Advanced Materials Research Vol. 837

Abstract: Despite the low energy and lower maintenance benefits of marine heat pump systems, little work has been undertaken in detailed analysis and simulation of such systems. This heat pump system is very attracting increasing research interests, since the system can be powered by thermal energy that can be provided by a renewable source: the difference of temperature between the ocean water layers.This paper focuses on the annual energy consumption and COP ( performance coefficent) of a marine heat pump system implemented for comercial use. This unconventional maritime systems of energy transfer would solve some of the pollution problems that arise from the use of conventional fuels . By using this system can make a pretty big energy savings in heating our homes and in preparation of hot water for domestic use.This energy consumption takes into account the heating and cooling needs of structure along different periods of time, such as winter and summer. Moreover, for each year period, we compared the heat pump efficiency simulated for our cost line with other tree tipes of heat pumps that are using diffrents primary agents. To highlight the performance of heat pump used for this study we coupled it with solar panels. The simulation, performed with TRNSYS (Transient Systems Simulation Program), was made for different working conditions simulating real conditions and temperature variations that occur in a year in the Black Sea coastal area.This experiment is intended to emphasize that marine energy potential that we have and also the advantages of using unconventional energy in relation to the use of classic fuels.This unconventional system of thermal energy conversion can be applied to both residential and commercial areas bringing an important benefit both people and the environment.

Abstract: This paper presents the modern education principles for Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Manufacturing and Computer Aided Engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE) Training Centre of the future maritime engineers. To improve, share and distribute our training we combine the classical pedagogical approaches with the web-based learning which provides interactivity for students, the possibility of exchanging views, opinions and materials in a multimedia environment. According to the actual concept, the teaching and learning will be interactive and live. The paper presents the means to enhance the quality of training programs of study using the long term experience of the authors in this field. The authors settle the principles of implementation of a special Training Centre using e-Learning in Constanta Maritime University (CMU) and introduce the modern concepts and technologies for the acquisition of Product Lifecycle Management knowledge.

Abstract: The paper presents a comparative analysis of tanker ships incidents and their environment impacts. The focus is on oil tankers because this type of ships poses the highest environmental risk. By the sheer amount of oil carried, modern oil tankers can be considered a threat to the environment. In case of a maritime accident a ship can suffer fracture of the ships hull that may lead to oil outflow leading to environmental consequences or stability problems, which may again result in capsizing of the vessel. In terms of the consequences for the vessel maritime accidents can be classified in different categories. Severe accident means an accident involving a total loss of the ship, loss of life or severe pollution. Accident that is not severe which may involve: fire, explosion, stranding, collision damage caused by bad weather, damage caused by ice, fracture in the hull or suspected damage to the body. This may also lead to pollution. And incidents that are circumstances or events caused by, or related with the operation of a ship from which the ship or any person is being hazard or results in serious damage to the ship, the ship's structure or the environment. Oil spills have devastating effects on the environment. Shipping regulations have been developed or modified over years on the basis of some significant marine accidents. The regulations are mostly concentrated on reducing the consequences of maritime incidents. Following the Exxon Valdez spill, the United States passed the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90), which excluded single-hull tank vessels of 5,000 gross tons or more from U.S. waters from 2010 onward, apart from those with a double bottom or double sides, which may be permitted to trade to the United States through 2015, depending on their age. Following the sinkings of the Erika (1999) and Prestige (2002), the European Union passed its own stringent anti-pollution packages (known as Erika I, II, and III), which also require all tankers entering its waters to be double-hulled by 2010. Oil tankers are only one source of oil spills. Air pollution from normal tanker engines operation and from cargo fires is another serious concern. Ship fires may not only result in the loss of the ship due to lack of specialized firefighting gear and techniques but the fires sometimes burn for days and require evacuations of nearby residents due to the dangerous smoke.

