Maritime transport carries around 80% of the world’s trade. It is key to the economic development of many countries, it is a source of income in many countries, and it is considered as a safe and environment friendly mode of transport. Given its undisputed importance, a question is what does the future hold for maritime transport. This chapter is an attempt to answer this question by mainly addressing the drive to decarbonize shipping, along with related challenges as regards alternative low carbon or zero carbon marine fuels. The important role of maritime policy making as a main driver for change is also discussed. Specifically, if maritime transport is to drastically change so as to meet carbon emissions reduction targets, the chapter argues, among other things, that a substantial bunker levy would be the best (or maybe the only) way to induce technological changes in the long run and logistical measures (such as slow steaming) in the short run. In the
long run this would lead to changes in the global fleet towards vessels and technologies that are more energy efficient, more economically viable and less dependent on fossil fuels than those today. In that sense, it would have the potential to drastically alter the face of maritime transport in the future. However, as things stand, and mainly for political reasons, the chapter also argues that the adoption of such a measure is considered as rather unlikely.
The shipping industry is paramount for global economic growth by enabling the trading of enormous volumes of goods across the world. However, maritime transport is a huge and growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, the shipping industry is required to speed up its environmental transition towards a zero-carbon emissions fleet. Alternative marine fuels, in combination with ship optimization in realistic operating conditions, could be a solution to reduce the marine ship emissions drastically.
The emissions of harmful gases and particulates from the engine increase when the ship operates in waves. This phenomenon is particularity problematic for lean-burn natural gas engines because of the increased amount of unburnt methane emitted. The solution to this problem requires studying the interaction between the ship hydrodynamics and the engine dynamics. For this purpose, a coupled engine-shaft-propeller model capable of predicting its performance in waves needs to be developed. At the same time, evaluating the ship propulsion system performance in realistic operating conditions is essential to estimate the installed power of the main engine and to optimize the ship voyage.
The purpose of the present work is to investigate the interaction between propeller loads and engine response of a ship sailing in realistic operating conditions. First, an investigation was carried out to determine the propeller model necessary to estimate the propulsive forces in waves. Second, a coupled propeller-engine model was built to evaluate how the environmental effects influence the ship propulsion system performance in terms of propulsive forces and unburnt methane released in theatmosphere. Third, the effect of waves on the propulsive coefficients was studied by conducting numerical simulations and model experiments.
The traditional method applied to compute the propeller performance in waves, knownas the quasi-steady approach, was adequate to estimate the propulsive forces in realistic operating conditions. The simulations performed with the coupled engine-propeller model proved that neglecting time-varying wake field, ship motions,and propeller close-to-or-breaking water effects would lead to a poor prediction of the propulsive forces in waves. The coupled engine-propeller model allowed determining that the amount of unburnt methane released in the atmosphere considerably increases when the ship operates in waves. The investigation conducted on the propulsive coefficients showed that the effective wake fraction depends on both the propeller loading and the motions of the ship. An inverse non-linear correlation between the thrust deduction fraction and the propeller loading was observed. A small influence of the ship motions on the thrust deduction fraction was noticed. The propulsive efficiency was mainly affected by the variation of the open-water efficiency caused by the propeller loading. Therefore, using the propeller open-water curves or performing overload self-propulsion model-scale experiments in calm water would provide a sufficiently accurate estimation of the time-averaged propulsive efficiency in waves for the considered case studies.
The results of the PhD project are useful to investigate the performance of marine propulsion systems in realistic operating conditions. The techniques and tools employed in the current study can be directly applied in the ship propulsion optimization process to include the effect of waves. The work conducted in this research also constitutes a step towards the implementation of the liquefied-natural gas as a marine fuel.
Given the move toward automation, an increased focus on the liability for technical defects must be anticipated. This brings into play liability regimes that have traditionally been less used in the maritime area. One of these liability regimes is product liability. It is the purpose of this contribution to examine the implications of product liability rules in the maritime area, seen in light of the automation of ships.
Floating Power Plant (FPP) develops a hybrid floating wind and wave energy device. Pitching Wave Energy Converters (WECs) interact with the supporting structure, amplifying the motion of the WECs within the design wave frequency range. In this work we focus on the effect of the chamber geometry – without the WEC – in amplifying the waves inside the chamber. The simulations are carried out using two-phase Navier-Stokes simulations. We investigate the wave propagation and the interaction between waves and the fixed support structure. The simulations are compared to experimental tests performed in the wave basin at Aalborg University.
