Forthcoming and Online First Articles

International Journal of Ocean Systems Management

International Journal of Ocean Systems Management (IJOSM)

Forthcoming articles have been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication but are pending final changes, are not yet published and may not appear here in their final order of publication until they are assigned to issues. Therefore, the content conforms to our standards but the presentation (e.g. typesetting and proof-reading) is not necessarily up to the Inderscience standard. Additionally, titles, authors, abstracts and keywords may change before publication. Articles will not be published until the final proofs are validated by their authors.

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International Journal of Ocean Systems Management (8 papers in press)

Regular Issues

  • Ship turnaround times in port: comparative analysis of ocean container carriers   Order a copy of this article
    by Claude Comtois 
    Abstract: There is general recognition that port turnaround times of container ships vary considerably. Recent efforts to explain the differences have employed factors involving port efficiency and the numbers of containers transferred, with only limited success. In this paper the role of the shipping lines is considered. Eighteen global carriers are selected and their average turnaround times (ATTs) in 20 ports on three East-West and one North-South trade routes are obtained. By comparing the ATT of each carrier in each port with the overall ATT of that port provides a measure of relative carrier performance, thereby identifying a standard of performance independent of overall port activity. A wide range of scores are indicated, with several carriers recording much longer relative ATT scores overall. The results suggest that carriers have a role to play in port turnaround times. The scores are compared with two other measures of carrier performance: efficiency and punctuality. The results of the analysis are used to assess the recent round of restructuring of the global shipping alliances and the extent to which the partnerships reflect differences in ATTs. Suggestions for further research are presented.
    Keywords: Times in port; differences between carriers; time factors and strategic alliances.

  • A detailed review of recent advancements in autonomous robots for marine energy pipeline inspection   Order a copy of this article
    by Md Alauddin Himel 
    Abstract: Strategic energy pipelines must supply global energy demand. Poor circumstances might leak, damage, or collision marine cables. Renewables, gas, and oil are dangerous. Diver, ROV, and hand monitor pipeline inspections are costly, inefficient, and error-prone. Recently developed self-driving robots assess and repair undersea pipelines. This novel concept boosts safety, output, and cost. This study evaluates modern maritime energy pipeline inspection self-driving robots. This research extends beyond robotics, encompassing sonar, ultrasound, optical imaging, and AI integration. The focus is on autonomous robots for rapid pipeline damage detection and autonomous underwater robots for addressing unstructured challenges. Powerful AI and machine learning algorithms allow these robots to react to strong currents in real-time. Robots can foresee substantial wear. The study shows hybrid robotic systems and multi-word swarm technologies can constantly and massively examine pipelines and networks. These devices give time, motion, and cooperation data for faster, more precise travel. Human-free remote robot inspections are researched.
    Keywords: autonomous robot; marine pipeline inspection; artificial intelligence; sensor technology; hybrid robotic systems.
    DOI: 10.1504/IJOSM.2025.10070207
     
  • A method for extracting bearing degradation data of ship propulsion systems based on cumulative features   Order a copy of this article
    by Hui Ma, Chunlong Ma, Wenjun Xia 
    Abstract: This article proposes a method for extracting degradation data of rotating components in ship transmission systems based on accumulated features, aiming to address the challenges faced by traditional methods in extracting early degradation features and improve the accuracy and reliability of prediction models. By combining multi-resolution signal decomposition techniques and accumulative feature processing, the proposed method refines the classical features and inverse trigonometric function features, extracting monotonic degradation signal features. At the same time, the EM smoothing method is used to smooth the feature signals, further improving the availability and accuracy of the data. The experimental results show that this method can significantly improve the accuracy of life prediction for rotating components, providing strong support for the maintenance and optimisation of marine transmission systems. The effectiveness of accumulating feature processing in enhancing data prediction capabilities was verified through monotonicity, correlation, and trend evaluation indexes.
    Keywords: degradation data; bearing; cumulative features; ship propulsion systems; expectation maximisation.
    DOI: 10.1504/IJOSM.2025.10070760
     
  • A review on fatigue design of offshore structures   Order a copy of this article
    by José A.F.O. Correia, Danial Haselibozchaloee, Shun-Peng Zhu 
    Abstract: Regarding the continuous tendency to consume energy throughout the world, societies have propelled to exploit oil and gas. A vast number of offshore structures have been established in the sea to provide needed energy for industries. A good offshore structure design depends on the adequate and fair anticipation of probable occurrences during its service life. Fatigue damage is one of the most important problems that offshore structures see before happening failure in structural components. Typically, fatigue life span is predicted by two, S-N curve and fracture mechanics approaches. However, due to the presence of structural and environmental uncertainties, the probabilistic method is highly recommended to have an accurate fatigue life prediction for offshore structures.
    Keywords: offshore structures; fatigue; S-N curve; facture mechanics; probabilistic analysis.

