Current

Open position – We are looking for a PROJECT RESEARCHER

We are looking for a

PROJECT RESEARCHER

whose task will be to carry out the research work for the international BRISK II project in accordance with the approved project plan.

The goal of the BRISK II project (Long-term risk analysis for oil and hazardous and noxious substances pollution from shipping accidents to the marine environment in the Baltic Sea) is to update the risk management tool developed in previous projects (BRISK, BE-AWARE), which is used to provide up-to-date oil spill risk assessments for the Baltic Sea.

The researcher will participate in the collection and analysis of data needed to update the risk assessment tool, the development of future maritime traffic scenarios, and the modeling of the required preparedness capacity, in collaboration with the project’s international expert group.

We are looking for candidates with:

  • A relevant higher education degree (Master’s or Doctorate)
  • Expertise in risk assessment and management related to maritime activities
  • Experience in independent research, data collection, and reporting of results
  • Proficiency in both written and spoken English

Read the full job advertisement HERE.

Presenting Research and Networking at the ICES Conference

The Annual Science Conference of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) was organized this year in Gateshead, England. ICES is an intergovernmental marine science organization with almost 6 000 scientists and 20 member countries. We Kotka Maritime Research Centre (KMRC) researchers Patrik Kauppi and Emilia Luoma attended the 4-day conference with a poster “Addressing biodiversity risks in the maritime sector: a focus on green transition” and an oral presentation “Balancing risks and opportunities between climate objectives and marine life: green maritime fuels as a case study”. The theme of the conference sessions was this year fishery oriented but especially the presentations considering maritime spatial planning were highly relevant to us KMRC researchers.

The conference started on Monday in somewhat rainy and chilly England. The venue was the International Centre for Music in Gateshead, also known as “the Glasshouse”. The opening ceremony of the first day was spectacular, featuring music performance and an inspiring keynote speech. The keynote was particularly suitable for us, as it emphasized interactivity and elaborated on the meanings of the terms multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary. The terms that we are very closely linked to all the time. The researchers’ presentations during the conference were interesting to listen to, even though they mostly focused on fishing and fish stocks.  As maritime transport impacts marine ecosystems, it is beneficial to have some awareness of the status of fish populations. In the evenings, the conference allowed for a more relaxed atmosphere, including visits to the Newcastle United football team’s stadium and an art exhibition at the Biscuit Factory.

Luoma’s presentation was held in a very diverse theme session regarding scientific advances under ICES science plan. Her eight-minute presentation was based on the ongoing research in the Gyroscope project. The presentation underlined that since the use of green maritime fuels affects the whole marine transportation system, there is a need for systems understanding to make the transition sustainable. To address this issue in the project, workshops have been organized for experts with diverse backgrounds to discuss the potential risks and opportunities when different aspects of sustainability are considered.  Based on the discussions, causal networks have been drawn to visualize the key variables and the causalities between them. The aim of the study is to identify the factors on which the sustainability of solutions most critically depends on, and which should be prioritized. Although the work is still in progress, it is already evident that there is a need for a knowledge co-production of this kind.

Emilia Luoma presented the ongoing study in the GYROSCOPE project.

During the Tuesday evening poster session, Kauppi presented his research in a theme session that focused on accounting for climate change in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP). The poster highlighted emission reduction actions resulting from the green energy transition in maritime transport, which, however, have biodiversity impacts that are not yet adequately considered. Additionally, the integration of biodiversity mainstreaming into MSP was recommended. The session provided an excellent opportunity to discuss and network with other conference participants. Many researchers interested in the topic visited the poster, so there was hardly any time without discussion partners. The conversations were encouraging, as the topic was considered very important. Overall, the one-on-one discussions during the poster session were a highly positive experience, especially for a young researcher attending an international conference as a presenter for the first time.

Patrik Kauppi’s poster focused on the literature review of his doctoral dissertation.

