57 research outputs found
Development of the framework for a lean, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly port: umm qasr port as a Case Study
The research focus is to examine rigorously how the implementation of Lean within the Umm Qasr Port improves the operation processes and to explore the Lean impact on environment improvement and energy efficiency management. In this research, the ROPMEE model has been developed by the researcher to evaluate the service quality in the cargo delivery process in the Port of Umm Qasr as it covers all the functional and non-functional areas in the cargo delivery process compared to other quality dimensions. The findings confirm that the process quality dimension is the most influential factor in service quality in the Port of Umm Qasr. The reasons for the poor performance of current practices adopted by the port are the use of traditional ways of information flow and a decision-making process that requires more time and steps within the whole process. The lack of smooth process flow is a potential cause of bottlenecks within port operation that create serious problems not only for the customer but also for the port itself.
In this research, a visual representation is created of how the current value stream map for different port processes has been established on the identification and elimination of non- value-added activity or “waste” involved in delivering services in Umm Qasr port for customers. A VSM tool was applied to visually map the cargo handling flow, ship entrance, ship maneuvering and cargo clearance to display the current and future states of processes in a way that highlights opportunities for improvement. Based on the defined and classified waste according to the seven deadly wastes of Lean, this research suggests a future value stream map for port processes. The impact of the identified wastes has been quantified in terms of cost, carbon dioxide emissions working time efficiency, and energy consumption cost. This research is the first attempt to develop a Lean port model for improving port processes, as there have been no previous studies aimed at providing a holistic framework for improving port performance, which can be used by other ports. Implementing the Lean approach requires a gradual shift in work culture by involving all port employees and customers in the continuous improvement process and changing the service delivery from a push to pull system
IMPACT OF THE CHINA COAST GUARD AND THE PEOPLE’S ARMED FORCES MARITIME MILITIA ON THE (IN)STABILITY OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
According to many scholars, the worsening security situation in the South China Sea (SCS), is due to overlapping claims, the increased presence of maritime state forces in the SCS, and the competition for power between the United States and China in the region. This thesis attempts to contribute to these arguments by examining how China uses its China Coast Guard (CCG) and its People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) to advance and protect its claims in the SCS. Ultimately, this thesis finds the CCG and the PAFMM negatively impact the security situation in the SCS, as China uses them to advance and protect its contentious maritime claims. They contribute to the instability of the SCS through their growing capabilities and shift to defense-type missions as well as their subsequent aggressive and coercive behaviors toward other maritime forces and civilian ships in the SCS. In response, littoral states—along with great powers— should deter these aggressive and coercive actions of the CCG and the PAFMM in the SCS by jointly recognizing and treating the PAFMM as a state force, addressing the absence of agreed-upon guiding principles for responding to encounters between coast guards, intensifying security cooperation, and accepting calculated risks of escalation to influence China to reconsider its cost-benefit calculation of its actions in the SCS.Commander, Philippine Coast GuardApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited
Surface Vessel Design for Efficient and Sustainable Offshore Wind Parks Decommissioning
Offshore wind energy is an important source of power and has an abundant volume of reliable clean energy. The installation and decommissioning of offshore wind parks do require elaborate project planning for safety and cost implications. Meanwhile, the research under investigation was on the vessels required for offshore wind parks decommissioning. A conceptual design of the decommissioning vessels was proposed to ensure sustainability, efficient, safe, and economically viable offshore wind park operations. The concept was referenced in line with the existing wind turbine installation vessels (MPI resolution) i.e. the jack-up vessels and the Floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels used in the oil and gas industry. The decommissioned turbines would be plastically deformed or processed mechanically into metal sheets or plates (i.e. increased surface area) then store in the storage chamber. These unique methodologies would ensure maximal usage of deck space, the volume of the chamber and reduce vessel logistic cost especially when decommissioning offshore wind parks with a large number of turbines of at least 100 units
Furthermore, the Thanet offshore wind park decommissioning project was taken as a case study and references made to the specific turbine parameters e.g. weight, height, and configuration of components, field characteristics i.e. (weather condition), vessel requirements, operations sequence, etc. The proposed conceptual vessel design for decommissioning tasks has a capacity to remove, lift, store and transport at least 20 wind turbines to the port after the components have been processed to sheets or scrap plates for vessel space management. The main advantage of this vessel is the reduction in project or operations time and cost. The two models of vessels suggested for the decommissioning operations were the floating, processing, and storage vessels (FPSV) and jack-up, processing, and storage vessels (JPSV) respectively. It is envisaged that the two models met up with the technical, functional, and operational requirements in an efficient and sustainable manner.MMO501
Sustainable seabed mining: guidelines and a new concept for Atlantis II Deep
