Optimising the climate resilience of shipping networks

Climate catastrophes (e.g. hurricane, flooding and heat waves) are generating increasing impact on port operations and hence configuration of shipping networks. This paper formulates the routing problem to optimise the resilience of shipping networks, by taking into account the disruptions due to climate risks to port operations. It first describes a literature review with the emphasis on environmental sustainability, port disruptions due to climate extremes and routing optimisation in shipping operations. Second, a centrality assessment of port cities by a novel multi-centrality-based indicator is implemented. Third, a climate resilience model is developed by incorporating the port disruption days by climate risks into shipping route optimisation. Its main contribution is constructing a novel methodology to connect climate risk indices, centrality assessment, and shipping routing to observe the changes of global shipping network by climate change impacts

Two-dimensional Navier--Stokes simulation of deformation and break up of liquid patches

The large deformations and break up of circular 2D liquid patches in a high Reynolds number (Re=1000) gas flow are investigated numerically. The 2D, plane flow Navier--Stokes equations are directly solved with explicit tracking of the interface between the two phases and a new algorithm for surface tension. The numerical method is able to pursue the simulation beyond the breaking or coalescence of droplets. The simulations are able to unveil the intriguing details of the non-linear interplay between the deforming droplets and the vortical structures in the droplet's wake.Comment: 13 pages including 4 postscript figures; Revised version as resubmitted to PRL. Title has change

Climate change adaptation for seaports by Climate Change Risk Indicators (CCRI)

The study is to provide a Climate Change Risk Indicators (CCRI) framework for climate adaptation for seaports, to link research to policy-making process on such a demanding topic. This paper first provides a literature review with international bodies and technical bodies on climate change adaptation for seaports. Second, a Fuzzy Evidential Reasoning (FER) model is employed to evaluate the climate risks in seaports. Third, six seaports in United Kingdom (UK) are selected for examples to demonstrate the use of CCRI. Finally, a comparative analysis of Yangtze River Delta and the United Kingdom (UK) in climates and seaport industries is done to visualize the possibilities in implementing the frameworks

Review on Seaport and Airport Adaptation to Climate Change: A Case on Sea Level Rise and Flooding

Seaports and airports are the critical nodes of international supply chains and thus stand on the edge of social and economic disasters. They are often affected by extreme and rough weather. Comparing all climate threats, sea level rise (SLR) and storming and flooding currently present, according to the relevant literature, the most severe impact in ports and airports. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of seaport and airport adaptation to climate change with a focus on SLR and flooding. We have summarized all related research papers and divided them into different types and described the trend of studies. After that, the study involves a comparison to analyze the synergy between previous studies in seaports and airports and provides insights for further studies to emphasize the needs and opportunities for the collaborative work that can complement the adaptation planning of and ensure the resilience of seaports and airports

Sustainable Ground Transportation and the E-Commerce Revolution: Innovations and Challenges at the Intersection

This review paper offers a comprehensive exploration of the symbiotic relationship between sustainable ground transportation and the dynamic realm of e-commerce. It delves into the critical intersection of environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and the evolving landscape of online commerce. This review synthesises cutting-edge technologies and strategies aimed at reducing energy requirements and environmental impacts in ground transportation. It explores advancements in lightweight materials, aerodynamics, and alternative fuels, emphasising their potential to mitigate the environmental footprint of vehicles. Additionally, the transition towards zero-emission vehicles, including battery-operated and fuel-cell vehicles, is analysed, taking into account both short-term and long-term outlooks. Simultaneously, the paper delves into the evolving landscape of e-commerce, which has become an integral part of modern consumer behaviour. It investigates the influence of e-commerce on ground transportation practices, emphasising the importance of efficient logistics, last-mile delivery, and sustainability in meeting the demands of the digital commerce era. By providing a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities at the nexus of sustainable ground transportation and e-commerce, this review paper offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders striving to shape a more sustainable and responsive future for ground transportation in the digital age

Exploring patterns of recurrent melanoma in Northeast Scotland to inform the introduction a digital self-examination intervention

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Prioritizing Vehicle Cleanliness (PVC) using Key Green Performance Indicators (KGPI)

Climate catastrophes (e.g. hurricane, flooding and heat waves) are generating increasing impact on port operations and hence configuration of shipping networks. This paper formulates the routing problem to optimise the resilience of shipping networks, by taking into account the disruptions due to climate risks to port operations. It first describes a literature review with the emphasis on environmental sustainability, port disruptions due to climate extremes and routing optimisation in shipping operations. Second, a centrality assessment of port cities by a novel multi-centrality-based indicator is implemented. Third, a climate resilience model is developed by incorporating the port disruption days by climate risks into shipping route optimisation. Its main contribution is constructing a novel methodology to connect climate risk indices, centrality assessment, and shipping routing to observe the changes of global shipping network by climate change impacts

