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
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.
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.
A research article on the sustainable development of marinas, initiated in the 30MILES project coordinated by Kotka Maritime Research Association and funded by the Interreg Central Baltic Program and the Regional Council of Southwest Finland, was finalized in the Gyroscope project funded by the Research Council of Finland. The article has now been published in the Ocean & Coastal Management journal and has open access. In addition to researchers from the Kotka Maritime Research Association, the article’s authors include researchers from the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Environment Institute.
The starting point for the article was the assumption that making visible the different perspectives various stakeholders have on sustainable marina and on the actions needed to achieve it, can aid reaching a shared understanding and thus support the sustainable development of marinas. Individual boaters and marina operators were interviewed on how they define sustainable development and its goals within the marina context. Further, graphical, conceptual influence diagrams (CID) to visualize and structure the different ways individuals perceive the sustainability of marinas were constructed. The CID’s consist of the key variables and their causal interactions.
Based on the results of the article, the CID is a useful tool for analyzing and comparing stakeholders’ perceptions of sustainability. The method helps to identify the key variables and their potential conflicts. Furthermore, the article indicates that linguistic differences in terms of different concepts, for example, can cause misunderstandings between different people. Therefore, cooperation and co-learning among various stakeholders are necessary to create shared understanding. In addition, the three-pillar sustainability model can help interviewees widen their understanding about sustainability. Hence, we recommend its use when working with stakeholders in sustainability-related issues. Finally, the article proposes management implications that can support the sustainable development of both marinas and boating.
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 first Kotka Maritime Research Conference (Komarec) focusing on sustainable development of maritime operations was successfully concluded. The event took place on November 8-9, 2023, at the new Event Centre Satama in Kotka. The planning of the conference began early in the spring, and the implementation involved the expertise of researchers from the Merikotka Research Network, representatives of stakeholders, and professionals from Satama’s event management team.
One of the central goals defined for Komarec was to bring together researchers, authorities, companies, and interest groups – all the stakeholders whose collaboration is essential for the sustainable development of maritime transport and shipping – to share knowledge and discuss possible ways to promote more sustainable maritime practices. Approximately 80 participants attended the conference, representing a comprehensive range of target audiences. Of the attendees, 57% were from research and educational organizations, while the remaining 43% represented stakeholder organizations. In total, 14 research and educational organizations and 21 stakeholder organizations were represented. In line with the international nature of both maritime operation and scientific research, the conference language was English, and international participants were also sought. Despite the majority of the multi-cultural audience represented various Finnish organizations, conference attendees also came from Estonia, Poland, and Canada.
Merikotka’s Executive Director Anna Kiiski welcoming the audience to the Komarec conference.
Cross-Sectoral Encounters
The conference was opened by the Development Director of the City of Kotka, Toni Vanhala, who welcomed both the Komarec event and its participants to Kotka. The keynote speaker of the first day came all the way from Canada: Assistant Professor Floris Goerlandt from Dalhousie University shared insights into ongoing work on sustainable maritime development in Canada with the conference attendees. The second day of the conference was opened by the Executive Secretary of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), Rüdiger Strempel, who provided an overview of HELCOM’s work in developing environmentally sustainable maritime activities.
In the researchers’ presentations, the spectrum of perspectives to more sustainable maritime transport was pleasantly multidisciplinary and extensive, covering environmental issues, the development of technical tools, optimization of operations, human factors, and legislation. The presentations were divided into four thematic sessions. The themes included the environmental impacts of maritime transport, energy-efficient winter navigation, “smart” – i.e. automated and artificial intelligence-driven – maritime traffic and ports, as well as the significance of risk assessment and learning in developing maritime safety.
In his keynote talk, Floris Goerlandt from Dalhousie University shared insights into ongoing work on sustainable development in maritime transport in Canada.Rüdiger Strempel spoke about HELCOM’s efforts in developing environmentally sustainable maritime activities for the marine environment.
Communication, Anticipation, and Systemic Understanding as Enablers of Sustainable Green Transition
Through interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral dialogue, the Komarec conference aimed to map and increase awareness of research related to the sustainability and sustainable development of maritime transport. We wanted to generate discussions about the societal impacts of the presented research questions and results and collectively identify future knowledge needs.
Discussions held between the conference presentations emphasized the importance of collaboration and communication at national, Baltic Sea region, EU, and IMO levels, as well as on the cross-sectoral level among researchers, business, authorities, and policymakers. Together, we also observed how terms can sometimes have very different meanings in different contexts. This highlighted the importance of context-specific clarification of terms as part of sustainability discussions.
