Promoting Safety and Managing Risks in Arctic Marine Transportation: A Best Practices Approach and the Polar Code

Author(s):  
James Parsons ◽  
Maria Progoulaki

Currently there are no mandatory, internationally accepted rules written specifically to govern ship operations in Arctic waters. The Arctic is recognized by the IMO Guidelines for Ships Operating in Polar Waters as a significant area for international shipping that requires special attention to crew training and operational procedures. A legally binding Polar Code which should identify and unify the commonalities of what it takes, and what is currently enforced by flag states, to safely operate in all Arctic nation waters, is viewed by many as a sensible way forward. This paper presents a synopsis of the results of a funded research project that aimed to identify best practices currently in place by Arctic ship operators. It also aimed to identify possible new ways in which shipping operations in the Arctic could maximize benefits and reduce risks to all stakeholders. A review of the scientific literature clearly highlighted the chasms of knowledge regarding the impacts of marine related activity in Arctic waters. With respect to a methodological approach, a website search was conducted to look for shipping companies informing that they were involved in Arctic operations. The website search of Arctic shipping companies helped with the creation of a questionnaire aimed at identifying “best practices” currently in place with Arctic shipping operators. The questionnaire was administered electronically. Subsequently, a number of companies, identified from the website search and representing a pan-Arctic sample of operators, were contacted by email to inquire if they were interested in taking part in the online questionnaire.

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 674-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiayu Bai

In the context of the melting icecap and the growing shipping activity in the Arctic, the International Maritime Organization (imo) spent several years preparing polar navigation rules aimed at providing appropriate safety and environmental protection standards. The rules underwent several transformations before emerging as the binding International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code). The Polar Code is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2017. This paper examines the formation and development of the Polar Code and its principles and provisions, expounds upon the unique characteristics of the Code, and discusses expected future practices.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3133
Author(s):  
Rita Der Sarkissian ◽  
Anas Dabaj ◽  
Youssef Diab ◽  
Marc Vuillet

A limited number of studies in the scientific literature discuss the “Build-Back-Better” (BBB) critical infrastructure (CI) concept. Investigations of its operational aspects and its efficient implementation are even rarer. The term “Better” in BBB is often confusing to practitioners and leads to unclear and non-uniform objectives for guiding accurate decision-making. In an attempt to fill these gaps, this study offers a conceptual analysis of BBB’s operational aspects by examining the term “Better”. In its methodological approach, this study evaluates the state of Saint-Martin’s CI before and after Hurricane Irma and, accordingly, reveals the indicators to assess during reconstruction projects. The proposed methods offer practitioners a guidance tool for planning efficient BBB CI projects or for evaluating ongoing programs through the established BBB evaluation grid. Key findings of the study offer insights and a new conceptual equation of the BBB CI by revealing the holistic and interdisciplinary connotations behind the term “Better” CI: “Build-Back-resilient”, “Build-Back-sustainable”, and “Build-Back-accessible to all and upgraded CI”. The proposed explanations can facilitate the efficient application of BBB for CI by operators, stakeholders, and practitioners and can help them to contextualize the term “Better” with respect to their area and its CI systems.


Logistics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Rebecca Sheehan ◽  
Dimitrios Dalaklis ◽  
Anastasia Christodoulou ◽  
Megan Drewniak ◽  
Peter Raneri ◽  
...  

The analysis in hand provides a brief assessment of the United States’ and Canada’s marine transportation system and relevant search and rescue (SAR) support in relation to the Northwest Passage, with the purpose of examining to what extent these countries’ relevant infrastructure resources are able to meet the expected growth of shipping operations and business activities in the Arctic. Through an extensive literature review, this assessment will specifically describe the most important influences upon the maritime transportation system, with the issue of certain geographical details and the capabilities of existing ports standing out. Additionally, vessel activity trends and vessel traffic routing measure initiatives will be examined. Furthermore, the SAR infrastructure details and means to render assistance to people in distress along the Northwest Passage will be discussed. The reality remains that port characteristics are limited and vessel traffic routing measure initiatives and upgrades to SAR assets are commendable but slow-paced. It is true that both the United States and Canada are taking proper measures to build up infrastructure needs, but they both may run out of time to put adequate infrastructure in place to deal effectively with the changing environment.


