Documents published in Scipedia

• A study of the riskiest points in front of an oil slick due to an accident in the spanish mediterranean coast

  X. Osés, A. Esparza

  Journal of Maritime Research (2010). Vol. 7 (3), pp. 71-82

  
  

  Abstract

  Pollution from shipping traffic poses a real risk to the Spanish coast. Memories of the Fedra bulk carrier disaster in the Strait of Gibraltar, the Prestige sinking in Finisterre or the Castor near accident off Almeria coast are still fresh. The main objective of this paper is to analyse, identify and quantify the Spanish Mediterranean coastal areas where spills from tankers are most likely to occur. The article based on a study which uses a set of variables such as geographical peculiarlities, climate, ship age and traffic density to feed an algorithm. This objective function weighs these parameters all along the coast and identifies the Spanish coastal areas having the highest risk of spills. 

  Abstract
  Pollution from shipping traffic poses a real risk to the Spanish coast. Memories of the Fedra bulk carrier disaster in the Strait of Gibraltar, the Prestige sinking in Finisterre [...]

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• Cost assessment simulator for transport between mediterranean Spanish ports and the Black Sea

  X. Osés, M. Castells, M. Rodríguez

  Journal of Maritime Research (2013). Vol. 10 (1), pp. 31-38

  
  

  Abstract

  There is a strong imbalance in EU transport mode shares. In addition, issues like road traffic, noise, accident rates, and especially polluting emissions result not only in external costs to society, but also in high logistical costs to transport service customers. The present paper proposes an assessment model to evaluate final internal and external costs of transport chains served by trucks and short sea shipping (SSS). An efficient and fast tool is presented to help customers decide on the most convenient mode of transportation for a specific trade link. The trade links in this paper connect 19 Spanish provinces to the main ports in the Black Sea region (Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine) through the ports of Barcelona and Valencia.

  Abstract
  There is a strong imbalance in EU transport mode shares. In addition, issues like road traffic, noise, accident rates, and especially polluting emissions result not only in [...]

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• Analysis of viability to promote a hub ro/ro terminal in Palma of Mallorca (Spain) port

  X. Osés, I. Galiano

  Journal of Maritime Research (2014). Vol. 11 (E2), pp. 33-39

  
  

  Abstract

  The presented paper is going to analyze the opportunity to develop a Ro/Ro hub in the Port of Palma de Mallorca. In order to get introduced in the study, the state of art related to geographical, economic traffic and human; conditions, will be reviewed: together with an in deep analysis of the port future capacities and main shipping lines crossing the western Mediterranean. At a first glance is it easy to understand that the competition with other container hub ports in Mediterranean does not afford Palma de Mallorca to be positioned in this market. But the chance to become a hub in rolled traffic will be studied.  The final results of this paper are going to identify the main particulars to be enforced to attract the main shipping companies are providing transport services between the North and South coasts of the Mediterranean and the traffic between Italy and Spain. 

  Abstract
  The presented paper is going to analyze the opportunity to develop a Ro/Ro hub in the Port of Palma de Mallorca. In order to get introduced in the study, the state [...]

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• The Exploration, Development and Perspective of Oil And Gas in The Black Sea Region

  X. Osés, S. Mihailovici

  Journal of Maritime Research (2015). Vol. 12 (3), pp. 49-56

  
  

  Abstract

  The Black Sea region, a large horizon ready to open, ready to explore, ready to show her energy, her power and opportunities. But how we are preparing for this?. It is a high compettiton between all the actors implicated in this field. The industry was informed to this potential resources by a major study undertaken by Purvin and Gertz in 2011, which predicted a development of a Romanian offshore industry and now exist many recently studies that confirmed the resources of the Black Sea. We all nnow about the emergence of shale gas in europe, in the last years because is increasing evidence os a more united approach on energy, so the exploration and development of gas reserves in the Black Sea is an optimal alternative to supply gas from the Caspian to South-Eastern Europe. But this good alternative implicates problems generated by costs, transportation and security of the very long pipelines that will pass through several countries till reaching their final destination. We try in this paper to pay attention on the main objective in the Black Sea region, in this offshore field, that required the cooperation and sustainability from part of European Union and all its members' state and countries situated in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea or Caspian Sea.

  Abstract
  The Black Sea region, a large horizon ready to open, ready to explore, ready to show her energy, her power and opportunities. But how we are preparing for this?. It is a high [...]

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• A Ship Routing System Applied at Short Sea Distances

  M. Grifoll, X. Osés

  Journal of Maritime Research (2016). Vol. 13 (2), pp. 3-6

  
  

  Abstract

  New generation of high-resolution meteo-oceanographic predictions provides useful tools for routing of ships in short maritime distances. In this work, the optimal ship routing analysis is investigated in maritime routes in the Western Mediterranean Sea for relative short sea distances. A* algorithm is implemented in order to obtain the optimal path under an energetic wave events. The methodological aspects are presented including the grid description and weather prediction systems. The optimized cost function is the travel time and it is obtained considering the added resistance due to waves. A practical example considers the maritime route between Barcelona and Algiers. The results show the influence of this factor in the optimum path recovered by the algorithm. The relevance of the relative direction between wave and ship route is proven comparing the ship routing results.

  Abstract
  New generation of high-resolution meteo-oceanographic predictions provides useful tools for routing of ships in short maritime distances. In this work, the optimal ship routing [...]

