The purpose of this article is to develop and pilot a documentation-based model for assessing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) maturity in seaports. The study covered four Polish seaports of key importance to the national economy, analyzed within three management units: Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Szczecin-Świnoujście. A critical literature review, deductive content analysis of official documents and port authority websites, and comparative analysis were conducted. Based on the literature, 27 criteria were standardized (nine each in the E, S, and G pillars) and assessed on a 0–4 scale describing the level of publicly documented formalization, implementation, monitoring, and integration into management. The ESG Maturity Index was calculated as the ratio of the total score to the maximum possible score. After the accounting adjustment, Gdynia achieved the highest score (78.7%), followed by Gdańsk (76.9%) and Szczecin-Świnoujście (59.3%). The results should be interpreted as an assessment of documented maturity rather than a direct measurement of environmental, social, or governance impacts. The model can serve as a transparent benchmarking tool; however, it requires further validation using quantitative metrics, inter-rater reliability assessment, and sensitivity analysis of the weights.

The preliminary design process of a sailing yacht involves numerous complex activities that require a comprehensive approach to the subject. The main challenge lies in achieving a compromise between established engineering principles and regulations, the yacht’s performance, and user preferences, all while utilizing constantly evolving technologies that consider the impact on the environment. There are many analyses concerning the implementation of the life cycle assessment (LCA) in the design process of cargo ships, but the topic of the environmental impact of yachts remains relatively underrepresented; given the rapidly developing yacht market, it has become increasingly important. In an additional situation, where the design process is increasingly dependent on advanced computer-aided design (CAD) tools, simple mathematical models used for parametric modeling allow the preliminary design of a yacht to be carried out without the need for expensive and skill-demanding specialized software. This article aims to present an example procedure that facilitates this process, shortens its duration, and enables relatively easy design optimization in a sustainable way, thereby supporting the selection of optimal parameters. The implementation of the LCA methodology is intended to optimize the yacht design process also in terms of environmental impact. This work formalizes the preliminary design process of a sailing yacht by developing a parametric approach with implemented LCA. A case study is also presented to illustrate the application of the proposed procedure using the design of a ten-meter sailing yacht intended for cruising and regatta sailing.

Employers increasingly seek solutions tailored to their workplace’s specific characteristics to effectively reduce occupational hazards. One such solution for mitigating risks during machine repair and maintenance is the lockout/tagout (LOTO) system. This system involves actions based on a clear division of responsibilities among employees and includes the development of standard procedures, the implementation of which improves occupational safety. This study utilizes research methods based on a bibliometric analysis regarding the implementation, functioning, and improvement of the LOTO system. Furthermore, a case study on the implementation of the LOTO system in a manufacturing enterprise is presented. Based on the conducted analyses, it is found that the LOTO system can be an effective solution for reducing accident risks by establishing clear and understandable standards for the proper and effective isolation of hazardous energy sources.

Engine logbooks are maintained on virtually every vessel but remain underutilized as a source of quantitative operational data. This study extracts and analyses 52 consecutive operational days from a motor vessel operating between Szczecin (Poland) and Odense (Denmark). The raw logbook records, including operating time, fuel and lubricant consumption, maintenance activities, and failure-repair events, were transformed into a structured analytical dataset. Four operational states are identified: normal operation, high-load operation, maintenance, and failure-repair. High-load operation exhibited the highest mean operating time (53.17 h/day), fuel consumption (1132.50 kg/day), and daily operational burden index (1203.50 cost units/day). Normal operation is characterized by moderate values (40.76 h/day, 558.56 kg/day, and 626.22 cost units/day). Maintenance and failure-repair states jointly accounted for 46.15% of the analyzed period. Despite lower fuel consumption, both states generated a higher operational burden index than normal operation, reflecting the additional operational burden associated with technical interventions and reduced operational availability. The results suggest that conventional engine logbooks can serve as a practical and cost-effective source of operational information for the assessment of marine propulsion systems, particularly where advanced monitoring infrastructure is unavailable.

