzzy logic model

In this study sail-assisted motor vessels weather routing is investigated to establish the most economical route by applying available information of the ship's behavior regarding the encountered sea-conditions. To derive the vessel’s fuel use on a route, a fuzzy logic model is constructed through an automated identification process. Only data collected from actual integrated bridge measurements systems is used. Fuzzy modeling is a framework providing a flexible and transparent mathematical structure to describe the physical relationships in a vessel's behavior. This consumption model is integrated into a determinist weather-routing optimization workflow based on a systematic meshing scheme of the sailing area. Pareto-optimization with a multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to maximize fuel economy in a limited or optimum time. The benefits of the developed decision helping tool in sail-assisted motor vessel routing are highlighted on a westbound north Transatlantic journey.     

Warning standards study of real-time monitoring for anti-collapse in large cross-sefction tunnel of soft and weak surrounding rockEI北大核心

Research purposes: The statistics for tunnel disasters showed that the quantities and casualties of tunnel collapse are much higher than other tunnel disasters. Achieved warning before collapse in tunnel construction, can greatly reduce the tunnel collapse hazards. The key to achieve anti-collapse warning in soft and weak surrounding rock tunnel is to obtain anti-collapse warning standards. Therefore, it is necessary to study tunnel anti-collapse warning standards to guide safe tunnel construction. Research conclusions: (1) Deformation of the tunnel is relevant to hydrogeological conditions, construction method, construction progress and other factors. Currently, the standard values in criterion were not suitable for tunnel collapse warning. (2) It is practicable to achieve anti-collapse monitoring by relative deformation, because anti-collapse real-time monitoring focused on dome relative deformation differently from routine monitoring in soft and weak surrounding rock tunnel. (3) The reference value of tunnel anti-collapse real-time monitoring is determined by displacement limit value in criterion, the maximum value of the measured displacement in similar project and the measured data in tunnel project. (4) The field experiment indicated that the reference value could meet tunnel anti-collapse warning. Therefore, the research results can be applied to large cross-section tunnel of soft and weak surrounding rock.     

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非复合分布模型可用于分析交通流量达1 800 vph的车辆时间间隔,但并不适用于更高交通流量的情况.为解决此类问题,提出了一些基于复合分布的模型.但这类模型的参数标定过程复杂,在一定程度上限制了其应用.针对流量介于1 900 vph到4 100 vph的车辆时间间隔,本文分别采用5种复合分布模型进行分析,即指数-极值分布(EEV)、对数正态-极值分布(LEV)、威布尔-极值分布(WEV)、威布尔-对数正态分布(WLN)和指数-对数正态分布(ELN).然后采用两种方法进行拟合优度检验——基于累计函数分布检验(CDF)和双样本(Cramer-von Mises)&K样本(Anderson-Darling)检验.结果表明,在分析车辆时间间隔方面,威布尔-极值分布(WEV)是最佳的复合分布模型,在Cramer-von Mises检验和K样本Anderson-Darling检验中均具有良好的一致性.     

Transformations and continuities of issues related to Chinese participation in the global seafarers’ labour market

Since the 1990s, Chinese seafarers have become a force to be reckoned with in the global seafarer labour market, particularly against the backdrop of the manning crisis. Compared with other groups of seafarers dominating the market such as the Filipinos and the Indians, they are commonly associated with perceptions of low cost, poor English skills, different safety/work culture, problems with the International Transport Workers’ Federation, etc. This article identifies transformations and continuities of problems related to Chinese seafarers in the global market in the last two decades or so by reviewing relevant Lloyd’s List reports as well as official documents and previous research. The review shows that Chinese authorities have been taking various initiatives to take advantage of the manning crisis and to expand and promote seafarer education, supply and export, which in general serve to make seafarers better educated and improve their communication skills. Although such initiatives have helped increase seafaring labour export, the success is nevertheless limited by tight government control on recruitment, which makes some foreign managers reluctant to employ Chinese seafarers.     

Optimized selection of vessel air emission controls—moving beyond cost-efficiency

Shipping currently has an unexploited potential for improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions to air. Many existing air emission controls have been proved to be cost-efficient but are still not commonly installed on board vessels. This paper discusses the so-called ‘energy paradox’ in maritime transportation, presenting barriers to overcome and criteria to consider when selecting cost-efficient air emission controls. Current approaches typically select available controls based on their cost-effectiveness. While this is an important aid in the decision-making process, and, in relative terms, easy to quantify, it is not a sufficient criterion to capture the true preferences of the decision-maker. We present in this paper a multi-criteria optimization model for the selection of air emission controls. This decision framework can also incorporate subjective and qualitative factors, and is applied to the shipping company Grieg Shipping. A survey among internal Grieg Shipping stakeholders identifies the important criteria to consider, their relative importance, and the scoring of the controls. This empirical data is used as parameters in the model and the model is then applied on a vessel of the Grieg Shipping fleet. The results show that nonfinancial factors play an important role in the selection of air emission controls in shipping.     