Risk Analysis of Pirate Attacks on Southeast Asian Ships Based on Bayesian Networks

As a bridge for international trade, maritime transportation security is crucial to the global economy. Southeast Asian waters have become a high-incidence area of global piracy attacks due to geographic location and complex security situations, posing a great threat to the development of the Maritime Silk Road. In this study, the factors affecting the risk of pirate attacks are analyzed in depth by using the Global Ship Piracy Attacks Report from the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) database (i.e., 2013–2022) in conjunction with a Bayesian Network (BN) model, and the Expectation Maximization algorithm is used to train the model parameters. The results show that piracy behaviors and the ship’s risk are the key factors affecting the risk of pirate attacks, and suggestions are made to reduce the risk of pirate attacks. This study develops a theoretical basis for preventing and controlling the risk of pirate attacks on ships, which helps maintain the safety of ship operations

Molecular approaches to deploy singlet oxygen in a Leishmania model as an unassailable biocide for disease mitigation and vector control

Singlet oxygen (1O2) is a potent biocide potentially deployable for integrated control of tropical diseases and their insect vectors. This very short-lived free radical is highly destructive of cellular molecules when generated intracellularly. Most organisms, including parasites and vectors, are defenseless against 1O2 except for plants, which produce it abundantly during photosynthesis, hence, the acquisition of specific mechanisms for its detoxification. In the presence of O2 under physiological conditions, certain dyes or photosensitizers (PS), e.g., porphyrins and phthalocyanines (PC), are excitable by light to produce biocidal 1O2. Its half-life is in the order of microseconds, necessitating its intracellular generation in order to harness its biocidal activity most effectively. This is achievable by loading cells with PS for excitation with light to produce 1O2in situ. One example to achieve this is the genetic engineering of Leishmania to complement its inherent defects in porphyrin biosynthesis, resulting in cytosolic accumulation of abundant PS in the form of uroporphyrin 1 (URO). Another example is the chemical engineering of PC for hydrophilicity, thereby facilitating the endocytosis of such PS by cells. Leishmania loaded with cytosolic URO and endosomal PC are inactivated by the 1O2 produced via light-activation of these PS in the two different cell compartments. The inactivated Leishmania are nonviable, but have their natural vaccines and adjuvants well-preserved for prophylactic vaccination against experimental leishmaniasis. 1O2-inactivated Leishmania is potentially useful to serve as a platform for the safe and effective delivery of transgenically add-on vaccines against malignant and viral diseases in experimental models. Hydrophilic and cationic PC were also shown experimentally to act as a new type of dim light-activable insecticides, i.e., their mosquito larvicidal activities with <µM LD50 values. Similar results are expected by studying PC in additional laboratory insect models. A significant advantage has long been attributed to this type of insecticide, i.e., their aversion to a selection of genetic variants for resistance. An additional advantage of PC is their excitability to produce insecticidal 1O2 with deep-penetrating red or infrared light invisible to most insects, thereby potentially increasing the range and scope of targetable insect vectors

An Improved Migratory Birds Optimization Algorithm for Closed- Loop Supply Chain Network Planning in a Fuzzy Environment

Recycling of used products can provide substantial economic and environmental benefits for supply chain players. However, many factors associated with the design of closed-loop supply chain networks are uncertain in their nature, including demand, opening cost of facilities, capacity of opened facilities, transportation cost, and procurement cost. Therefore, this study proposes a novel fuzzy programming model for closed-loop supply chain network design, which directly relies on the fuzzy ranking method based on a credibility measure. The objective of the presented optimization model aims at minimizing the total cost of the network when selecting the facility locations and transportation routes between the nodes of the network. Based on the problem characteristics, a Migratory Birds Optimization Algorithm with a new product source encoding scheme is developed as a solution approach. The inspiration for the product source coding method originates from the label information of raw material supplier and manufacturing factories on product packaging, as well as the information of each logistics node on the delivery order. This novel encoding method aims to address the limitations of four traditional encoding methods: Prüfer number based encoding, spanning tree based encoding, forest data structure based encoding, and priority based encoding, thereby increasing the likelihood of heuristic algorithms finding the optimal solution. Thirty-five illustrative examples are developed to evaluate the proposed algorithm against the exact optimization method (LINGO) and a Genetic Algorithm, Ant Colony Optimization, Simulated Annealing, which are recognized as well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The results from extensive experiments show that the proposed algorithm is able to provide optimal and good-quality solutions within acceptable computational time even for large-scale numerical examples. The suitability of the model is confirmed through a meticulous sensitivity analysis. This analysis involves adjusting the confidence level incrementally from 50% to 100%, in 5% intervals, with respect to the model's uncertain parameters. Consequently, it yields valuable managerial insights. The outcomes of this research are expected to provide scientific support for related supply chain enterprises and stakeholders