Abstract: Human part in the socio-technical system in which they operate in order to achieve the object of work is essential. This system, because of the technological progress is characterized by a high level of technicality, continuing growth in complexity and danger. In this context, the human operator is required to make a substantial effort, which includes besides standard procedure and operations also emergency resolution calling for the ability to make judgments and assumptions based on the knowledge one holds.The main cause of the growing number of accidents has been attributed specifically to "human error". It is generally considered the fact that human factors contribute to accidents. But there are different opinions on the importance of this factor. Suggestions regarding the proportion of marine accidents caused by human errors vary from 50 to 90% of the total number of accidents. Some research considered that 60% of the total number is due to human error as a direct cause and the remaining of 30% human error is from indirect contributory cause. Effects of active cause are usually noticed almost immediately, while consequences of indirect cause may remain invisible in the system for a long time, until in combination with other factors compromise the system and lead to an accident.Different methodologies are developed, adopted from the investigations on risk analysis to performe the models that will determine the human errors in sequential analysis of maritime accidents.According to IMO resolution, human factors which contribute to marine casualties and incidents may be broadly defined as the acts or omissions, intentional or otherwise, which adversely affect the proper functioning of a particular system, or the successful performance of a particular task. Understanding human factors thus requires a study and analysis of the design of the equipment, the interaction of the human operator with the equipment, and the procedures followed by crew and management.Since human factors are triggered by human errors, which are the main source of risk in maritime activities, it seems important to develop different methodologies that allow a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the real incidence of several human factors over maritime accidents with the aim of taking human factors into account in properly developed risk management plans.

Abstract: The growth of containerization and transporting goods in containers has generated capacity and equipment allocation problems in maritime ports. Container terminals represent complex systems with dynamic interactions between the various handling, transportation and storage units, and uncertainties about future events. Maritime container terminal operates at full capacity if the arrival of vessels to berth is uniform according to its capacity and equipment operating at constant parameters. Since there are random factors both on the arrival of ships and on the operation of equipments, the paper analyzes the influence of these factors on the terminal capacity. Therefore, we proposed a generic simulation model structure for the comparative assessment of the measures of performance of maritime terminal in ideal conditions (without perturbations in the terminal operation) and in different statistical assumptions of vessels inflows to berth and number of containers to unload per vessel. Based on event driven and virtual reality technology, the handling technology simulation model is developed using ARENA simulation software. The model is set-up by combining three basic functions: transport, transfer, and stacking. The transport activity is assumed by the flows of the container vessels and trucks. Different characteristics of the arrival flows are assumed (intervals between transport units, number of containers to unload). Quay cranes provide the container transfer. The stacking areas consist in one capacity area on the quay for the quick transfer on trucks. The simulation results lead to the conclusion that it can be achieved berth high occupancy and minimization of vessels waiting time at the port if the vessels inflows follow a distribution with small variance around the ideal value.

Abstract: In the shipping industry it is vital for a ships construction to take into consideration any grounding event that might occur, due to the fact that grounding has been representing an important issue in the maritime industry being almost always connected to a catastrophic pollution of the marine environment. Another important matter it is represented by the refloating methods that should be applied on these ships that are grounded, in order to safely take them out of their position with minimum hull damage and no pollution to the marine environment. There is a need for a basic understanding of the geometry, stability and strength of intact ships before trying to refloat a damaged, grounded or sunken ship. When talking about refloating a grounded ship, it is first of all necessary to fully understand the grounded event that led the ship into that position so that the best method for refloating to be applied. It is an important demand to establish the appropriate method of refloating so that the risk of polluting to be reduced at minimum. It is really vital to have a well thought-out and organized salvage plan in order to apply a certain refloating operation. In order to have such a salvage plan it is necessary to investigate properly the ships site and gather the appropriate information. Operational conditions around the ships site, namely the casualty, are dynamic and may change several times throughout the course of the refloating operation and this way many of the refloating operations cannot be applied on that certain cases of grounding. Ships groundings can have devastating effects on the marine environment. Cleaning up after a major grounding event could lead to enormous amounts of money and even then there is no certainty that the cleaning process has the best results or even the wanted ones. The general opinion of the shipping industry is that the cheapest method to refloat a grounded ship is to use the means present onboard that particular ship (means of propulsion, rudder, ballasting/de-ballasting operations, getting rid of weights). In this paper I tried to show how a ship can or cannot use the means present onboard in order to put herself out of the grounding position. In order to do that I have used Transas Navi Trainer 5000 simulator.