Author(s):  
Ziaul Haque Munim ◽  
Rana Saha ◽  
Halvor Schøyen ◽  
Adolf K. Y. Ng ◽  
Theo E. Notteboom

AbstractThis study investigates the competitiveness of various autonomous ship categories for container shipping in the Arctic route. We propose a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework using four ship categories as alternatives and eight criteria for competitiveness evaluation. We analyse collected data using the Best–Worst Method (BWM), one of the recently developed MCDM methods. The findings reveal that operating expenses, navigation aspects, and environmental protection are the three most important criteria for deploying autonomous ships in the Arctic route. Among the three investigated autonomous ships alternatives, the semi-autonomous ship operated from a shore control centre (SCC) is prioritized for Arctic shipping in the foreseeable future, when benchmarked against the conventional ship. The SCC-controlled semi-autonomous ship alternative is competitive in the majority of the considered criteria including operating expenses, capital expenses, navigation, ship-shore and ship–ship communication, search and rescue, and environmental protection.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Alice De Freitas ◽  
Angela Maria Alvarez

Objetivo: compreender, dentro das melhores práticas, as experiências de busca por conhecimento e utilização da experiência profissional dos enfermeiros no cuidado da pessoa idosa na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Método: trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, descritivo e exploratório, com 30 enfermeiros atuantes nas Estratégias Saúde da Família. Utilizou-se um instrumento de entrevista semiestruturado. Analisaram-se os dados pela técnica de Análise de Conteúdo na modalidade Análise Temática. Resultados: revelaram-se a busca por conhecimento com outros profissionais e o acesso à rede de internet como fontes de conhecimento. Evidenciou-se a necessidade do estabelecimento de uma rotina de estudos sistematizada e agenda de educação permanente sob a temática do envelhecimento. Conclusão: conclui-se que o estudo confirma que os enfermeiros realizam ações que carecem de notoriedade e que estão preocupados com o impacto de suas ações para o usuário idoso, mas, para que as melhores práticas sejam completamente estabelecidas,  se faz necessária a imersão científica e metodológica dos profissionais e da gestão, além da busca por conhecimento e valorização da experiência, que já coexistem. Descritores: Idoso; Enfermagem; Conhecimento, Atenção Primária à Saúde; Saúde da Pessoa Idosa; Dinâmica Populacional.AbstractObjective: to understand, within the best practices, the experiences of searching for knowledge and using nurses' professional experience in the care of the elderly in Primary Health Care. Method: this is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study, with 30 nurses working in the Family Health Strategies. A semi-structured interview instrument was used. Data was analyzed using the Content Analysis technique in the Thematic Analysis modality. Results: the search for knowledge with other professionals and access to the internet network as sources of knowledge were revealed. The need to establish a systematic study routine and a permanent education agenda under the theme of aging became evident. Conclusion: it is concluded that the study confirms that nurses perform actions that lack notoriety and that they are concerned with the impact of their actions for the elderly user, but, for the best practices to be completely established, scientific immersion is necessary and methodological approach of professionals and management, in addition to the search for knowledge and appreciation of experience, which already coexist. Descriptors: Elderly; Nursing; Knowledge; Primary Health Care; Elderly health; Population Dynamics.ResumenObjetivo: comprender, dentro de las mejores prácticas, las experiencias de búsqueda de conocimiento y el uso de la experiencia profesional de los enfermeros en el cuidado de ancianos en Atención Primaria de Salud. Método: estudio cualitativo, descriptivo y exploratorio con 30 enfermeros activos en las Estrategias de Salud Familiar. Se utilizó un instrumento de entrevista semiestructurada. Los datos se analizaron utilizando la técnica de Análisis de Contenido en la modalidad de Análisis Temático. Resultados: se reveló la búsqueda de conocimiento con otros profesionales y el acceso a la red de Internet como fuentes de conocimiento. La necesidad de establecer una rutina de estudio sistemática y una agenda de educación permanente bajo el tema del envejecimiento se hizo evidente. Conclusión: se concluye que el estudio confirma que los enfermeros realizan acciones que carecen de notoriedad y que están preocupados por el impacto de sus acciones para el usuario mayor, pero, para que las mejores prácticas se establezcan por completo, es necesaria la inmersión científica y enfoque metodológico de profesionales y directivos, además de la búsqueda de conocimiento y valoración de la experiencia, que ya coexisten. Descriptores: Anciano; Enfermería; Conocimiento; Atencíon Primária de la Salud; Saúde do Idoso; Dinámica Poblacional.