Floating Power Plant is, together with several partners, preparing to design, build and test a scaled version of the complete so-called P80 device. The scaled model is to be tested in AAU's wave basin, SSPA's facilities, followed by at least one external facility. The model will be tested in combinations of wave, wind and current conditions with a view to validating the numerical models and to further develop the understanding of the interactions within the device. The purpose of this document is to gather information that is relevant to designing and building the physically scaled model, and to designing and executing the test campaign.
This chapter assesses the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in ports and shipping. Insights from regulatory economics are used to identify industry characteristics under which the SOE model is expected to be effective. With the use of these insights, characteristics of ports, terminals and shipping services that may lead to the establishment of SOEs are identified. The empirical overview of SOEs in shipping and ports shows a rather large use of SOEs, especially in container terminal operations and port development. The use of SOEs particularly in port development can be well understood with insights from regulatory economics. The majority of SOEs in ports, terminals and shipping are active internationally. This raises important additional research questions, most importantly regarding the strategic rationale of SOE internationalization and the role of geopolitical considerations in international activities.
Among the spectrum of logistics – based measures for sustainable shipping, this chapter focuses on speed optimization. This involves the selection of an appropriate speed by the vessel, so as to optimize a certain objective. As ship speed is not fixed, depressed shipping markets and/or high fuel prices induce slow steaming which is being practised in many sectors of the shipping industry. In recent years the environmental dimension of slow steaming has also become important, as ship emissions are directly proportional to fuel burned. Win-win solutions are sought, but they will not necessarily be possible. The chapter presents some basics, discusses the main trade-offs and also examines combined speed and route optimization problems. Some examples are presented so as to highlight the main issues that are at play, and the regulatory dimension of speed reduction via speed limits is also discussed.
Sustainable shipping involves not only ships but ports as their extension. This chapter examines the issues associated with a green port operation. These include technologies such as cold ironing; market-based practices such as differentiated fairway dues, speed reduction, and noise and dust abatement; and others. The legislative framework in various countries is explained, and various environmental scorecards are discussed. This chapter starts with a brief review on recent academic research in the field of environmental management of ports and presents the status quo in leading ports around the world. The chapter emphasizes on the implementation of speed reduction programmes near the port, the use of cold ironing at berth, and the effects of fuel quality regulation, considering the perspectives of the port authority and the ship operator. The emerging environmental and economic trade-offs are discussed. The aim of this chapter is to be a starting point for researchers seeking to work on green ports. Insights of this chapter may also be useful for stakeholders seeking to select the best emissions reduction option depending on their unique characteristics.
Ship collision and grounding events constitute a major hazard for ship operations, and ship collision risk analyses have to be carried out for installations such as offshore structures for extraction of hydrocarbons, offshore wind farms, and bridges spanning waterways. This book provides assessment procedures for ship collision and grounding analysis and includes probabilistic methods for collision and grounding risk assessment, estimation of the energy released during collisions, and prediction of the extent of damage on the involved structures.
The main feature of the book is that it encapsulates reliable and fast analysis methods for collision and grounding assessment and the methods have been extensively validated with experimental and numerical results. In addition, all the described analysis methods include realistic calculation examples so as to provide confidence in their use to eventually conduct the required assessment according to the rules and design codes. The book is intended as a handbook for professionals and researchers in the industry dealing with design and analysis of ships and offshore structures. The book can also be used as a text book for postgraduate courses orientated towards the design and analysis of ship and offshore structures.
Ship collision and grounding events constitute a major hazard for ship operations, and ship collision risk analyses have to be carried out for installations such as offshore structures for extraction of hydrocarbons, offshore wind farms, and bridges spanning waterways. This book provides assessment procedures for ship collision and grounding analysis and includes probabilistic methods for collision and grounding risk assessment, estimation of the energy released during collisions, and prediction of the extent of damage on the involved structures.
The main feature of the book is that it encapsulates reliable and fast analysis methods for collision and grounding assessment and the methods have been extensively validated with experimental and numerical results. In addition, all the described analysis methods include realistic calculation examples so as to provide confidence in their use to eventually conduct the required assessment according to the rules and design codes. The book is intended as a handbook for professionals and researchers in the industry dealing with design and analysis of ships and offshore structures. The book can also be used as a text book for postgraduate courses orientated towards the design and analysis of ship and offshore structures.