The Impact of Regulations on West Coast Towing Vessel Safety

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. Allan

The paper summarizes a lengthy study performed for Transport Canada evaluating through risk-analysis the effectiveness of regulations on the safety of towing vessels on the west coast of Canada and the USA, and to establish if there was a bias to one country due to the fiscal impact of regulations.

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siegfried D. Schubert ◽  
Yehui Chang ◽  
Max J. Suarez ◽  
Philip J. Pegion

Abstract In this study the authors examine the impact of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on precipitation events over the continental United States using 49 winters (1949/50–1997/98) of daily precipitation observations and NCEP–NCAR reanalyses. The results are compared with those from an ensemble of nine atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations forced with observed SST for the same time period. Empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of the daily precipitation fields together with compositing techniques are used to identify and characterize the weather systems that dominate the winter precipitation variability. The time series of the principal components (PCs) associated with the leading EOFs are analyzed using generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions to quantify the impact of ENSO on the intensity of extreme precipitation events. The six leading EOFs of the observations are associated with major winter storm systems and account for more than 50% of the daily precipitation variability along the West Coast and over much of the eastern part of the country. Two of the leading EOFs (designated GC for Gulf Coast and EC for East Coast) together represent cyclones that develop in the Gulf of Mexico and occasionally move and/or redevelop along the East Coast producing large amounts of precipitation over much of the southern and eastern United States. Three of the leading EOFs represent storms that hit different sections of the West Coast (designated SW for Southwest coast, WC for the central West Coast, and NW for northwest coast), while another represents storms that affect the Midwest (designated by MW). The winter maxima of several of the leading PCs are significantly impacted by ENSO such that extreme GC, EC, and SW storms that occur on average only once every 20 years (20-yr storms) would occur on average in half that time under sustained El Niño conditions. In contrast, under La Niña conditions, 20-yr GC and EC storms would occur on average about once in 30 years, while there is little impact of La Niña on the intensity of the SW storms. The leading EOFs from the model simulations and their connections to ENSO are for the most part quite realistic. The model, in particular, does very well in simulating the impact of ENSO on the intensity of EC and GC storms. The main model discrepancies are the lack of SW storms and an overall underestimate of the daily precipitation variance.


2021 ◽  
pp. 932-950
Author(s):  
Vladislav Vyacheslavovich Emelyanov

Every few decades, the world order changes due to various geopolitical, economic and other circumstances. For example, as a result of globalization, the world order has undergone significant changes in the last forty years. Globalization has led to the destruction of the postwar world order, as well as to world leadership by the United States and the West. However, in recent decades, as a result of globalization, the U.S. and the West began to cede their leadership to developing countries, so there is now a change in the economic structure of relations in the world system. Today the center of economic growth is in the East, namely in Asia. There are no new superpowers in the world at the moment, but the unipolar world will cease to exist due to the weakening of the U. S. leadership, which will lead to a change in the world order. A new leader, which may replace the U. S., will not have as wide range of advantages as the USA has. Most likely, the essence of the new order will be to unite the largest countries and alliances into blocks, for example, the USA together with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the EU, etc. The article outlines forecasts of GDP growth rates as well as the global energy outlook; analyzes the LNG market as well as the impact of the pandemic on the global oil and gas market; and lists the characteristics of U. S. geopolitics.


2009 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 300-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C. Roberts ◽  
O.O. Soge ◽  
M.A. Giardino ◽  
E. Mazengia ◽  
G. Ma ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 401 ◽  
pp. 147-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
TYT Ng ◽  
CY Chuang ◽  
I Stupakoff ◽  
AE Christy ◽  
DP Cheney ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Subramanian Veerasingam ◽  
Jassim A Al-Khayat ◽  
Ponnumony Vethamony

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. The personal protection equipment (PPE), especially medical face masks and N95 filtering face piece respirators (FFRs) are typically worn by people at home/office/working place/outside to protect from infection. Thus, the increase in consumption of facemasks and FFRs across Qatar has given rise to a new environmental challenge, adding to the vast plastic waste in the environment. Our team has already established the baseline levels of marine litter (ML) including plastic waste along the west coast of Qatar based on November 2019 ML survey (Veerasingam et al., 2020a). To study the impact of COVID-19 on ML, we have conducted another survey along the west coast of Qatar in July 2020. The distribution of PPE is higher on the southern part of west coast of Qatar than the northern part. Attenuated total reflectance - Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to characterize the polymer types of surgical facemasks, N95 FFRs and gloves. Polypropylene (PP) and polyamide (PA) were the abundant polymer types of PPEs. This study confirmed that the PPE could be a potential source for microplastic contaminant in the environment, especially if the present situation continues. Therefore, proper waste removal measures have to be followed.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4969 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-279
Author(s):  
NICOLA RODEWALD ◽  
REINETTE SNYMAN ◽  
CAROL A. SIMON