Author(s):  
Anna Ibañez Cantí

Meaning is encoded in the production and decoded by the audience during the consumption, which is why it is a process of constant feedback. Each person experiences meaningful connotations in relation to their favourite music, hence music occupies a particular position in each one’s life and within the cultural life of particular individuals and groups.   Music meaning and emotion has been studied by David Carr (2004), who wonders if emotion is intrinsic in music, or if it is a symbolic representation – or rather if emotions are projected from the listener onto the music. Like Akio Morita (the co-founder of Sony, and the person behind Sony Walkman), Jean Baudrillard argues that meaning does not reside in an object but in how that object is used (Du Gay et al. 1997, 90). Is there a relation between what music means to an individual and his/her preference for a particular genre?   The methodological approach is mainly qualitative. I have analysed 215 responses to an online questionnaire, and followed this with an analysis of 8 semi-structured in-depth interviews. I seek to comprehend the space that music occupies in the net of relationships that constitute culture, and to discover the mechanisms of taste configuration in relation to music-meaning within a holistic approach, encompassing the circuit of culture as a theoretical framework.  


Author(s):  
Liudmila Lapochkina ◽  
Elena Vetrova

Circumpolar territories and the regions related to the Arctic are those rich with natural resources. They have a high potential for the development of mining and extractive industries. The abundance with resources makes the North increasingly attractive for investments. However, circumpolar territories are characterized by peculiar socio-economic, natural, and climatic conditions which taken together frequently pose a negative impact on people and hinder the exploration opportunities of the Arctic resources. In global, regional, and sub-regional levels, the development of the Arctic is heavily regulated by multilateral international treaties. However, the issues of monitoring and assessment of the sustainable development of the Arctic remain open, which stems from the absence of agreed criteria and indicators for assessing sustainability in the context of national, regional, and scientific approaches. It necessitates the development of a specific methodological approach to the establishment of a system to monitor and assess the sustainable development of the Arctic.


Author(s):  
Zhang Xiuhua

A recently released white paper on the Arctic policy emphasized the principal lines of China's activities in the Arctic, particularly development of resources, fishing and tourism, Arctic shipping routes, infrastructure, navigation security, scientific research, and environmental protection. Such priorities are in the best interest of China's strategy of the unified regional development and new architectonics of the extensive exploration of the potential of China's Northern provinces. Being the northernmost region of the country, Heilongjiang province has an opportunity to become China's outpost for the implementation of the national Arctic policy. This chapter assesses the challenges and perspectives of turning Heilongjiang province into a transport and logistics hub between Northeast Asia, Europe, and North America by China's participation in the development of the Arctic Blue Economic Corridor. The author elaborates an idea of the establishment of the Arctic Research and Industrial Cluster based on the scientific, technological, and industrial facilities of Heilongjiang province.


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Raspa ◽  
Laura Cavallarin ◽  
Amy K. McLean ◽  
Domenico Bergero ◽  
Emanuela Valle

Data are available in the scientific literature concerning the quality and usefulness of donkey milk for human consumption. However, there is a lack of studies related to the understanding of the welfare of dairy donkeys. The only attempt, at a European Union level, to assess the welfare of donkeys is that of the Animal Welfare Indicator’s (AWIN) welfare assessment protocol for donkeys, where the appropriate nutrition welfare criteria have been assessed, but only through the evaluation of the body condition score. However, several other indicators that take into account the importance of good feeding welfare principles should be considered for the correct management of dairy donkeys. Therefore, it is hoped that this review of the available scientific literature will be useful to help establish a set of appropriate welfare requirements and indicators for the management of dairy donkeys. The review is aimed at identifying and discussing other requirements and indicators, such as nutritional requirements, farm management requirements and animal-based indicators, which may be important for the correct assessment of the appropriate nutrition welfare criteria and to establish best practices for the feeding of dairy donkeys.


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