Resizing study of main and auxiliary engines of the container vessels and their contribution to the reduction of fuel consumption and GHG

ABSTRACT: The maritime industry has great potential for improving energy efficiency in both new builds and existing ships. It is, therefore, necessary to identify the areas where improvements can be made to reduce fuel consumption, and influence to the shipowners, shipyards and designers of ships on the need to implement these improvements in energetic efficiency and to achieve a reduction of between 25% and 75% of CO2 emissions as Third IMO GHG study 2014 provides, making ships even more environmentally friendly.Postprint (published version

Resizing study of main and auxiliary engines of the tanker vessels and their contribution to the reduction of fuel consumption and GHG

The maritime industry has great potential for improving energy efficiency in both new builds and existing ships. It is, therefore, necessary to identify the areas where improvements can be made to reduce fuel consumption, and influence to the shipowners, shipyards and designers of ships on the need to implement these improvements in energetic efficiency and to achieve a reduction of between 25% and 75% of CO2 emissions as IMO report 2009 provides, making ships even more environmentally friendly. The study was conducted focusing on one type of ship such as tanker vessels, compiling a database of these ships built from 2000 to 2014. The ships comprising the study were taken from the database of Lloyd´s Register of Shipping. With all the technical data on each of the ships, we proceeded to relate the main and auxiliary power, with the operating speed of the vessel, its displacement and GT, by size, age and generation ships. All the above comparisons were made according to ship sizes, graphically and analytically in which interesting conclusions could be drawn in the relevant dimensioning of the main and auxiliary engines, as well as the operation of the ship. Because of the current crisis some owners have already begun to change their size criteria of propulsion and auxiliary engines of these vessels, their management and operation as well as their speed. Another significant finding was the identification of some shipyards that build their ships with an oversize and exaggerated power of the main and auxiliary engines, regardless of the effect on increasing fuel consumption and impact on the environment. Finally, we have performed a comparative study of EEOI of these vessels by size and age to determine the environmental signature and their evolution. All this leads us to determine a set of measures to be applied, for example, power reduction or derating, etc. on existing ships and applied to new designs , thus reducing the propulsion and auxiliary power of these ships and collaborating to reduce greenhouse gases .Postprint (published version

Evaluating air emission inventories and indicators from cruise vessels at ports

This paper provides an estimation of air emissions (CO2, NOX, SOX and PM) released by cruise vessels at the port level. The methodology is based on the Bfull bottom-up^ approach and starts by evaluating the fuel consumed by each vessel on the basis of its individual port activities (manoeuvring, berthing and hoteling). The Port of Barcelona was selected as the site at which to perform the analysis, in which 125 calls of 30 cruise vessels were monitored. Real-time data from the automatic identification system (AIS), factor emissions from engine certificates and vessel characteristics from IHS Sea-web database were also collected for the analysis. The research findings show that the most appropriate indicators are inventory emissions per Bport-time gross tonnage^, Bport-time passenger^ and Bport time^. These emission indicators improve our understanding of cruise emissions and will facilitate the work that aims to estimate reliably and quickly the in-port ship emission inventories of cruise ports.Postprint (published version

Maritime energy management system (MariEMS) online delivery platform

Maritime accounts for approximately 90% of trade in the world today. The maritime transport is responsible for polluting the atmosphere and the forecast of new scenarios about the shipping emissions predicts an increase between 50% and 250% by 2050, depending on future economic and energy development. The Industry has taken steps to reduce its Air Pollution and Carbon footprint. IMO introduced several new regulations such as the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), & Energy Efficiency Operational Index (EEOI), while the MARPOL Convention new regulations have imposed strict emissions caps in emission control areas. Ship owners have reacted to fulfill these requirements meeting the future environmental requirements set for 2025. Maritime Energy Management Specification (MariEMS) is an industry-academia collaboration project funded by the EU under the Erasmus+ programme. The project started in October 2015 and the duration is 30 months. The purpose of this Partnership is the development of an energy management training strategy and specification, and the development and implementation of an online learning and assessment system for the proposed training programme so that current cadets, as well as existing seafarers, can up-skill themselves to the new regulatory requirements and good practice. The paper presentation includes the handouts of the proposed methodology for developing specification and training content for the programme for the ship energy management as well as a demonstration of the MariEMS online e-learning platform.Postprint (author's final draft

Maritime engine room simulator on-line (MERSol)

The STCW International Convention of IMO sets minimum qualification requirements for being a seafarer and is used in formal training of seafarers. A skills gap has emerged between traditional Maritime Education; the needs of the industry and seafarers ought to be able to apply increasing complex systems, regulations, and technologies especially when pandemic occurred, and traditional teaching method could not be used. MERSol-project developed seven study modules followed with assessment study modules ensuring the level of the theory knowledge. All related new regulations are included and tested in these assessment modules. Specific software, Engine Room Simulator (ERS) online by modern technology and digitalisation is the main product of the project. The first tests of Engine Room Simulator online have just finished before the 2022 Maritime Transportation Conference and the first findings will be published during this conference. MERSol supports the uptake of innovative approaches and digital online technologies for teaching and learning online to ensure qualifications requirements to be addressed. Designing and developing the study modules and assessment modules on a specific e-learning delivery platform allows cadets and seafarers to access the training program and learning materials over the internet at any time and any place. This is particularly relevant in the Maritime sector where seafarers are highly mobile and have less opportunity to take long face-to-face training courses whilst they are working. Primary target groups are new marine engineer cadets but also deck cadets and all mariners already at sea to update their knowledge of automation and digitalisation. Also, all European HEI and VET centres, together with maritime industry are target groups taking into consideration ship building and ports.  Peer Reviewe

Mental health surveillance tools for sea workers

This article presents the results of the works of the PROMETHEAS project, which focuses on the mental health of sea workers. This project is carried out at the Maritime University of Szczecin and brings together a consortium of various maritime institutions from Slovenia, Greece, Spain, Finland and Great Britain. PROMETHEAS aims to provide tools for assessing the mental health of sea workers that can be used by professionals and stakeholders alike. The most important ones will include an application for mobile systems (Android, iOS) and an online and offline e-learning course.Postprint (published version