Prioritizing mechanism of low carbon shipping measures using a combination of FQFD and FTOPSIS

As technical incentives, Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan and Energy Efficiency Design Index, became the guidance for shipping companies in low-carbon shipping (LCS) integration. Despite the diversity of LCS measures, a mechanism to prioritize them is still urgently required from the view of shipping stakeholders. This paper developed a LCS measures prioritization mechanism for vessels relied on the combination of Fuzzy-based Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) and Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment (FQFD) so as to facilitate the treatment of uncertainties, thus realizing effective quantitative analysis of the LCS measures. Four performance aspects of LCS measures including ecological, reputation and competitive advantage, economic, and certainty level were analyzed and used for suitableness assessment, whereas weights of prioritizing criteria were determined by FQFD, alternatives were prioritized by FTOPSIS to build up a list of ranked LCS measures. The illustration example based on collected data of six alternatives was carried out to validate the feasibility of the methodology in prioritizing LCS measures. The outcomes can be used either as a stand-alone technique for prioritizing or as part of an integrated decision-making method for evaluating the effectiveness of chosen LCS measures.     

Themes and tools of maritime transport research during 2000-2014

This study examines how maritime transport has been researched through a comprehensive review of papers published in 19 transportation journals over the period 2000–2014. Systematic investigation shows that Maritime Policy & Management plays a prominent role in publishing maritime transport research. At the same time, ‘shipping’ is a dominant research area, with ‘port management, service, performance, efficiency and competitiveness’; ‘shipping market, industry, freight rate and economic impact’; and ‘terminal studies’ as the most popular topics. Nevertheless, few efforts have investigated ‘shipping finance’; ‘shipping service’; or ‘port risk and security.’ Since 2000, the use of quantitative analysis techniques has steadily increased in maritime transport to help participants make decisions scientifically. We here present the major data analysis techniques and highlight some limitations regarding their application. Thus, we provide a better understanding of how maritime transport research has been undertaken in a quantitative manner.     

Seasonality patterns in the container shipping freight rate market

Shipping indexes have attracted many researchers because they reflect the overall trend of corresponding seaborne markets and can provide implications for the future. Apart from the Baltic Dry Bulk Index (BDI) and correlated indices, the China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) has been gaining more attention. As a country with large-scale manufacturing, China is an important exporting country and the CCFI was chosen to reflect the container shipping market because the data are more convincing and representative. There have been no systematic attempts to understand the seasonality patterns of container freights. Seasonality patterns reveal the regular fluctuation patterns within a 1-year period. They exist in time series, which are observed more than once a year, like the CCFI. To investigate the nature of seasonality (stochastic and/or deterministic) in container freight rates across different line services, we analyze the CCFI. This paper uses the HEGY method and Monte Carlo method comprehensively to figure out the small sample problem. In addition, seasonal dummy variables are used to test deterministic seasonality. Except for the Japan service series, which contains a half-year unit root, the other container freight rates seem to only involve a non-seasonal unit root at the zero frequency. Deterministic seasonality exists in all the line service series. Furthermore, the seasonality depends on the balance between supply and demand. Under this premise, the seasonal law of freight rates is much obvious.     

Risk influencing factors analysis of Arctic maritime transportation systems: a Chinese perspective

Recently, the melting of Arctic sea ice and development of maritime technology are enabling the regular voyages in Arctic waters. However, the Arctic maritime transportation system (AMTS) is a complex and dynamic system with respect to human, technical, environmental and organizational issues. For example, ships operating in Arctic waters suffer severe weather conditions, fully and partially ice-covered waters, and are also difficult to search and rescue in ice-covered Arctic waters due to remoteness from lands. These risk factors will influence the safety and security of ships operating in Arctic waters. For this, this paper identifies potential risk influencing factors (RIFs) for the AMTS from human, technical (ship), environmental and organizational aspects. An analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method is used to analyze the hierarchical relationships and calculate the relative importance of the selected RIFs. Due to the complexity and uncertainty involved in the comprehensive analysis of RIFs for the AMTS, fuzzy sets are incorporated into AHP analysis to represent and treat the epistemic uncertainty. The identified critical RIFs in this study can be used to propose specific guidance for the operations of crews on board, ship owners, and ship managers.     

Governance of Shipping Emission of SOx in China's Coastal Waters: The SECA Policy,Challenges, and Directions

Emission governance of air pollutants from ships is a common challenge for the world's shipping industry. Under the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Europe, North America, and other developed regions and countries have established strict ship Emission Control Areas (ECAs). With some of the largest ports in the world, China suffers severe air pollution from ships, posing a threat to the air quality and public health of the coastal cities. To strengthen the control and supervision over air pollutants, such as ship-emitted sulfur oxides (SO_x) in coastal areas, China issued a Sulfur Emission Control Area (SECA) policy for ships in January 2016. However, the new SECA policy lags far behind IMO's existing ECA policies, and continues to face many challenges during implementation. This paper outlines the main framework of China's ship SECA policy, analyzes the legal governance basis, discusses major potential challenges for implementing the policy, and puts forward suggestions for future governance. This research aims to promote the effectiveness of China's sulfur emission-reducing SECA policy by putting forth novel ideas for policymakers and stakeholders.     

Evolution of green shipping research: themes and methods

Over the past 30 years, there have been growing concerns on the environmental impacts of maritime transportation, which have attracted great attention from both academia and practitioners. Understanding developments in this area can help guide future research. We conducted a comprehensive review of green shipping research, comprising 213 papers published in transportation journals in SSCI of 2017 over the period 1988–2017. We find that research on green shipping has increased greatly since 2012, accounting for 77.5% of the reviewed papers. The main focus today on green shipping was on air pollution, and the classification of green shipping practice, such as technical measures, operational options, market-based measures, and recycling and reusing, is becoming clear. According to the existing studies, future research on green shipping must strengthen technology research to not only solve practical problems, but also to establish a theoretical green shipping system. Moreover, researchers from different countries could cooperate with each other to give effective suggestions on setting standards and laws of green shipping. Finally, we identify the future research themes will focus on setting up green shipping system and legislation and policy.     

一体化运营的钦州自动化码头海铁联运发展

针对多式联运建设过程中铁路与港口最后1 km迟迟不能打通的问题,以钦州港自动化码头海铁联运为实践案例,分析了海铁联运现状和推进过程中数据不通、运输规则不同等困难。基于海运与铁路2套不同的运行机制特点,采用实证研究法和个案研究法,提出先实现物理区域合并、堆场资源共享,再打破信息壁垒、实现信息系统融合,最终实现统一调度、业务融合的一体化运营的分步式推进路径。研究成果可为其他港口海铁联运建设提供借鉴。     

国际海运温室气体（GHG）减排浅析

以《联合国气候变化框架公约》（UNFCCC）为主要背景简要介绍全球温室气体排放现状、相关机制及面临的问题,进而对国际海事组织（IMO）在海运温室气体排放方面所采取的措施加以分析,最后结合国情对我国海运温室气体减排提出参考建议。     

WTO框架内劳工标准问题探讨

回顾了WTO与劳工标准问题的历史渊源后,进一步分析了WTO框架内劳工标准问题的争议,认为将劳工标准与WTO联系起来是必然的趋势,中国应在维护本国利益的前提下,积极提出自己的观点和主张。     

防止船舶垃圾污染有关规则及对策

从介绍国际海事组织有关防止船舶垃圾造成污染的规则着手,分析了船舶垃圾的主要来源,提出了相应的处理对策,同时也介绍了必要的处理设备.