The feasibility of exploiting seabed resources is subject to the engineering solutions, and economic prospects. Due to rising metal prices, predicted mineral scarcities and unequal allocations of resources in the world, vast research programmes on the exploration and exploitation of seabed minerals are presented in 1970s. Very few studies have been published after the 1980s, when predictions were not fulfilled. The attention grew back in the last decade with marine mineral mining being in research and commercial focus again and the first seabed mining license for massive sulphides being granted in Papua New Guinea’s Exclusive Economic Zone.Research on seabed exploitation and seabed mining is a complex transdisciplinary field that demands for further attention and development. Since the field links engineering, economics, environmental, legal and supply chain research, it demands for research from a systems point of view. This implies the application of a holistic sustainability framework of to analyse the feasibility of engineering systems. The research at hand aims to close this gap by developing such a framework and providing a review of seabed resources. Based on this review it identifies a significant potential for massive sulphides in inactive hydrothermal vents and sediments to solve global resource scarcities. The research aims to provide background on seabed exploitation and to apply a holistic systems engineering approach to develop general guidelines for sustainable seabed mining of polymetallic sulphides and a new concept and solutions for the Atlantis II Deep deposit in the Red Sea.The research methodology will start with acquiring a broader academic and industrial view on sustainable seabed mining through an online survey and expert interviews on seabed mining. In addition, the Nautilus Minerals case is reviewed for lessons learned and identification of challenges. Thereafter, a new concept for Atlantis II Deep is developed that based on a site specific assessment.The research undertaken in this study provides a new perspective regarding sustainable seabed mining. The main contributions of this research are the development of extensive guidelines for key issues in sustainable seabed mining as well as a new concept for seabed mining involving engineering systems, environmental risk mitigation, economic feasibility, logistics and legal aspects
Blunt Defenders of Sovereignty - The Rise of Coast Guards in East and Southeast Asia
What is the role of coast guards in the realm of territorial disputes? Until ten years ago or so, few policy makers in East and Southeast Asia had to grapple with this question, because regional navies, not coast guards, were the central actors asserting sovereignty in disputed areas
Cross Domain IW Threats to SOF Maritime Missions: Implications for U.S. SOF
As cyber vulnerabilities proliferate with the expansion of connected devices, wherein security is often forsaken for ease of use, Special Operations Forces (SOF) cannot escape the obvious, massive risk that they are assuming by incorporating emerging technologies into their toolkits. This is especially true in the maritime sector where SOF operates nearshore in littoral zones. As SOF—in support to the U.S. Navy— increasingly operate in these contested maritime environments, they will gradually encounter more hostile actors looking to exploit digital vulnerabilities. As such, this monograph comes at a perfect time as the world becomes more interconnected but also more vulnerable
Modular high maneuverability autonomous underwater vehicle
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2009.Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-115).The design and construction of a modular test bed autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is analyzed. Although a relatively common stacked-hull design is used, the state of the art is advanced through an aggressive power plant, with capability to support azimuthing thrusters and a 2DOF front sensor assembly. Through an application of lean principles to developmental hardware, the notion of a delayed differentiation is isolated as a key to minimizing rework and creating essentially transparent electronic hardware. Additionally, the use of bus-modular structural and electronic interconnects facilitates reconfiguration of the vehicle across a large range of components, allowing the rapid development of new sensors, control algorithms, and mechanical hardware. Initial wet tests confirm basic data acquisition capabilities and allowed sensor fusion of scanning sonar returns at the beam level with data from an IMU for an orientation-corrected sonar mosaic.by Daniel G. Walker.S.M
An Assessment of the Safety of Navigation: The Malaysian Perspective in the Straits of Malacca
The traffic movements in the Straits of Malacca (SOM) have been ever increasing over the past few years resulting in numerous marine casualties that have caused serious concern to the Government of Malaysia. Current characteristics of navigation in the SOM present a potential major catastrophe. The first hypothesis is that there is a positive relationship between traffic movement and the number of marine casualties. Thus, an increase in traffic movement will result in an increased risk of marine casualties. The second hypothesis is that the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) did not change the overall trend of marine casualties that occurred in the SOM before and after its implementation in May 1, 1981. The results of this study do not support the first hypothesis, but does support the second hypothesis. Although the open North Sea Area (in Europe) is among the busiest sealanes in the world, the frequency of its marine casualty rates is lower than that of the SOM. The TSS that is currently in place in the SOM is found to be no longer able to effectively cope with increasing traffic movements. Trends in marine casualties in the SOM remain the same both before and after the implementation of the TSS. The need to extend the existing TSS to cover the entire Straits is long overdue and other routing systems such as Vessel Traffic Services are needed to supplement the current TSS. The introduction of Port Rationalization in Malaysia will be an effective way to ease and reduce Malaysian generated traffic. This will in turn reduce the risk and also the number of marine casualties in the SOM
Five Dragons Stirring Up the Sea: Challenge and Opportunity in China’s Improving Maritime Enforcement Capabilities
In an age of delicate maneuvering among the great powers, coast guards have taken new and leading roles on the world stage. When Washington wanted to demonstrate conviction and bring supplies to beleaguered Georgia without escalating already simmering tensions around the Black Sea, the USCGC Dallas, a large U.S. Coast Guard cutter, was quickly dispatched. The trend has long been visible in Asia. Tokyo\u27s most extensive use of deadly force in the postwar era was an action by the Japanese coast guard against a North Korean surveillance vessel.
More recently, a Japan Coast Guard cutter sank a Taiwanese fishing vessel in a collision near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyutai Islands in the East China Sea, prompting a relatively serious diplomatic incident. These most powerful coast guards are spawning imitators. India, for example, announced a bold new purchase of long-range patrol aircraft for its coast guard in the fall of 2008. South Korea\u27s improving coast guard, meanwhile, has invited foreign reporters to a tour in the vicinity of islands that are administered by South Korea but claimed by Japan, accompanying the visit with belligerent rhetoric.https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-red-books/1004/thumbnail.jp
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