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• Alternative Manoeuvres to Reduce Ship Scour

  M. Castells, A. Mujal-Colilles, A. Llull, X. Gironella, X. Osés

  Journal of Navigation (2020). Published online

  
  

  Abstract

  Scouring and sedimentation effects on the seabed induced by ship propellers during ship manoeuvring near harbour structures affect both structure stability and ship manoeuvring capabilities. This contribution proposes solutions at an operational level using the automatic identification system (AIS) and a bridge simulator. Two new alternative manoeuvres were designed and tested on a bridge simulator to obtain expected maximum scour depth and the results were compared with that of real manoeuvres (i) using mooring lines, and (ii) with tug assistance. A total of 42 test scenarios combining several manoeuvres and meteorological conditions were reproduced. Results confirmed a clear reduction in erosion depth with the alternative manoeuvres, with total reduction when using the tugboat. The presented methodology can be very useful to port authorities to prevent the effects of ship erosion on harbour infrastructures.

  Abstract
  Scouring and sedimentation effects on the seabed induced by ship propellers during ship manoeuvring near harbour structures affect both structure stability and ship manoeuvring [...]

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• IoT-Driven Business Model Innovation: A Case-Study on the Port of Barcelona in the Context of the Belt and Road Initiative

  R. Henríquez, X. Osés, J. Martínez

  (2019). Advances in E-Business Engineering for Ubiquitous Computing. ICEBE 2019. Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies, vol 41. Springer, Cham

  
  

  Abstract

  During the last decade, new technologies have pushed organizations to innovate their business models. In particular, Industry 4.0 and the Internet of things (IoT) have called for their own business models, in order for them to live up to their potential as sources of value and revenues. Seaports have not been alien to this trend. As key nodes in the global supply chain and logistic networks, some of them have evolved towards a new value-generating and community-focused model, categorized as the fifth generation (5G) port. This research paper explores what impact does IoT technology will likely have in the evolution of seaports business models, as well as the role that institutional initiatives play in such evolution. To do so, a case-study is presented about the Port of Barcelona, and the strategic policies that it has adopted in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative developed by the Chinese government. The case shows, though not conclusively, a relationship between IoT technology and the adoption of a 5G business model.

  Abstract
  During the last decade, new technologies have pushed organizations to innovate their business models. In particular, Industry 4.0 and the Internet of things (IoT) have called [...]

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• Stern Twin-Propeller Effects on Harbor Infrastructures. Experimental Analysis

  A. Mujal-Colilles, M. Castells, A. Llull, X. Osés, T. Llull, X. Gironella

  Water Resources Research (2018). Vol. 10 (11), 1571, pp. 1-14

  
  

  Abstract

  The growth of marine traffic in harbors, and the subsequent increase in vessel and propulsion system sizes, produces three linked problems at the harbor basin area: (i) higher erosion rates damaging docking structures; (ii) sedimentation areas reducing the total depth; (iii) resuspension of contaminated materials deposited at the seabed. The published literature demonstrates that there are no formulations for twin stern propellers to compute the maximum scouring depth. Another important limitation is the fact that the formulations proposed only use one type of maneuvering during the experimental campaign, assuming that vessels are constantly being undocked. Trying to reproduce the real arrival and departure maneuvers, 24 different tests were conducted at an experimental laboratory in a medium-scale water tank using a twin propeller model to estimate the consequences and the maximum scouring depth produced by stern propellers during the backward/docking and forward/undocking scenarios. Results confirm that the combination of backward and forward scenario differs substantially from the experiments performed so far in the literature using only an accumulative forward scenario, yielding deeper scouring holes at the harbor basin area. The results presented in this paper can be used as guidelines to estimate the effects of regular vessels at their particular docking location.

  Abstract
  The growth of marine traffic in harbors, and the subsequent increase in vessel and propulsion system sizes, produces three linked problems at the harbor basin area: (i) higher [...]

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• Potential economic benefits of using a weather ship routing system at Short Sea Shipping

  M. Grifoll, X. Osés, M. Castells

  WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs (2018). Vol. 17 (3), pp. 195-211

  
  

  Abstract

  This contribution investigates the economic benefits of using weather ship routing on Short Sea Shipping (SSS) activities. The investigation is supported with the development of a ship routing system based on pathfinding algorithm, the parametrization of the wave effect on navigation, and the use of high-resolution meteo-oceanographic predictions. The optimal ship routing analysis is investigated in a European SSS system: the link between Spanish and Italian ports. The results show the economic benefits using ship routing in SSS during energetic wave episodes. The rate of cost savings may reach 18% of the total costs under particular bad weather conditions in the navigation area. The work establishes the basis of further developments in optimal route applied in relatively short distances and its systematic use in the SSS maritime industry.

  Abstract
  This contribution investigates the economic benefits of using weather ship routing on Short Sea Shipping (SSS) activities. The investigation is supported with the development [...]

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• Ship weather routing using pathfinding algorithms: the case of Barcelona – Palma de Mallorca

  M. Grifoll, L. Martorell, M. Castells, X. Osés

  Transportation Research Procedia (2018). Vol. 33, pp. 299-306

  
  

  Abstract

  Weather ship routing has become a recognized measure to target safe, sustainable and economical ship activities. Academic research has focused the ship routing optimization through pathfinding algorithms which take into account the meteo-oceanographic forecasts (i.e. wind, waves or currents predictions). This contribution shows the results of the numerical simulations carried out during the development of a weather ship routing applied to a ferry service in the Mediterranean Sea: Barcelona – Palma de Mallorca. From a methodological point of view, the pathfinding A* algorithm is applied to optimize the travel time considering the wave action. Under severe weather conditions, a reduction of the 7% of the travel time is obtained comparing the optimized route and the minimum distance route. The results show also a non-significant correlation between the travel time reduction and wave height. In consequence the benefit of ship routing depends not only of the wave height but also in the spatial sequence of the storm.

  Abstract
  Weather ship routing has become a recognized measure to target safe, sustainable and economical ship activities. Academic research has focused the ship routing optimization [...]

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