4597 research outputs found
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WMU roundtable on port energy transition and stakeholders engagement
Full text linkhttps://commons.wmu.se/marener_reports/1000/thumbnail.jp
The Practice of Small Island Developing States on the Consent Regime for Marine Scientific Research: Developing and Reframing the Law of the Sea in Changing Circumstances
Full text linkThe 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) seeks to reconcile competing interests in marine scientific research (MSR) within areas under national jurisdiction through the consent regime. Amidst the heightened focus on the limited capacity of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to undertake the necessary MSR to maintain their livelihoods, it has been suggested that the consent regime for MSR could offer support in enhancing the scientific and technological capabilities of SIDS. However, the framework\u27s fitness for purpose in light of changing circumstances has been questioned. Within this context, this thesis analyzes the influence of SIDS in developing and reframing the consent regime for MSR under the LOSC.
To achieve this objective, the study undertakes a stepwise process answering four research questions. It begins by defining the objective and purpose of MSR consent, followed by an examination of the State practices of 31 SIDS across the Caribbean, Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic regions regarding the MSR consent regime from 2005 to 2020. The study then identifies tools employed by SIDS to adapt the MSR consent regime to changing circumstances. Finally, it ascertains principles and concepts to restore and maintain the balance sought in the MSR consent regime under the LOSC in light of evolving circumstances. These changing circumstances include techno-scientific advances impacting MSR and developments in other areas of international law, notably related to the environment and biodiversity, postdating the adoption of the LOSC.
As a point of departure, the Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) provide background for the study, also serving as the motivation to scope the study to focus on SIDS. Different methods were used in each step to obtain and analyze the relevant information to respond to each research question. These include (i) documental analysis; (ii) questionnaires; and (iii) a review of international law, law of the sea, and MSR scholarship.
The findings emphasize the role of the MSR consent regime in supporting the scientific and technological capabilities of SIDS. The study concludes that the consent regime remains operational, with SIDS employing diverse tools to integrate legal and techno-scientific advancements therein. Cooperation and “reasonableness” emerge as significant legal concepts to sustain the required balance within the MSR consent regime under the LOSC. This study contributes to legal scholarship by exploring the adaptability of the LOSC over time in response to State practice, as well as in light of scientific and technological advances. At the same time, it advances the integration of social science and empirical methods in legal studies. Furthermore, it enhances the TWAIL movement by exploring SIDS perspectives, an area that has not been extensively investigated within the movement
Identifying Key Safety Investments Needed for Arctic Shipping via a Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) Approach
No full textThe retreating ice coverage and reduced (ice) thickness scientifically recorded in the wider Arctic region, during the last few decades, are transforming it into a more accessible operating environment. Vessels engaged in maritime transport activities can now navigate the already established routes for more extended periods each year. With this background, Arctic shipping routes have attracted the interest of academics and maritime stakeholders because of the potential distance reduction compared to other existing (and often viewed as) conventional routes utilizing the Suez and Panama Canals today. However, the existing Arctic shipping environment requires specific future safety investments. This paper intends to provide input towards better-informed decision-making and identification of priority investments needed to improve the level of safety related to the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and Northwest Passage (NWP). A multi-attribute decision-making methodology, the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process, is applied to rank the various proposed safety investments. The results indicate that “infrastructure and facility” should come first, followed by “personnel,” “technology,” “measure,” and “management” investments. Ice monitoring and weather forecasting, strengthening Arctic seafaring expertise, and icebreakers stand out as the top three most important future investments required in the region
Stakeholders’ perceptions on the introduction of additive manufacturing (AM) in the maritime spare parts supply chain
No full textEffects of the COVID-19 crisis on seafarers and shipping
