Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly relevant technological component in the digital transformation of ports, supporting improvements in operational efficiency, safety and environmental performance. In recent years, several literature reviews have examined AI applications in maritime and port-related contexts; however, these studies typically focus on specific dimensions, such as safety and risk management, smart port development, or individual Machine Learning techniques. Consequently, a consolidated and application-oriented overview explicitly centered on port management and operations remains limited. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic literature review aimed at synthesizing current scientific evidence on the application of AI in port management and operational activities, while identifying emerging research gaps. The review follows the PRISMA protocol and analyses 30 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2021 and early 2025. The results indicate that AI is predominantly applied in operational areas such as vessel arrival forecasting and scheduling, berth and quay crane allocation, container handling and predictive maintenance. Machine Learning and Deep Learning approaches are the most frequently adopted and exhibit higher levels of empirical validation. Reported outcomes include improvements in operational efficiency, enhanced decision-support accuracy and reductions in environmental impact. Despite these advances, the literature highlights persistent challenges related to data availability and quality, system interoperability, cybersecurity and the adaptation of AI solutions to heterogeneous port environments. The study concludes that, while AI adoption in ports is progressing beyond experimental stages, further empirical research and structured implementation strategies are required to support scalable and secure deployment across different port contexts.
In Indonesia, ocean currents represent a promising resource and one technology that can be used to harness them is the Savonius turbine. Although the vertical-axis Savonius turbine has been widely explored due to its ability to operate at low flow velocities, research on the cross-flow type remains limited. This study analyzed the influence of adding a deflector and placement variations on the performance of a cross-flow Savonius turbine. The turbine was tested with several deflector configurations, including different distances 0.22, 0.23, 0.24, and 0.33 m from the turbine, to evaluate their influence on performance. The deflector was designed to redirect flow to avoid the returning blade while strengthening the advancing blade, thereby enhancing energy capture. A numerical investigation was conducted using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The results of adding the deflector significantly improved the turbine performance in terms of its torque (Ct) and power coefficients (Cp) by 44%. The optimal configuration was obtained at a deflector distance of 0.23 m with a Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) of 0.739, yielding a coefficient of power of 0.289. This study indicates that proper deflector positioning can effectively improve the performance of a cross-flow type Savonius turbine.
This paper analyses the EU regulatory framework governing scheduled coastal maritime passenger services, focusing on the design and implementation of public service obligations and public service contracts in maritime cabotage. This paper adopts a normative and comparative legal approach by outlining the relevant EU legal context and examining Croatia, Greece and Italy – selected for their pronounced island dependency and distinct governance arrangements. The analysis compares competent authorities, public service instruments, tendering logic and transparency requirements, and key parameters relevant to service continuity and public compensation. The findings confirm that a common EU baseline permits differentiated national solutions: Croatia relies on a centralised model with a specialised public body for tendering and contract supervision, Greece applies a tender-based public service obligations system administered by the competent ministry, and Italy operates within a multi-level framework in which regional contracting practice is complemented by stronger regulatory oversight, including methodological standards relevant to compensation and reasonable profit. It is concluded that safe and legally regulated connectivity between islands and the mainland is a prerequisite for sustainable island development.
This research analyzes in detail the reception of NAVTEX signals in the northern Adriatic, revealing significant discrepancies between empirical observations and predictions of standard groundwave propagation models. The NAVTEX receiver at a fixed location on shore consistently failed to receive NAVTEX messages during daytime broadcasts from the Split and Piombino stations, despite being within their coverage area. At the same time, signals and messages from the nearest Mondolfo station were reliably received. Signal strength measurements confirmed that the signals from Split and Piombino stations were weak and unstable, while Mondolfo station provided a strong and stable signal. Comparison of these observations with the predictions of propagation models showed that the models predict signal strengths which should be sufficient for detection from all stations, including Split and Piombino. These findings indicate that current propagation models fail to accurately capture complex environmental factors or potential transmitter performance issues. It is concluded that these models cannot be reliably used to predict NAVTEX coverage in such complex maritime environments, which has critical implications for maritime safety due to the inability to receive Maritime Safety Information (MSI) via the NAVTEX system.
