Modelling Collision Potentials in Port Anchorages: Application of the Navigational Traffic Conflict Technique (NTCT)

Despite the extent of works done on modelling port water collisions, not much research effort has been devoted to modelling collisions at port anchorages. This paper aims to fill this important gap in literature by applying the Navigation Traffic Conflict Technique (NTCT) for measuring the collision potentials in anchorages and for examining the factors contributing to collisions. Grounding on the principles of the NTCT, a collision potential measurement model and a collision potential prediction model were developed. These models were illustrated by using vessel movement data of the anchorages in Singapore port waters. Results showed that the measured collision potentials are in close agreement with those perceived by harbour pilots. Higher collision potentials were found in anchorages attached to shoreline and international fairways, but not at those attached to confined water. Higher operating speeds, larger numbers of isolated danger marks and day conditions were associated with reduction in the collision potentials

Implementation of Smart Pilotage to Safeguard Pilots from Pilot Ladder Accidents

This study aims to identify and use digital technology to ensure the pilots’ lives’ safety and to avoid unnecessary delays due to vessels staying at quarantine anchorage during pandemics. The primary means for a pilot to board or disembark a ship is by a pilot ladder. Many pilots suffered severe injuries or even lost their life due to accidents involving the failure of pilot ladders. For this research, a questionnaire with five questions about the dangers and its reasons which threaten pilots’ lives, was prepared, and distributed to professionals both in the maritime industry and port operations. Eightynine professionals from the maritime industry answered it. The most common causes affecting pilots’ safety were unsafe rigging and not securing the ladder correctly or the breaking of a defective pilot ladder. In addition, interviews made with three maritime experts about the distance pilotage. This study aims to utilize and implement the digital technology enabling pilots to sit in the port control office or Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) office instead of going onboard a vessel. For assessing our innovation, a berthing and one unberthing scenario were designed and tested in our full mission bridge simulator by an experienced pilot. The results discovered during the debriefing sessions and the feedback from other experienced pilots and captains were satisfying, making us confident and comfortable with the innovation ide

Evaluating the external costs of a modal shift from rail to sea

This study analyzes the comparative level of social and external costs if an existing transport chain is replaced by one that includes a greater use of shipping. The main objective of the paper is to assess, on the basis of changes in social and external cost, the potential effectiveness of policies which aim to promote a modal shift to shipping. The social and external costs of both options are evaluated, therefore, using both Sweden’s national guidelines for cost-benefit analysis and the European guidelines. A secondary objective of the paper is to evaluate the sensitivity of outcomes to the methodology applied and the input values employed, as well as to identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of these two CBA methodologies when applied to choices involving a shipping mode, The paper concludes that evaluation outcomes are highly sensitive to the choice of CBA methodology and the input values embedded therein. In addition, a number of shortcomings with the guidelines are identified, the most important of which are the need to: (1) have specific values for air pollution from ships; (2) incorporate a system for continuous updates of emission factors, given that vessel speeds vary over time and; (3) incorporate values for water pollution and its effects on the coast and sea bottom. For the Swedish guidelines specifically, there is a need to encompass a value for the scarcity of rail capacity

A systematic simulation methodology for LNG ship operations in port waters: a case study in Meizhou Bay

With the increment for liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand, LNG carriers are becoming larger in size. The operational safety of the carriers and the associated terminals is increasingly attracting attention. This is particularly true when a large LNG vessel approaches a terminal, requiring a detailed investigation of ship handling in port waters, especially in certain unusual cases. A full mission simulator provides an effective tool for research and training in operations of both port terminals and ships. This paper presents an experimental design methodology of the full mission simulation. The details as to how the simulation is achieved are described, and the simulation strategies applicable to LNG ships are specified. A typical case study is used to demonstrate and verify the proposed design methodology. The proposed methodology of the full mission simulation provides guidance for port safety research, risk evaluation and seafarer training. © 2017 Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technolog

Safety of the navigation in congested maritime area. the case of the Messina Strait

In the last decade a relevant expansion of traffic by sea occurred, not only on the long distances, but also on the middle-short distances; on coastline urban areas and particularly on neighboring urban areas, but separated by the sea, the increase of the flows often involves greater risks of accident for the navigation (Lewison, 1978; Merrick et al., 2001; van Dorp et al., 2001). The risk of maritime accident results particularly high for the ro-ro ships. This papers clarify some aspects concerning the concept of risk and safety at sea dealing with some literature models. An application is proposed to the Messina Strait context that is the crossroad of elevated flows of traffic along two directions. The navigation safety in the Messina Strait has been analyzed with the support of a micro-simulation approach

ALGORITHM DESIGN FOR SHIP’S STEERING WITH SPECIFIED LIMITATIONS UNDER VARIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS

The problems of developing the risk assessment methods to estimate the level of safety of the vessel under the current conditions on a planned route before staring the pilotage as well as to make the decision on the beginning or suspension of pilotage in order to increase the level of navigational safety are discussed in the paper. Moreover, the application of the research results will reduce the affect of the human factor in decision-making in tasks related to the sea-going vessel’s operation. The developed method for the quantitative assessment of navigational risks will improve the safety of ship’s pilotage. It can also be applied in the decision-making support systems for the navigator in case of collision avoidance actions. The research results presented in this paper can be used to create automatic control systems