Full text linkThe report is a testament to the remarkable resilience of the ships and port interface, and the adaptability of port workers and seafarers during the COVID-19 crisis. It also brings to light the vulnerabilities and trends within the sector. The ability of these workers to manage the shockwave ensured that trade flow continued, sustaining the world. However, this period had severe impacts on their livelihoods, starkly highlighting the industry’s inadequate consideration of its human element and the rapid pace of digitalization. The research employed a unique combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore and cross-validate information. This included an extensive document review, in- depth interviews, and surveys. The application of concurrent mixed methods research was a key feature to learn from simultaneous data sets, “triangulate” the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ports, seafarers, and families, and recommend avenues for improvement. For ports, the consensus was that preparedness and cooperation are essential to address crises, and the workers need the organizations to demonstrate protection in action. Moreover, workers’ flexibility and creativity prove vital to adjust to crises while technology and digitalization support continuing business operations. Finally, any port health measure needs to assess and monitor the impact on seafarers. For sea workers, the agreement was that COVID-19 has impacted every corner of work and life at sea. The short- and long-term impacts are making visible, including an unmanageable work burden, more tired and unhappy crews, less safe working environment, a high willingness to quit the seafaring profession and a pessimistic forecast of the welfare conditions of seafarers in the shipping industry. The job uncertainties, onboard hardships and life restrictions must be revised for seafarers, underscoring the need for dedicated effort to boost the workers’ morale at sea, promote health and safety and ensure they continue operating efficiently in times of crisis and beyond. For the shipping industry to better prepare and cooperate in future crises, 1) maritime organizations must enable feedback mechanisms for collecting good practices and knowledge sharing during ongoing crises, and 2) must work towards effectively integrating human factors and social welfare into industry practices and regulations.https://commons.wmu.se/lib_reports/1097/thumbnail.jp
The level of supply chain resilence of the Nigerian shipping industry: a perspective of major stakeholders
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Anticipating change: stakeholder perspectives on the potential impact of maritime autonomous surface ships on seafarers\u27 recruitment and employment in Nigeria
No full textA comprehensive investigation of shipping business performance and corporate governance towards maritime sustainable development
Full text linkShipping has always been associated with worldwide socioeconomic advancement, and it continues to be responsible for transporting 80% of all international trade. The shipping industry is undoubtedly one of the most globalized, and as such, it is governed by a comprehensive and dynamic regulatory framework that prioritizes the preservation of the maritime and coastal environment, the safety and security of the crew members and the vessels as primary company assets, and the proper conduct of all shipping operations. Nevertheless, there are frequently significant barriers to the adoption of practices allowing for the sustainable development of the shipping industry, a continuous effort led by the International Maritime Organization and aligned with the United Nations\u27 Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Shipping companies, key actors and active stakeholders of the maritime industry, have responded by actively integrating various dimensions of sustainable development into its core business processes and control mechanisms. The concept of sustainable development in the commercial shipping industry serves as a unifying theme for the chapters and publications comprising the corpus of this study.
The research traces and explores shipping business performance, both financial and non- financial, as well as good governance, as fundamental elements of sustainable
development. The research provides evidence leading to the conclusion that corporate governance has a positive impact on the financial performance of public shipping companies. More specifically, it concludes that various characteristics of the Board of Directors, as the main internal control mechanism of corporate governance (CEO duality, Gender diversity, National diversity, Founding family control, Board independence, Age), have positively influenced the financial performance of shipping companies during the period 2012–2021. Furthermore, the research explores the multidimensional non-financial performance of an extensive sample indicative of the global fleet. The key findings are based on secondary empirical non-financial data gathered through the BIMCO Shipping KPI System databases, extracted and analyzed for the first time for the unique purposes of this research by the author. Various relationships are established regarding the various types of non-financial business performance of the global fleet at aggregated international level, presenting insights into the evolution of the performance of the global fleet. The study confirms the necessity for an industry-wide adoption of overall business performance measurement systems, adding to the discourse for the adoption of sustainable practices and good governance in the maritime industry, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals of UN Agenda 2030 and the sustainable development strategy of the IMO