Jack-up Rigs (JuRs) are integral to offshore resource extraction, mainly due to their need for robust structural stability in challenging marine environments. This study introduces a Multi-Cascade Neural Network (MCNN) framework designed to evaluate the structural integrity of JuRs. We implement a Fast-Marching Algorithm (FMA) to process the vibration data obtained from a Multi-Sensor Network (MSN) strategically installed at critical locations on the rig. The FMA facilitates the construction of an overall state ridge from the vibration datasets, which, over time, informs the MCNNbased assessment model. During an 8-week evaluation period, the assessment model was rigorously tested, resulting in a structural state classification value, which effectively encapsulated the rig's overall condition. The application of our proposed methodology in various test scenarios demonstrated promising outcomes, validating the efficacy of our approach in structural assessment for JuRs.
The Currila coastline, situated in a densely populated region, undergoes a significant increase in anthropogenic activity during the tourist season, particularly from June to September. This area is characterized by a high concentration of hotels, apartments, restaurants, and both public and private beaches, which attract large numbers of visitors during the peak summer months. The preservation of water quality in this coastal zone is crucial, not only for safeguarding public health but also for protecting the integrity of marine ecosystems. This study investigates key physicochemical parameters such us temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity and salinity, as well as biological indicators of pollution, including Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. The results indicated that water temperature ranged from 12.53 °C to 24.63 °C; turbidity from 8.1 to 290 NTU; dissolved oxygen from 7.49 to 9.04 mg/L; pH from 7.78 to 8.9; EC from 36,33 to 48,08 mS/m, TDS from 25.43 to 33.66 g/L; and salinity from 23.6 to 38.7 psu. Moderate to high concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria were detected during the microbiological sampling period. These findings offer important baseline data for local authorities and environmental agencies, supporting the development of preventive strategies against anthropogenic pollution and the implementation of monitoring systems for the discharge of untreated wastewater into the marine environment.
The application of machine learning techniques is an ever-growing trend in engineering fields - with marine engineering being far from an exception. The authors present a total of 91 papers selected from the top 25% journals in the “Engineering, Marine” subcategory – selecting papers that applied machine learning algorithms to novel problems in marine engineering. The results show that most researchers prefer the utilization of tree-based algorithms, which were most commonly used across papers (46 papers accounting for different tree-based methodologies), with the single algorithms that were most popular being the multilayer perceptron (and other feed-forward artificial neural networks of the same shape), used in 24 papers and support vector machines (used in 21 papers). The analysis of goals and applied methods indicates that the most common analysis in marine engineering is performed on numerical, tabular, data – followed by the time-series numerical data. The most covered topic present in the research is optimizing the fuel use of vessels (11 papers), followed by the application of machine learning in the modeling of vessel dynamics and the preliminary vessel design (10 papers each). Based on the existing trends, the field of machine learning application for marine engineering will only continue to grow.
This study provides a comparative review of how cloud integration is reshaping cybersecurity in the maritime sector, focusing on the Baltic and Mediterranean basins. It aims to identify how regional threat landscapes, governance frameworks, and industrial ecosystems influence both vulnerabilities and resilience in a sector increasingly reliant on digital infrastructures. Methodologically, the paper adopts a qualitative and interpretive approach, combining policy and regulatory analysis, technical assessment of OT/IT and cloud convergence, and case studies such as the NotPetya incident and the cybersecurity architecture of Fincantieri and its subsidiary E-phors. The paper contributes to the literature by (1) systematising regional approaches to maritime cyber resilience, (2) mapping transferable security patterns between two contrasting maritime ecosystems, and (3) integrating an industrial case study into a comparative governance framework. Theoretically, it extends maritime cybersecurity research by situating cloud adoption within regional security ecologies; practically, it highlights the managerial value of security-by-design practices, Zero Trust adoption, and cross-regional learning. Policy recommendations include the creation of EU-wide federated identity registries, regional threat intelligence hubs, and lifecycle-integrated cybersecurity frameworks across the maritime supply chain.
Trash accumulation in water bodies necessitates efficient waste collection solutions, with catamaran-based trash skimmers offering a promising approach. However, their hydrodynamic performance in river conditions remains understudied. This research applies Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling to assess how hull spacing and operational speed influence drag forces, fluid dynamics, and surface wave characteristics in restricted-depth aquatic environments. The results indicate that at lower speeds, hull separation has minimal impact on resistance, while at higher speeds, larger hull separation ratios (S/L) increase resistance due to wave interference and conveyor-induced disruptions. River conditions further amplify these effects, leading to increased drag and turbulence.These findings highlight the importance optimizing hull spacing and speed to enhance hydrodynamic efficiency, particularly in confined environments, providing valuable insights for improving the design and operation of trash skimmer catamarans.
The Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) plays a crucial role in underwater surveys but faces challenges in complex environments with unmeasured variables, leading to inefficiencies in navigation. This paper develops a motion control solution for ROVs that utilizes Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to enhance control quality in response to environmental impacts. Firstly, the authors develop an Adaptive Fuzzy Control (AFC) to control ROV movements under varying environmental conditions, allowing for the collection of operational datasets. Next, the ROV motion controller is designed based on the ANN architecture to enhance control quality. Finally, experimental scenarios using MATLAB demonstrated that ANNs markedly improve control accuracy and overall performance for ROVs when following predetermined trajectories. This emphasizes their substantial potential in advancing autonomous marine applications.
As a leading global exporter of liquefied natural gas, Indonesia faces substantial logistical challenges in distributing LNG, primarily due to its archipelagic As the primary distribution component, the strength and durability of the tank design for the Mini LNG Carrier is paramount because it must withstand multifaceted and rigorous demands of multimodal operations spanning land sea environments. This study examines the fatigue performance of 40-ft tank frame configurations under stationary and dynamic operational loads to optimum strength-to-weight savings. Finite element analysis investigates the life of 4 proposed LNG tank frame designs under high-cycle and low-cycle conditions, adhering to the ASME and ISO 1496-3 standards guidelines. It can be found elimination of longitudinal, vertical, and horizontal frames can effectively stress and displacement and reach 6% total weight saving. The study conclusively shows that in both low and high cycle loading, the fatigue damage factor (FDF) are below the critical threshold, indicating all proposed frame designs likely achieve 20-year service life.
The number of marine accidents involving recreational crafts on the Adriatic Sea has been increasing in recent years, especially during high season. In this paper, research on marine accidents of recreational crafts in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea was conducted. The aim of the research was to identify the main types of recreational crafts that are most frequently involved in different categories of accidents in the Adriatic Sea by presenting trends and patterns such as geographical distributions, type of recreational crafts, seasonality, time of occurrence and distribution of fatalities according to vessel type, upon which recommendations are proposed according to findings. The research is based on a retrospective review and analysis of data from a total of 2.654 archived files of marine accidents involving recreational crafts, which includes a detailed review of the chronology of individual accidents, weather reports, attached photographic evidence, port authority's reports, and a review of correspondence between Rescue Coordination Centers, sub-centers and competent ministries. The results of the analysis for the observed period are presented according to different categories, i.e., types of accidents, with the calculated values of statistical tests, for which the statistical program SPSS and the software STATISTICA 12 were used. The findings show that the majority of overall interventions are involved with recreational crafts and that the majority of rescued persons are caused by nautical tourism activities. Based on the conducted research, recommendations were made to increase safety in the domain of nautical tourism on the Adriatic Sea in terms of better training and education, especially for boat and sailing boat skippers.
Fatigue failure in fillet welded T joints is a critical concern for marine vessels, particularly for oil tankers which are constantly exposed to fluctuating loads in harsh sea environments.This paper explores the fatigue performance of those joints through a combined approach involving the hotspot stress method and fracture mechanics. The study followed the design provisions of Eurocode 3 for application of loads. Finite element analysis was used to calculate the hotspot stresses which were then applied in the S-N fatigue assessment. In addition, crack propagation of the joints was modeled using FRANC 2D with application of Paris Law. The objective is to predict fatigue life at critical locations susceptible to cyclic loading and verify whether the joints meet the code-specified design resistance. Under ship's actual design load, the joints are expected to sustain more than 2.5 million cycles which is significantly exceeding Eurocode based estimation (as low as 0.5 million cycles) reflecting the conservative nature of Eurocode.The fatigue life under the simulation ofcrackclosely aligns with the S-N prediction and previously published experimental findings, lending confidence to robustness and validating the accuracy of the adopted methods. Ultimately, the study identifies the fatigue critical zones with clarity and offers a practical framework for assessing the durability and safety of the welded joints in marine structures, contributing to the development of more reliable fatigue resistant designs.
