Ernestos Tzannatos

Cost assessment of ship emission reduction methods at berth: the case of the Port of Piraeus, Greece

This paper addresses the problem of ship exhaust emissions at the Port of Piraeus and undertakes the challenge of finding a cost-effective option for its reduction according to the upcoming requirements of the 2005/33/EU Directive, through analysis of port traffic data and the utilisation of the experience gained through previous studies in this field. The Port of Piraeus makes a particularly suitable reference for this type of work, since it is one of the busiest and highly urbanised ports in the world. It is shown that cruise ships calling at Piraeus fulfill the criteria of selection for such an exercise by virtue of their frequency of calling, berth power requirements and time spent at berth. It was found that, according to current practice, cruise ships at berth consume 11 034 tons of fuel and produce 620.1 tons of NOX, 274.8 tons of SO2 and 20.7 tons of PM, totalling to 915.6 tons of exhaust emissions per year. This represents an overall annual cost of 21 million euro, divided between private (bunkering) and external (emission damage) costs by 19.4% and 80.6%, respectively. With regard to the upcoming EU requirements for ship power at berth, it was found that, irrespective of whether operating on ultralow-sulphur (0.1% sulphur) fuel or on shore-side electricity, a sizeable reduction in emissions and associated external costs is achieved, whereas private costs were always higher than those of the current practice. Comparing the two options, it was further found that the shore-side electricity presents the lowest external costs but highest private costs, whereas the overall costs are around 25% lower than the onboard use of ultralow-sulphur fuel.

Human Element and Accidents in Greek Shipping

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the significance of the human element in accidents involving Greek-flagged ships, during 1993-2006, worldwide. In this context, the human element as a general factor of accident initiation and most importantly its constituent components, in the form of specific onboard duties (functions) and/or off-board (mainly ashore) entities, were presented and analysed. It was found that 57-1% of all accidents were attributed to the human element, whereas 75.8% of the latter were detected onboard and 80-4% of the onboard human-induced accidents were linked to errors and violations of the ships master. Furthermore, since the timeframe examined covers the implementation of the ISM Code, the current analysis was aimed at producing valuable information with regard to its effectiveness upon Greek shipping. In this respect, a 12-2% reduction of human-caused accidents has been found during the post-ISM period. Finally, the association between specific accident types and human element components was examined utilising the technique of correspondence analysis and it was found that groundings and collisions were closely related to the ships Master, whereas mechanical failures and fires were associated with the engine officers, and cargo shifts and flooding with bridge officers.

A decision support system for the promotion of security in shipping

Shows transportation appears to be a target and/or means of achieving the illegal pursuits of organised crime and terrorism. Among transportation modes, shipping presents the highest security risk since, on the one hand, it is the main facilitator of international trade (within this context it inevitably serves the illegal transportation of people, drugs and arms) and, on the other hand, a terrorism‐targeted ship, whether a passenger or cargo carrier, poses a major threat in terms of loss of human life and property, as well as the threat of damage to the environment. Despite efforts to address the issues of maritime security, the shipping industry still presents a sizeable deficit in implementing security measures. Furthermore, when global events, such as the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, are organised in coastal locations where extensive shipping activity is concentrated, maritime security becomes a particularly critical issue. The development of a decision support system (DSS) for the promotion of security in shipping is proposed and presented. The DSS is basically a security management tool utilising the capabilities of information and communication technologies, in order to provide support towards the general implementation of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code, and the development as well as maintenance of the associated security plans.

The man‐machine interface and its impact on shipping safety

The significance of operational human errors in shipping safety has widely been recognized. The accumulation of many shipboard operations on the bridge of the ship demands that a high level of efficiency must be ensured. Discusses the efficiency of the interface which depends on the success of incorporating the human factor in the engineering systems of ship control. At the time of diminishing crew quality, the bridge operator’s confidence, competence and communication capability must be in co‐ordination with the technology provided by these systems. Suggests that the areas of limitation in the bridge‐operator interface must be identified and the course of action for optimizing this critical relationship for safety must be determined.

Management information system for the promotion of safety in shipping

Proposes the establishment of a management information system (MIS) for the promotion of safety in shipping. Considers the information technology in shipping to be the combination of satellite systems and computers onboard and ashore. In this combination, which enables the provision of an optimum selection and management of data for automatic or human decision making, the role of satcoms is information transfer and that of computers is information processing. Acknowledges the importance of the human factor in shipping safety. Human decisions affecting shipping safety often depend on the quantity and quality of the available information. In the proposed MIS the need to improve the limited ability of humans to receive, store, process and interpret information, which is usually vast and complex, is acknowledged and fulfilled. Among the available maritime satcom systems and computer services, the proposal reveals those services which satisfy the criteria of useful, interactive, flexible, fast, reliable and low‐cost transfer and management of information in support of safety‐oriented decision making in shipping operations. The proposed MIS integrates the information resources of shipping office(s), the ship(s) and the maritime‐related industry as a whole and provides the shipping company with the capability to document, monitor and control the safety‐critical aspect of “technical reliability” towards promotion of safety in shipping and compliance with the International Safety Management Code.

