Towards a Comprehensive Climate Adaptation Framework for India’s Port Infrastructure and Operations: Lessons from Global Best Practices

The ever-growing impacts of climate change such as extreme heat, more frequent heavy precipitation events, intensifying tropical revolving storms, and sea level rise continue to pose major threats to India’s critical maritime infrastructure. As the country moves towards its ambition of becoming a leading Blue Economy of the world, a wide range of initiatives have been taken by the central and state governments to expand the maritime sector with a specific focus on the transport sector. However, there is little emphasis being paid on protecting the existing and planned seaport infrastructure against the deleterious impacts of climate change. None of the major ports in India have a dedicated climate action strategy and climate adaptation finds no mention in the policy documents pertaining to the maritime transport sector. In this context, this paper aims to highlight the need for a comprehensive, holistic and dynamic climate change adaptation strategy for India’s port infrastructure including support infrastructure and supply chains. The adaptation strategy, at the individual ports’ level and the national level, must be preceded by rigorous risk assessment studies to identify and prioritise the major challenges arising from climate change at the local level. The paper draws upon international best practices in climate risk assessments and adaptation measures to provide a way forward for Indian ports

Modeling of the impact of a shock wave on port infrastructure facilities

Факты возникновения аварийных и катастрофических состояний портовой инфраструктуры при погрузке (выгрузке) взрывчатых веществ свидетельствуют о наличии проблемы связанной с построением системы обеспечения безопасности при грузовых операциях и мест их складирования. Неправильно выбранные: место, техническое сопровождение и организация погрузки взрывчатых веществ, в определенных условиях становятся причинами возникновения катастрофических ситуаций разного уровня опасности. При моделировании ситуаций рассматривается использование метода крупных частиц и теории точечного взрыва при воздействии ударной волны на объекты портовой инфраструктуры. Математическая модель метода заключается в разделении по физическим процессам исходной нестационарной системы уравнений Эйлера, записанной в форме законов сохранения. Процесс вычислений состоит из многократных итераций, каждая из которых содержит три этапа. Основанием для разработки программы является необходимость компьютерного моделирования процесса возникновения и развития ударной волны в условиях сложного рельефа местности, вызванной подрывом заряда конденсированного взрывчатого вещества. Автор считает, что такой подход существенно улучшит скорость и качество оценки безопасности выбранной системы погрузки (выгрузки) взрывоопасных и взрывчатых веществ, потенциальных рисков возникновения различных катастрофических состояний, и прогноза сценария их развития. The facts of the occurrence of emergency and catastrophic conditions of the port infrastructure during the loading (unloading) of explosives indicate the existence of a problem associated with the construction of a security system for cargo operations and their storage locations. Incorrectly chosen: location, technical support and organization of loading of explosives, under certain conditions, become the causes of catastrophic situations of different levels of danger. When modeling situations, the use of the large particle method and the theory of a point explosion under the impact of a shock wave on port infrastructure facilities is considered. The mathematical model of the method consists in the separation by physical processes of the initial non-stationary system of Euler equations, written in the form of conservation laws. The calculation process consists of multiple iterations, each of which contains three stages. The basis for the development of the program is the need for computer modeling of the process of the occurrence and development of a shock wave in a complex terrain caused by the detonation of a charge of a condensed explosive. The author believes that such an approach will significantly improve the speed and quality of the safety assessment of the selected system of loading (unloading) of explosive and explosive substances, the potential risks of various catastrophic conditions, and the forecast of their development scenario.

Re.Structure: Finding the synergetic relationships between functioning urban ports, trapped landscapes, and public life