Shipping is a significant source of pollution in the modern world. In ports, during berthing, activities such as loading, unloading, and hospitality operations rely on auxiliary engines. The combustion of marine fuels during these activities significantly contributes to air pollution. This pollution can spread up to 400 km around the port area. Naturally, the consequences include environmental damage near ports, respiratory issues, and an overall negative impact on human health. Globally, ship emissions account for 3% of CO2, 15% of NOx, and 6% of SOx emissions. These gases have a key impact on human health and the environment. Pollution also depends on the type of fuel that ships use and the size of the ship. Oceangoing ships are major polluters, but they are not always in port. Therefore, pollution in the port depends on all the ships that are in the ports. Tugs that direct ships entering and leaving the port contribute greatly to port air pollution. Marine vessels have been required to use cleaner fuels (MARPOL Annex VI). Shore power connection can reduce the negative impact of ship activities in the port environment. A significant number of international documents regulates this area. Most of them emphasize the importance of shore power connections as a potential solution to environmental problems. We must preserve the planet for future generations as well as ensure continuity maritime activities. The problem is that the infrastructure in small ports is weaker in comparison with large ports, so introducing a high voltage shore connection is challenging.
Interest in ports and their impact on regional development can be traced back to the early days of industrialization and world trade, but has become more important in recent decades due to changes in global economic patterns, technological advances and the increasing importance of sustainable development. Although the economic impact of ports has been explored in the literature, there is a lackof studies dedicated to analyzing the popularity of this topic in academic papers. This research aims to fill this gap by employing a bibliometric analysis to capture the evolution of academic work on the relationship between ports and regional development and to identify research patterns and emerging areas of interest. Bibliometric analysis and visualization tools are used for the analysis. Based on the Web of Science Core Collection database, the most important research areas, journals and author keywords are identified.The results of the analysis are visualized with the VOSviewer software. The findings show that the topic is popular and that there is a growing trend in publications on the relationship between ports and regional development. Authors from port countries dominate the field. In addition, major publishers such as Elsevier and Taylor & Francis publish the most on this topic. The results of the co-occurrence analysis show the dominance of the keywords ports, management, port performance, logistics, which indicates that these keywords are of central importance for the research area under investigation.
This study addresses the growing environmental concerns of climate change, which is exacerbated by rising greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the transportation sector. Maritime shipping, responsible for approximately 2.89% of global CO₂ emissions, is a key contributor to this issue. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set ambitious targets to reduce CO₂ emissions from this sector by 40% by 2030 and 100% by 2050, relative to 2008 levels. In response, this study explores the potential of combining two decarbonization strategies, slow steaming and wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS), to reduce emissions from maritime transport. The analysis of a 6500-ton DWT tanker operating around Sumatra Island, Indonesia, from July 21, 2023, to July 20, 2024, shows that slow steaming, reducing speed by up to 1 knot, can lead to up to a 20.1% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions, although this results in increased sailing time. The challenge lies in balancing environmental benefits with operational time efficiency. The integration of WAPS, featuring three 250 m² square wingsails, further reduces emissions by 10.3% by harnessing wind power to assist propulsion, without altering the ship’s schedule. By combining both strategies, the tanker achieves a total emissions reduction of up to 29.7%, while maintaining operational efficiency. This combined approach offers a promising, sustainable solution for decarbonizing maritime transport and significantly reducing emissions without disrupting time-sensitive operations.
The coastal area of Mostaganem, from Sidi Madjedoub in the east to Oureah in the west, is a very interesting and remarkable place. Over the last 20 years, it has been exposed to a series of natural and anthropogenic processes that generate both short- and long-term variations of the shoreline position. This research is based on a spatial-temporal analysis of shoreline change along the coast between Sidi Madjedoub and Oureah, using aerial photographs from 2003 and QuickBird satellite images from 2014 and 2023. The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) geostatistical tool enabled the identification of erosion and accretion rates, as well as the description of evolutionary trends over a 20-year, covering three periods (2003–2014, 2014–2023, and 2003–2023). The shoreline changes were calculated using 720 transects generated at 20-meter intervals. In addition, numerical modeling of wave propagation was carried out using the Mike 21 model to gain a better understanding of the influence of coastal hydrodynamics on shoreline change. The results reveal that most of the studied area is experiencing erosion, with an average rate of -0.28 meters per year along the entire coast. These changes result basically from sea-level rise and longshore sediment transport generated by the waves and currents approaching mostly from NNE quadrant, and human activities (sand mining, urbanization, touristic activities). This study demonstrates that combined use of satellite imagery and statistical method such as linear regression for shoreline change analysis are helpful for erosion monitoring and preventive measure.