GMDSS operability: The operator-equipment interface

In this paper, the operability of the GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) is studied to identify those aspects that are hindering its successful use. Particular emphasis is placed upon the operator-equipment interface within the working environment of the ships bridge. The results of a relevant survey, based on the opinion of recently G.O. certified navigation officers, indicate that-despite the automation in GMDSS and the resulting reduction of the human factor - there is a definite need to improve the knowledge-based proficiency of the operator. The current design of the system, and the increasing workload on the ships bridge, constitute the main drawbacks to operability and dictate the requirement for improved knowledge and hence improved certification and refresher training for operators.

EEDI analysis of Ro-Pax and passenger ships in Greece

Within the commitment of the International Maritime Organization to control the impact of shipping on climate change, the development and recent adoption of the Energy efficiency design index (EEDI) as a measure towards curbing CO2 emissions from shipping mandates that all new ships will have to meet a gradually increased level of energy efficiency, hence ensuring that more efficient newbuildings will replace those withdrawn from service. In this article, the Ro-Pax and passenger ships operating within the domestic shipping network of Greece make a suitable reference for an EEDI analysis because of the significant number of ships deployed, whereas their design diversity provides a test for the reliability of the EEDI approach in this shipping sector. It was found that large-sized Ro-Pax vessels showed a strong negative correlation between EEDI values and gross tonnage, which is consistent with the results of other relevant studies. In a market which is characteristic of diverse vessel designs, it was demonstrated that the “EEDI baseline” calculation is highly influenced by vessel design and operational characteristics, dictating the need for close monitoring of the EEDI effectiveness in this sector.

A Techno-Economic Analysis of Oil vs. Natural Gas Operation for Greek Island Ferries

In the quest for sustainability of island regions, coastal shipping ought to be at the forefront because it provides essential and often sole lifeline services for the island inhabitants and visitors. Air pollution caused by the exhaust emissions of coastal ships has a detrimental environmental effect upon the coastal human population and the natural resources. The high coastal shipping activity within the Greek seas and the environmental vulnerability of the Greek coasts present a case that undoubtedly deserves particular attention. To this extent, the utilization of liquified natural gas (LNG) for powering island ferries constitutes a promising alternative to oil-fuel for achieving a sizable reduction of SOX, NOX, and particulate matter (PM) exhaust pollution. Furthermore, in their effort to improve the quality of the shipping services, island communities often appear to be constantly pushing for new vessels, and LNG engines constitute a suitable opportunity for fleet renewal through the introduction of “green” shipboard technology. In this paper, the connection of the Greek Dodecanese Islands and the main port of Piraeus with an oil- vs. LNG-fueled ferry line is analyzed. The results indicate that, compared to conventional oil-fuel, natural gas currently offers a favorable alternative in terms of private costs (technical and fuel costs), as well as in terms of the external (damage) costs due to ship exhaust pollution. It is also shown that the LNG shipboard technology has the prospect of extending its advantage with respect to private costs, due to the increasing pressure on oil-fuel–related environmental control and the expansion of the natural gas market. Finally, a justifiable argument is made regarding the improvement of the techno-economics of the LNG ferry through the utilization of the “land transport equivalent” principle, in conjunction with “green” technology funding under the European policy framework for transport, energy, and regional development.

Natural gas as a fuel alternative for sustainable domestic passenger shipping in Greece

Greece by virtue of its coastal and especially its insular character holds a leading position in Europe with regard to domestic passenger shipping. Consequently, the high exhaust emissions of the fleet engaged in this activity have to be controlled in a sustainable manner for this sector and the society in general. In an attempt to promote the research towards the control of air pollutants and greenhouse gases in Greece, this paper examines the use of natural gas as a ‘cleaner’ fuel alternative to heavy and light fuel oils for domestic passenger shipping, focusing on its impact on air quality and climate change expressed through the external (damage) cost comparison between the two types of fuel. Furthermore, it highlights other critical parameters (e.g. private costs, bunkering and safety issues) which are bound to influence the fuel change from oil to natural gas in this sector of shipping.

An inland waterway freight service in comparison to land-based alternatives in South-Eastern Europe: energy efficiency and air quality performance

AbstractTowards the strive of developing sustainable freight transport networks in Europe, the EU and the developing South-Eastern Europe in particular, this paper initially examines the feasibility of establishing a navigable link along the Axios–Morava waterway, for freight transport between the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (via the Aegean) and the Danube River, and then proceeds with its energy and air quality comparison with the competing modes of rail and road. It was found that this waterway service is technically feasible and offers an energy and carbon efficient alternative to road-borne and rail-borne freight. However, the land-based services were found to be superior with regard to their impact upon the air quality of the region, mainly attributed to the stricter emission standards applicable to these transport modes. Finally, it is proposed to build on the ongoing international policy and funding interest in this project in order to implement all the necessary infrastructural and operational chang...