Polychaete worms of the Polydora-complex (commonly referred to as polydorins) include some of the most common pests of cultured molluscs. Modern culture of molluscs, particularly oysters, is associated with large-scale movement of stock which facilitates movement of polydorins either as “hitchhikers” on the transported molluscs or in the packaging. In 2009, a species identified as Polydora cf. ciliata Johnston, 1838 was reported from oysters in a culture facility in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Since then, more specimens of this species were recorded on farmed oysters from Namibia, Kleinzee and Paternoster on the west coast of South Africa, but tentatively reidentified as Polydora cf. websteri Hartman in Loosanoff and Engle, 1943 based on morphology and limited genetic evidence. The main aim of this study is therefore to clarify the identity of these specimens by integrating morphological and genetic (mitochondrial COI, Cyt b and nuclear 18S rRNA) evidence. Specimens from South Africa match the morphology of the lectotype of P. websteri and are morphologically and genetically very similar to P. websteri from Australia, China, Japan, and the east, gulf and west coasts of the USA. This confirms the presence of P. websteri in South Africa, making this the second most widespread polydorin pest of aquaculture known. Understanding the full distribution range of the species will help to better understand its global route of invasion and consequently assist with preventing or at least minimising further spread. Polydora websteri increases the number of polydorin pests in South Africa to seven. 


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  

Abstract O. longicollum is a perithecial ascomycete that was isolated from the wood of dying oak [Quercus spp.] trees attacked by the wood-boring beetle, Platypus quercivorus, on the west coast of Japan. Neither the pathogenicity of the fungus, nor any definite association with the beetle as a vector, has been established. The beetle is ranked first as a Prioritized Pest for the USA (USDA/APHIS, 2010) and another fungus, shown to be vectored by the beetle, has been associated with tree mortality.


2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Vijay ◽  
P. J. Khobragade ◽  
R. A. Sohony

Most coastal cities use the ocean as a site of waste disposal where pollutant loading degrades the quality of coastal waters. Presently, the west coast of Mumbai receives partially treated effluent from wastewater treatment facilities through ocean outfalls and discharges into creeks as well as wastewater/sewage from various open drains and nallahs which affect the water quality of creek and coastal water. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to simulate and assess the hydrodynamic behaviour and water quality due to impact of sewage and wastewater discharges from the west coast of Mumbai. Hydrodynamics and water quality were simulated based on present conditions and validated by using measured tide, current data and observed DO, BOD and FC. Observed and simulated results indicated non compliance to standards in Malad, Mahim creeks and the impact zones of ocean outfalls. The developed model could be used for generating various conditions of hydrodynamics and water quality considering the improvement in wastewater collection systems, treatment levels and proper disposal for proper planning and management of creeks and coastal environment.


Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Ulazia ◽  
Markel Penalba ◽  
Arkaitz Rabanal ◽  
Gabriel Ibarra-Berastegi ◽  
John Ringwood ◽  
...  

The wave energy resource in the Chilean coast shows particularly profitable characteristics for wave energy production, with relatively high mean wave power and low inter-annual resource variability. This combination is as interesting as unusual, since high energetic locations are usually also highly variable, such as the west coast of Ireland. Long-term wave resource variations are also an important aspect when designing wave energy converters (WECs), which are often neglected in resource assessment. The present paper studies the long-term resource variability of the Chilean coast, dividing the 20th century into five do-decades and analysing the variations between the different do-decades. To that end, the ERA20C reanalysis of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts is calibrated versus the ERA-Interim reanalysis and validated against buoy measurements collected in different points of the Chilean coast. Historical resource variations off the Chilean coast are compared to resource variations off the west coast in Ireland, showing a significantly more consistent wave resource. In addition, the impact of historical wave resource variations on a realistic WEC, similar to the Corpower device, is studied, comparing the results to those obtained off the west coast of Ireland. The annual power production off the Chilean coast is demonstrated to be remarkably more regular over the 20th century, with variations of just 1% between the different do-decades.


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