Overall, nearly 800 researchers from around the world attended the ICES annual science conference, and we had the privilege of being part of this fantastic event. Following the presentations, engaging in discussions with various researchers, and taking advantage of networking opportunities enriched our understanding about the current state of the marine environment. As researchers at the KMRC, we can benefit from these insights by connecting them with our research topic regarding maritime transport.

Text by Patrik Kauppi and Emilia Luoma

New publication on management of harmful organisms in the Baltic Sea

A new research article based on the work carried out within the now concluded COMPLETE and COMPLETE PLUS project entity has been published in the scientific journal Marine Policy. The article, titled “Early warning system on harmful aquatic organisms at a regional sea scale: Components and mechanisms“, presents the design and implementation process of an early warning system developed during the projects and implemented in the Baltic Sea since 2022. The knowledge and insights gathered during the development work are expected to be beneficial in other sea areas as well.

The issue of non-indigenous species (NIS) is a significant global concern in the context of shipping. Part of the species transported to new locations via ships’ ballast waters and biofouling can threaten biodiversity, disrupt ecosystems, and lead to considerable economic losses. The Baltic Sea, due to its brackish water, naturally low biodiversity, and lively ship traffic, is particularly vulnerable to NIS introductions. Therefore, effectively preventing the introductions and spreading of such harmful organisms in the Baltic Sea is critical.

Led by the Kotka Maritime Research Centre, the COMPLETE project entity was highly impactful, producing numerous scientific publications, policy recommendations, and practical tools for stakeholders for improving ballast water and biofouling management in the Baltic Sea region. The results have contributed to international efforts, influencing work under both HELCOM (the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The project’s recommendations are helping to shape policies aimed at preventing the spread of invasive species through biofouling and ballast water management.

Text: Annukka Lehikoinen

Thesis: Towards enhanced safety in the age of autonomous shipping

Meriam Chaal, a member of the Kotka Maritime Research Centre’s research community, will defend her doctoral thesis on 11 January 2024 at Aalto University, in the field of marine technology. The opponent will be Professor Gerasimos Theotokatos, Director of the Maritime Safety Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.

The thesis, titled “Advancing Safety in Autonomous Shipping Through Modern Hazard Analysis Methods: A System-Theoretic Approach”, consists of three scientific articles and a summary section.

Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) refer to vessels that rely on autonomous technologies for navigation, control, and operation. They utilize advanced sensors and communication technologies as well as machine learning and computer vision algorithms to perform various ship functions.

Autonomous vessels are expected to enhance maritime safety, ship energy efficiency, and the effectiveness of the logistics chain. “Autonomous ship systems are likely to play an increasingly important role in future shipping”, Meriam Chaal says. “The ongoing transition, however, introduces new safety challenges that necessitate rigorous risk assessment and innovative safety frameworks”, she continues.

In her thesis, Chaal first explores the historical development of risk, safety, and reliability considerations in autonomous shipping. Then, integrating a qualitative systemic hazard analysis technique (Systems Theoretic Process Analysis) with a quantitative systems and decision analysis method (Bayesian Network), she proposes and demonstrates a novel approach for conducting risk assessments of autonomous ship systems. The proposed approach is compatible with the most used maritime risk and safety assessment procedures. It supports identification of the unique risks and knowledge needs associated with autonomous navigation systems and enables evaluation and prioritization of alternative risk control measures.

“My thesis serves as a technical compass guiding the maritime industry towards enhanced safety in the age of autonomous shipping,” Meriam Chaal summarizes and continues: “As autonomy is transforming the maritime industry, the thesis contributes to setting up the foundations for standardized systems safety engineering for autonomous ships.”

Ms Chaal has conducted her thesis work as part of the Research Group on Safe and Efficient Marine and Ship Systems, led by Assistant Professor Osiris Valdez Banda, who also holds one of the Merikotka (KMRC) professorships.

The thesis summary can be downloaded from the Aaltodoc publication archive.