IAME 2011 – contemporary studies on maritime transport in Latin America

Latin America and the Caribbean have evolved as a region of increased interest for the maritime and port industry as well as for academic research. Maritime transport activity in the region has experienced sustained growth rates over the last decades, resulting in ever-increasing demand for maritime services and port infrastructure. At the 2011 Annual Conference of the International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), Latin America received significant attention. This editorial responds to growing research by giving a brief overview of the current situation and contemporary issues in maritime transport within the region. It also introduces the six selected papers for this Special Issue.     

Future cost scenarios for reduction of ship CO2 emissions

International shipping is a significant contributor to Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, responsible for approximately 3% of global CO₂ emissions. The International Maritime Organization is currently working to establish GHG regulations for international shipping and a cost effectiveness approach has been suggested to determine the required emission reductions from shipping. To achieve emission reductions in a cost effective manner, this study has assessed the cost and reduction potential for present and future abatement measures based on new and unpublished data. The model used captures the world fleet up to 2030, and the analysis includes 25 separate measures. A new integrated modelling approach has been used combining fleet projections with activity-based CO₂ emission modelling and projected development of measures for CO₂ emission reduction. The world fleet projections up to 2030 are constructed using a fleet growth model that takes into account assumed ship type specific scrapping and new building rates. A baseline trajectory for CO₂ emission is then established. The reduction potential from the baseline trajectory and the associated marginal cost levels are calculated for 25 different emission reduction measures. The results are given as marginal abatement cost curves, and as future cost scenarios for reduction of world fleet CO₂ emissions. The results show that a scenario in which CO₂ emissions are reduced by 33% from baseline in 2030 is achievable at a marginal cost of USD 0 per tonne reduced. At this cost level, emission in 2010 can be reduced by 19% and by 24% in 2020. A scenario with 49% reduction from baseline in 2030 can be achieved at a marginal cost of USD 100 per tonne (27% in 2010 and 35% in 2020). Furthermore, it is evident that further increasing the cost level beyond USD 100 per tonne yield very little in terms of further emission reduction. The results also indicate that stabilising fleet emissions at current levels is obtainable at moderate costs, compensating for fleet growth up to 2030. However, significant reductions beyond current levels seem difficult to achieve. Marginal abatement costs for the major ship types are also calculated, and the results are shown to be relatively homogenous for all major ship types. The presented data and methodology could be very useful for assisting the industry and policymakers in selecting cost effective solutions for reducing GHG emissions from the world fleet.     

Maritime security in the European Union—empirical findings on financial implications for port facilities

To address the maritime security issue, the IMO Diplomatic Conference adopted in December 2002 the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. The European Union fully agreed with its contents; Regulation (EC) No. 725/2004 transposes in Community Law the associated rules, which came into force on 1 July 2004. Interesting questions from an EU-policy point of view are then: What are the additional costs associated with the implementation of security regulations by port facilities (here in particular terminals) in EU-member states? Moreover, how are these additional costs being recovered by port facilities? Another inter-related question is: are there any subsidies involved in the cost recovery? The present paper addresses these questions with the presentation of the main results of an explorative empirical study on maritime security-related costs and their financing in EU-member states. Furthermore, a number of topics are recommended for further study on maritime security costs and financing and associated (EU) regulations.     

Analyzing aviation safety: Problems,challenges, opportunities

This paper reviews the economic literature relating to aviation safety; analyzes the safety record of commercial passenger aviation in the United States and abroad; examines aviation security as a growing dimension of aviation safety; and identifies emerging issues in airline safety and challenges for aviation safety research. Commercial airline safety has improved dramatically since the industry's birth over a century ago. Fatal accident rates for large scheduled jet airlines have fallen to the level where (along many dimensions) aviation is now the safest mode of commercial transportation. However, safety performance has not been evenly distributed across all segments of commercial aviation, nor among all countries and regions of the world. The finding that developing countries have much poorer safety records has been a persistent conclusion in aviation safety research and continues to be the case. Unfortunately, operations data are not available for many of the airlines that experience fatal accidents, so it is not possible to calculate reliable fatality rates for many segments of the worldwide aviation industry. Without more complete information, it will likely be difficult to make substantial improvements in the safety of these operations. Challenges to improving aviation security include: how much to focus on identifying the terrorists as opposed to identifying the tools they might use; determining how to respond to terrorist threats; and determining the public versus private roles in providing aviation security. The next generation of safety challenges now require development and understanding of new forms of data to improve safety in other segments of commercial aviation, and moving from a reactive, incident-based approach toward a more proactive, predictive and systems-based approach.     

Valuing Freight Transport Time using Transport Demand Modelling: A Bibliographical Review

The value of time for freight transport is of major importance in infrastructure-related cost–benefit analysis and yet its study has been largely neglected when compared with its passenger counterpart. In fact, one of the attributes that could decide the profitability of a project is how much can be saved if freight vehicles use new infrastructure. Despite being the primary benefit of most investments in transport infrastructure, researchers have not yet reached agreement over either the size or the nature of the values of time that should be used when evaluating projects. This article provides a review of the estimation of freight value of time through transport demand modelling and extant empirical evidence on this topic. Similarly, the bibliographic review of studies undertaken has allowed us to pinpoint the most critical issues when modelling freight transport demand and the position of various research teams regarding these aspects. Such issues include identifying the decision-maker, heterogeneity in the transport flows and transport attributes considered by decision-makers.