Also in the maritime sector, the Green Transition is discussed a lot. Research can help develop solutions and pathways for implementing the transition in a sustainable manner: ethically and justly, minimizing economic losses. Maritime transport itself contributes to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals by serving social well-being, enabling the movement of people and goods, and promoting positive economic development. However, for the activity to be considered sustainable, it should succeed without compromising the state of the environment or jeopardizing human safety and other societal values, such as equality and human rights. This is a global challenge across all sectors, and addressing it requires bringing together different perspectives and identifying the connections and collaboration needs between them.
In the Komarec conference, the need and importance of a shared situational picture emerged clearly, particularly in the context of the increasing use of artificial intelligence and automation in maritime transport. Various artificial intelligence solutions can help reduce the negative environmental impacts of maritime transport and improve operational cost-effectiveness. However, beyond technical development, it is essential to proactively consider the risks associated with the introduction of new AI innovations, and how legislation, liability distribution, and infrastructure should be developed to enable sustainable evolution of maritime automatization. One crucial question, especially with the increasing use of artificial intelligence, is the well-being of operational personnel and the identification of new skill requirements: how these can be ensured as part of the development.
Looking Toward the Future of Komarec
The shared vision of the Merikotka research network is to promote comprehensive sustainable development in maritime transport through scientific collaboration and societal dialogue. The Komarec conference supports this goal by providing a platform for dialogue, visibility for research, and an opportunity to identify future research and development needs. The interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral format prompted researchers to carefully consider how to present their research topics and findings in a way that is understandable to all, and based on our feedback survey, this was perceived as beneficial by the researchers themselves. The active participation of stakeholders ensured that researchers’ work was scrutinized also from the perspective of its societal significance. Such expansion of perspective is particularly valuable for researchers in the early stages of their careers.
Based on the positive feedback received, we can state that the first Komarec event was successful. We also received several good suggestions for improvement for future editions. It was encouraging to see that there is a perceived need for the event. Building on this experience, we dare to promise that the conference will be developed into a regularly occurring, increasingly international, and possibly larger event that provides meaningful content and engagement for all stakeholders interested in sustainable development in maritime transport while maintaining a focus on high-quality research.
Päivi Kuusisto from Neste Corporation presented research findings to the audience regarding the opportunities offered by new fuels in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The session was chaired by Mia Hytti and Mats Björkendahl.Mashrura Musharraf from Aalto University introduced a decision support tool for optimizing winter navigation operations. The session was chaired by Helena Orädd and Eero Hokkanen.Beatrice Schütte from the University of Helsinki and the University of Lapland discussed legislative challenges related to the utilization of artificial intelligence in maritime affairs. The session was chaired by Päivi Brunou and Ilkka Rytkölä.Nina Janasik from the University of Helsinki discussed the importance of proactive infrastructure planning as part of the sustainable green transition in maritime. The session chaires in the photo are Päivi Brunou and Ilkka Rytkölä.Liangliang Lu from Aalto University presented a forthcoming tool that can be utilized in the assessment and management of risks in maritime transport. The session was chaired by Olli-Pekka Brunila and Mirka Laurila-Pant.
Sunil Basnet, a member of the Kotka Maritime Research Centre’s research community, will defend his doctoral dissertation on 15 December 2023 at Aalto University in the field of marine technology. The opponent will be Professor Ioannis M. Dokas, from the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. Mr. Basnet has conducted his 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, “Managing risks in maritime remote pilotage using the basis of the Formal Safety Assessment”, consists of four scientific articles and a summary section. Pilotage is a safety service intended to prevent ship accidents, providing navigational assistance by experienced pilots who know the local conditions. Remote pilotage is a relatively new concept, in which the pilot assists the ship crew from a remote location at the shore.
”The idea behind remote pilotage is to improve both safety and cost-effectiveness of the operation”, Sunil Basnet tells. “However, the implementation requires adoption of novel data and information sharing technologies both on ships, fairways, and pilot stations. The entity becoming more complex, this may lead to new emergent risks, requiring updates also in the prevailing safety control system”, he continues.
The thesis of Mr. Basnet presents a novel, improved risk management framework that provides a systematic protocol with practical analysis tools, applicable to the modern remote pilotage systems. The framework is fully compatible with the Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) process developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), widely used in risk assessment and management in the context of maritime operations.
“This study lays strong and comprehensive foundations for effective risk management in the evolving field of remote pilotage, where there haven’t been existing risk management framework so far”, Sunil Basnet states and continues: “Method-wise, presenting a novel approach of integrating advanced systems modelling techniques, my thesis even fills some common gaps in the application of the Formal Safety Assessment. This is important for advancing the overall safety of maritime systems and operations.”
The public defense is organized 15.12.2023 at 12:00 – 16:00 in the address Otakaari 4, Espoo (auditorium 216). The event can be followed also online via Zoom.
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