Croatia has a highly indented coastline, favourable ecological conditions, proximity to the markets, and potential for further mariculture development.This research aims to determine the status of Croatian mariculture considering: distribution of fish and bivalve farms, total mariculture area, buffer zone, Internal Waters Utilization, nominal intensity, number of registered operators, and employees in the industry.The spatial database was created using manual vectorization from recent (2022/2024) Google Earth satellite imagery. The results show that marine farms in Croatia occupy 0.056% of the area of internal marine waters. Out of this, 53 % of the surface is dedicated to bivalve and 47% to fish farming. Croatia's total nominal intensity is 3.3 t/km of coastline in 2022. Farms are located in all coastal counties, with the largest occupied area in Zadar County (38.1%) and Dubrovnik-Neretva County (37.5%). Most of the national fish farming area is located in Zadar County (71%), while the largest area of bivalve farming (68%) is found in Dubrovnik-Neretva County. In PrimorjeGorski Kotar County, despite having the largest area of internal marine waters, only 4.3% of the total mariculture area is present. The analysis indicates that mariculture currently occurs in a tiny portion of internal marine waters and has generally lower nominal intensity than other Mediterranean countries. Although mariculture is present in all coastal counties, the distribution and productivity of farms is uneven. For future development, we suggest focusing on optimizing current production capacities and exploring innovative aquaculture practices to enhance sustainability and economic viability.
Pectinidae species are prominent shellfish in the Adriatic Sea, valued for their commercial and ecological importance. Among them, the queen scallop, Aequipecten opercularis, has not yet demonstrated long-term viability in captivity, posing challenges for aquaculture. However, successful aquaculture of A. opercularis could reduce the adverse effects of fishing gear on sea bottoms. The objective of this study is to offer perspectives on how queen scallops adapt to captive conditions, examining their morphometric response and shell growth over three months under different seawater parameters. We assessed the growth rate and hemocyte count in the scallops' hemolymph, observing growth rate lengths of 0.058 +/- 0.174 mm/day in October, 0.003 +/- 0.024 mm/day in November, and 0.022 +/- 0.026 mm/day in December. Correspondingly, the growth rate weights slightly decreased from 0.022 +/- 0.107 g/day in October to 0.003 +/- 0.043 g/day in November and 0.008 +/- 0.037 g/day in December. Additionally, the total hemocyte count increased significantly over time, peaking in December at 25.846 +/- 7.251x10*6 cells/mL. These findings suggest that optimizing environmental conditions, particularly maintaining a temperature around 15 degrees C and ensuring high food quality, can enhance the shell growth and survival rates of queen scallops in captivity.This research identifies key opportunities to improve the culture practices for A. opercularis, contributing to more sustainable aquaculture methods.
The gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata) is cultured throughout the Mediterranean; the sea temperature most significantly determines the duration of farming. Sea temperatures reduce gilthead seabream's need for feed and fish growth is not expected in these conditions. It is hypothesized that improving feed formulation could improve growth during the winter months. For the research, two groups were formed, and fed for a month with two types of fish feed of different nutritional composition at an average temperature of 13.9 +/- 0.90 degrees C. The fish from cage A (21.53 +/- 1.53 cm; 173.77 +/- 38.24 g) were fed fish feed containing protein and lipid 100% from marine origin (H1).The fish from cage B (22.17 +/- 1.43 cm; 181.08 +/- 43.05 g) were fed with commercial feed for gilthead seabream, whose proteins and lipids were partially replaced by plant raw materials (H2). The temperature was measured daily and samples were taken at the beginning and end of the experiment for biometrics, which included the fish's total length, total weight, and condition factor. This study showed that fish fed with a modified formula achieved higher growth parameters than fish fed with commercial feed. The data obtained indicate that gilthead seabream can grow at low temperatures and there is a need for further research to ensure the correct selection of raw materials for the testing and production of feed for the period of low sea temperatures.