  • Cushion packaging design for maritime transportation: a new model based on stress-strain curves   Order a copy of this article
    by Dawei Xue, Yuning Yao 
    Abstract: Maritime transportation demands robust packaging solutions to protect goods against impacts, vibrations, and environmental conditions unique to sea travel. Traditional cushion packaging design relies on drop tests to generate cushion curves, a time-consuming process that lacks flexibility for the rapid demands of the industry. This paper proposes a novel cushion packaging design method based on stress-strain curves and energy conservation principles, which bypasses the need for extensive drop testing. Our approach is validated using ANSYS explicit dynamics simulations and experiments, showing compatibility with maritime transport conditions and efficiency in model generation. Results indicate that this new method provides a reliable, adaptable alternative for cushioning design in maritime logistics, promoting both durability and efficiency.
    Keywords: maritime packaging design; cushion curve; stress-strain curve.
    DOI: 10.1504/IJOSM.2025.10070320
     
  • Key vulnerability parameters for steel pipe pile-supported wharves considering the uncertainties in structural design   Order a copy of this article
    by Jingsong Huang, Qing Ai 
    Abstract: Identifying the key vulnerability parameters (KVPs) of a structure is essential for vulnerability analysis. This study proposes a procedure for selecting the KVPs of steel pipe pile-supported wharves (SPPSWs). Initially, the engineering demand parameters (EDPs) investigated were the initial stiffness, horizontal displacement of the pile head, and displacement ductility coefficient, based on pushover analysis. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis, including both local and global sensitivity analyses, was conducted to evaluate the potential KVPs’ effects on different EDPs, taking into account uncertainties in structural design and geotechnical parameters. Finally, three KVPs were selected based on the results of the top-ranked parameters: axial compression ratio, pile diameter, and free length of the landward pile. This study also indicates that the displacement ductility coefficient is the most suitable EDP for SPPSWs.
    Keywords: pile-supported wharf; vulnerability analysis; engineering demand parameter; EDP; sensitivity analysis; displacement ductility coefficient.
    DOI: 10.1504/IJOSM.2025.10070722
     
  • Modelling and analysis of offshore wind turbine gearbox under multi-field coupling   Order a copy of this article
    by Shiyuan Yang, Yibin Chen 
    Abstract: Offshore wind power has become a critical source of clean energy globally. However, during the operation of offshore wind turbines, the gearbox is subjected to various uncertainties, such as heat and humidity, which can alter its strength and impact the turbine’s performance, potentially leading to severe consequences like turbine failure. To analyse the factors influencing gearbox strength, this study investigates various failure modes of gearboxes and conducts simulation analyses on the gears most likely to fail. Additionally, the study integrates multiple physical fields to comprehensively calculate the strength and lifespan of the gears, while analysing crack propagation under these conditions. Finally, statistical methods are employed to analyse the reliability of the gears, exploring the sensitivity of output parameters such as gear lifespan to various input factors.
    Keywords: multi-field coupling; gearbox; simulation analysis.
    DOI: 10.1504/IJOSM.2025.10070817
     
  • Study of unmanned underwater vehicles in marine regulatory applications_overview and application analysis of the two main types of AUVs and ROVs   Order a copy of this article
    by Qiyang Cao, Yvshuo Feng, Yanan An 
    Abstract: Unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is a robotic system that can autonomously or remotely manoeuvre to perform underwater tasks without manual control, and is now widely used in military, scientific research and ocean exploration. In recent years, with the development of sensor technology, artificial intelligence and navigation and control technology, the autonomy, endurance, and operational depth of UUV have been continuously improved, and it has become an important tool in the marine field. This paper summarises the classification of UUVs, key technologies and their application status, introduces in detail the two major types of unmanned remotely operated underwater robots (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and focuses on their latest progress in key technologies such as navigation and positioning, communication, energy management, and environment sensing. Finally, it summarises the challenges faced by UUVs in the field of marine environment monitoring and resource exploration, and looks forward to the future development trend of UUVs in the field of deep-sea exploration.
    Keywords: unmanned underwater vehicle; UUV; sensor technology; unmanned cable-remotely operated underwater robot; ROV; autonomous underwater vehicle; AUV; ocean exploration.
    DOI: 10.1504/IJOSM.2025.10070504