<p>In many countries around the world, contemporary urban ports have a major economical, infrastructural, and dominant presence along strategic waterfront edges. In terms of public life, these industrial private entities disconnect themselves from their parent city due to the interaction between a number of factors, namely; topography, orientation, positioning, port typology, the safety and functionality of ports, urban planning, and the effects on the natural ecology. The changing nature of how a city utilizes their waterfront questions whether urban ports have a role within the heart of the city. The potential to restructure port areas and their surrounding spaces that have been effected by development leads to the creation of dynamic public life entities. With these large infrastructural entities, the areas surrounding the boundaries are compromised and are trapped in a confusion of development and derelict design. Trapped landscapes often have detrimental effects on natural environments. This negative impact can be seen in the urban fabric of the city, and in the public well-being and life of the occupants of those spaces. This thesis investigates urban areas trapped by functioning port infrastructure, specifically the area known as the Quay Park Quarter, situated in Auckland, New Zealand. The Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL), directly north of the area, imposes a dominating, privatised and industrial statement to contribute to the nature of this trapped landscape. The Quay Park Quarter includes heritage sites, railway infrastructure, and ad-hoc developments, some of which were initially intended to rejuvenate the area. This thesis aims to address the privatised issues surrounding the contemporary urban port by challenging the role and incorporation of public life as a means to restructure such areas. This thesis argues that active port areas can be reconfigured, restructured and reimagined in ways in which to utilize public life along active waterfront networks. This thesis will also argue that this utilization of public life can actively change the way in which trapped landscapes can be restructured for the future. By considering the ecological impact, the city’s growth and surrounding developed areas, positive changes can be made at multiple scales within the city context. This thesis proposes that this can be investigated through observing three interrelated scales to discover city systems and functions, the intimate, neighbourhood and metropolitan. The intimate scale involves the interactions with one’s self in the environment that surrounds them, as well as the composition of all things to create public life. This creates a sense of locality for being in the environment. Because of the port’s impact on this urban area as well as its external and internal functions, the neighbourhood scale addresses the reconfiguration and restructuring of the port infrastructure that has impacted this trapped urban area. The metropolitan scale involves how the public life network fits within the context of the city, through the means of landscape infrastructural components. The collaboration of these three scales allows for an interchange between what the human can experience in addition to the systematic functionality of the city. This offers unique insight beyond the master planning of such urban areas to actively engage with life on the ground. The reconfiguration and restructuring aspects of these areas allow for a variety of resolutions to both actively engage with public life within industrial areas and facilitate the release of trapped landscapes back into the surrounding context of these areas.</p>

Re.Structure: Finding the synergetic relationships between functioning urban ports, trapped landscapes, and public life

<p>In many countries around the world, contemporary urban ports have a major economical, infrastructural, and dominant presence along strategic waterfront edges. In terms of public life, these industrial private entities disconnect themselves from their parent city due to the interaction between a number of factors, namely; topography, orientation, positioning, port typology, the safety and functionality of ports, urban planning, and the effects on the natural ecology. The changing nature of how a city utilizes their waterfront questions whether urban ports have a role within the heart of the city. The potential to restructure port areas and their surrounding spaces that have been effected by development leads to the creation of dynamic public life entities. With these large infrastructural entities, the areas surrounding the boundaries are compromised and are trapped in a confusion of development and derelict design. Trapped landscapes often have detrimental effects on natural environments. This negative impact can be seen in the urban fabric of the city, and in the public well-being and life of the occupants of those spaces. This thesis investigates urban areas trapped by functioning port infrastructure, specifically the area known as the Quay Park Quarter, situated in Auckland, New Zealand. The Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL), directly north of the area, imposes a dominating, privatised and industrial statement to contribute to the nature of this trapped landscape. The Quay Park Quarter includes heritage sites, railway infrastructure, and ad-hoc developments, some of which were initially intended to rejuvenate the area. This thesis aims to address the privatised issues surrounding the contemporary urban port by challenging the role and incorporation of public life as a means to restructure such areas. This thesis argues that active port areas can be reconfigured, restructured and reimagined in ways in which to utilize public life along active waterfront networks. This thesis will also argue that this utilization of public life can actively change the way in which trapped landscapes can be restructured for the future. By considering the ecological impact, the city’s growth and surrounding developed areas, positive changes can be made at multiple scales within the city context. This thesis proposes that this can be investigated through observing three interrelated scales to discover city systems and functions, the intimate, neighbourhood and metropolitan. The intimate scale involves the interactions with one’s self in the environment that surrounds them, as well as the composition of all things to create public life. This creates a sense of locality for being in the environment. Because of the port’s impact on this urban area as well as its external and internal functions, the neighbourhood scale addresses the reconfiguration and restructuring of the port infrastructure that has impacted this trapped urban area. The metropolitan scale involves how the public life network fits within the context of the city, through the means of landscape infrastructural components. The collaboration of these three scales allows for an interchange between what the human can experience in addition to the systematic functionality of the city. This offers unique insight beyond the master planning of such urban areas to actively engage with life on the ground. The reconfiguration and restructuring aspects of these areas allow for a variety of resolutions to both actively engage with public life within industrial areas and facilitate the release of trapped landscapes back into the surrounding context of these areas.</p>