 

Written by: Annukka Lehikoinen

A Joint Statement of the Merikotka Core Research Network on the Coastal Strategy

The Ministry of the Environment requested statements from stakeholders on the new Finnish coastal strategy aimed at the year 2050. The Merikotka Core Research Network conducts interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research, particularly related to maritime logistics. The development of sustainable practices in maritime logistics has a particular importance to the entire coastal region and its well-being. Since the goal of our Merikotka Core Research Network is to increase knowledge and understanding and thereby support sustainable maritime logistics, we decided to provide a joint statement on the coastal strategy focusing on maritime logistics -related topics.

The process of formulating this joint statement began with translating the coastal strategy into English so that each researcher could review it independently and provide comments. Following this, we held a meeting where we discussed all the comments and ideas together. Finally, a joint statement was compiled from the suggestions and submitted to the public statement service. The statement is public and can be found on the website of the statement service.

 

Written by: Emilia Luoma

GYROSCOPE project studies digital solutions in the green transition of marine logistics

Kotka Maritime Research Centre (Merikotka) is strongly represented in a new research project GYROSCOPE. The project is funded by the Academy of Finland and has started in January 2023.

Under the 2022 call for research on key areas of green and digital transition, the Academy of Finland has granted a total of around 19 million euros of funding to projects that contribute broadly to the green and digital transition by developing new solutions to promote carbon neutrality and mitigate and adapt to climate change. The funding granted is based on the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland.

The total budget of the three-year project is over two million euros. The project investigates opportunities provided by and risks associated with smart digital solutions in the context of green transition of the maritime sector.

New smart concepts and services are claimed to have a significant role in cleaner, safer, and more efficient logistics. However, the introduction of new devices and instruments across the operating environment by multiple actors may increase the risk of both technical issues and human errors. To ensure the sustainability of the digital transition, it is therefore important to proactively identify potential risks that the new smart solutions may bring along.

GYROSCOPE produces a multidimensional picture of the sustainable digital transition to low-carbon maritime logistics by applying stakeholder-participatory processes and modern risk analytics, considering alternative implementation pathways. Through a sectoral example, the project aims to understand the nature and preconditions of sustainable green transition also more generally, as well as the development picture of digitalisation as part of it.

In the project consortium, Kotka Maritime Research Centre is represented by Research Director Annukka Lehikoinen and professors Osiris Valdez Banda from Aalto University and Sakari Kuikka from the University of Helsinki. The other principal investigators are Professor Janne Hukkinen from the University of Helsinki and the consortium leader, Professor Toni Ahlqvist from the Finland Futures Research Centre of the University of Turku.

 

The press release and funding decisions of the Academy of Finland

Written by: Annukka Lehikoinen

Research article: new toolkit helps to develop disaster preparedness training

Researchers of the University of Helsinki, Aalto University, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Science, and Kotka Maritime Research Association have published a scientific article presenting a new science-based toolkit for organisers of environmental disaster response trainings. The article is published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction and is one of the outputs from the Merikotka-driven project SIMREC, co-funded by the European Union.

The diversity and frequency of major environmental disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires are growing globally. Major oil and other chemical accidents form one type of environmental disasters as well. Typical for the disaster management operations is that they call for effective collaborative response activities across organisational, sectoral and, in many cases also national borders. However, different operational systems, cultures, and norms of the participating agencies may hamper the collaboration. Multi-agent disaster response simulations help creating shared understanding of how the collaborative response activities should be implemented and thereby improve preparedness and resilience of communities.

In the article, the researchers pay specific attention to shared situational awareness among the response actors as a key to successful cooperative disaster management. They suggest a novel protocol for analysing the formation of such joint awareness during the response exercises.

The suggested protocol consists of thematic series of analytical questions and practical indicators to be monitored during the response exercises. It provides the training organisers a structured framework for identifying critical issues to be practiced with a particular team, or to be developed in terms of a certain exercise. This supports the planning of optimal disaster response trainings in the future.

 

Written by: Annukka Lehikoinen
Photo by: Matt Hardy on Unsplash