Promising fields of system research in man-made marine noise

Object and purpose of research. This paper discusses current international regulations governing man-made noise in marine environment. Systematization of normative documents issued by a number of international classification societies, as well as of the documents released by the international organization dealing with life safety of marine ecosystems highlighted the necessity for the Russian Federation to develop a similar regulatory basis of its own. This paper is a review of international standards and rules for man-made underwater noise, as well as of current international programs dealing with research, regulation and control of man-made underwater noise. Materials and methods. This paper is based on KSRC-developed methodical materials, international standards for underwater noise, as well as available publications in this sphere, both Russian and foreign. The study followed the methods of system analysis. Main results. Systematization of the data on current regulations for underwater noise of various ships, like cargo carriers, research vessels, seismic survey ships and fishing craft. The study concludes that Russia needs a similar regulatory basis that would cover offshore drilling rigs (both wildcat and production), underwater mining systems and subsea pipelines, large ships with high ice class, icebreakers and icebreaker-led caravans, as well as port infrastructure along Northern Sea Route lanes. Conclusion. To develop its own regulatory basis intended to set out the rules for man-made underwater noise, Russia needs a wide-scale systematic research campaign that would tackle the sources of man-made underwater noise at each lifecycle stage of any marine technology. This systematic research would pave way to a scientifically justified regulations for underwater noise of marine industrial facilities, shipping and port infrastructure.

Electrical and Energy Systems Integration for Maritime Environment-Friendly Transportation

The policies against climate change require the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of marine transportation. To reach the planned goals, the most promising approach is working both on ships improvement and ports redesign. The latter must enable the new green ships supply with sustainable electrical energy, by integrating shore connection systems, local renewables, and energy storage systems. In this paper, a methodology to obtain such an objective is proposed, capable of taking into account both ships’ and ports’ characteristics. The methodology workflow is explained through a case study, where two shore connection power sizes and two different operative approaches for recharging the ship onboard energy storage are considered. A discussion about the most suitable energy storage technologies is also provided. The case study shows how the methodology can be applied, as well as demonstrating that the port infrastructure has a direct effect on the ship environmental performance.

PROSPECTS FOR TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ARCTIC AND THE FAR NORTH

In this paper, the prospects for the transport infrastructure of the Arctic and the Far North were considered. The transport system of the Arctic and the Far North consists of the Northern Sea Route, and also includes river, rail and road components, including coastal infrastructure.The transport infrastructure of the Russian Arctic has a rather weak level of transport development and uneven development. The main element of the transport system in the Arctic is the Northern Sea Route. It is the Northern Sea Route that should become one of the world’s main logistics routes in the near future. The development of the transport infrastructure of the Arctic and the Far North is influenced by the maximum natural conditions and climate. Due to the fact that the Arctic is rich in a large amount of natural resources, it is one of the demanded issues of our country. To develop the transport infrastructure of the Arctic and the Far North, it is necessary to reconstruct the existing port infrastructure, as well as to build new port production complexes in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The main task in the development of the transport infrastructure of the Arctic and the Far North is the creation of a unified transport system and the modernization of its infrastructure.

Implementation of Facility Management for Port Infrastructure through the Use of UAVs, Photogrammetry and BIM

The maintenance of port infrastructures presents difficulties due to their location: an aggressive environment or the variability of the waves can cause progressive deterioration. Maritime conditions make inspections difficult and, added to the lack of use of efficient tools for the management of assets, planning maintenance, important to ensure operability throughout the life cycle of port infrastructures, is generally not a priority. In view of these challenges, this research proposes a methodology for the creation of a port infrastructure asset management tool, generated based on the Design Science Research Method (DSRM), in line with Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digitization trends in the infrastructure sector. The proposal provides workflows and recommendations for the survey of port infrastructures from UAVs, the reconstruction of digital models by photogrammetry (due to scarce technical documentation), and the reconstruction of BIM models. Along with this, the bidirectional linking of traditional asset management spreadsheets with BIM models is proposed, by visual programming, allowing easy visualization of the status and maintenance requirements. This methodology was applied to a port infrastructure, where the methodology demonstrated the correct functionality of the asset management tool, which allows a constant up-dating of information regarding the structural state of the elements and the necessary maintenance activities.