Ammonia is a promising alternative to fossil fuels in maritime transport. As a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen containing no carbon, it does not release carbon dioxide during combustion and can be produced in zero- or near-zero-emission pathways using renewable energy sources. Its adoption as a marine fuel has the potential to support the greenhouse gas reduction objectives of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on carbon dioxide emissions. This article examines the feasibility of ammonia as an alternative marine fuel through an analysis of its physicochemical properties, environmental potential, toxicity, and regulatory requirements. The central component of this study is a comprehensive hazard assessment conducted using the DNV Phast computational environment. The analysis includes the dispersion of a toxic ammonia cloud and thermal effects, such as a fireball and a late pool fire, as well as the consequences of an ammonia explosion in the form of overpressure. Currently, only a limited range of experimental data regarding ammonia release is available. The reported experimental results involve small masses of the released substance, which results from the high toxicity of this gas and the necessity to conduct research under strictly controlled conditions. It is precisely due to the toxicity of ammonia and its complex post-release behavior that mathematical modeling is an effective tool for determining hazard zones. In the presented calculations, particular attention is paid to conditions characteristic of the humid equatorial zone. The results provide a clear basis for assessing the safety of using ammonia as a marine fuel.

This paper investigates bulk carrier loading rates at the Port of Gdynia during 2020–2024 using official operational raw data obtained from the Maritime Office in Gdynia. This study analyzes 357 loading operations across four calendar quarters and develops regression models relating cargo mass to loading rate. Descriptive statistics reveal high variability in loading performance, with coefficients of variation ranging from 36% to 127% depending on the year and quarter. A regression analysis is performed for each year individually and for combined quarterly datasets. A comparative analysis of the four quarterly models demonstrates that, for the dominant vessel categories calling at the port (i.e., Handysize and Handymax/Supramax, 30,000–60,000 t), the predicted loading duration varies seasonally by 25–30%, with Q3 yielding the shortest estimated loading times. The presented models provide a practical tool for preliminary estimation of bulk carrier loading duration based on cargo mass and the planned quarter of operation.

I am pleased to present the latest issue of the quarterly journal Scientific Journals of the Maritime University of Szczecin (No. 86). This issue contains ten scientific articles that address current and diverse research topics in the fields of transport, navigation, mechanical and marine engineering, as well as management and quality sciences. This issue includes papers on machine engineering and operation, such as the design of low-voltage permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motors for thrusters used in unmanned surface vehicles. Diagnostic issues are also addressed, including analyses of micro gas turbine vibrations under test stand conditions and an improved method for estimating lubricating oil dilution with diesel oil. These topics are complemented by hydrodynamic studies examining the effect of stern shape on a ship’s heave and pitch motions in waves. Other significant contributions focus on navigation, transport, and environmental management. These include proposals for improving the multi-ARPA collision avoidance system, correcting along-track georeferencing errors during side-scan sonar surveys, and optimizing the selection of bulk carriers for transporting polymetallic nodules. Furthermore, the authors introduce a new scale for assessing maritime transport transformation, examine coastal zone dynamics based on video monitoring, and present a novel approach to managing the quality and safety of metallic structures in corrosive coastal environments. The collected articles showcase current research trends and highlight the practical relevance of the studies presented, with particular emphasis on safety, sustainable development, and the implementation of modern technologies. I hope that this issue will be of interest to you and serve as an inspiration for further research and scientific discussion. I would like to thank the Authors and Reviewers for their valuable contributions, which have helped ensure the high quality of this publication.

The multi-ARPA (MARPA) system is a conceptual navigational decision-support tool intended to support the Officer of the Watch in complex ship-encounter situations, especially when several surrounding targets must be assessed simultaneously. In its original form, MARPA classifies candidate ship courses and target collision potential mainly by using predefined closest point of approach (CPA)/time to closest point of approach (TCPA)-based thresholds. Although such thresholds are operationally simple, they do not directly account for vessel dimensions, encounter geometry, uncertainty of navigational data, or the remaining maneuvering capability of a ship. This paper proposes a theoretical and analytical framework for improving MARPA hazard classification by replacing static CPA/TCPA-based heuristics with criteria derived from the ship domain and its safety-related sub-areas: the navigationally dangerous area, the critical area, and the collision zone. The proposed approach preserves the original operational structure of MARPA, including the direct hazard module and the indirect hazard module, but changes the meaning of the input hazard classes. Candidate ship courses and target collision potential are classified according to the predicted relation between the target trajectory and the domain-based safety areas. The analytical verification shows that domain-based classification changes MARPA output in several distinct ways. In the direct hazard module, the predefined scenarios produced higher, lower, and equivalent domain-based classifications when compared with static CPA/TCPA-based classification. In the indirect hazard module, the modification affected the class of direct hazard, class of course hazard, class of speed hazard, CMPH, and degree of indirect hazards through target geometry and through the course or speed change required for a target to violate the collision zone, critical area, navigationally dangerous area, or the ship domain. The collision zone provides the highest hazard class, a direct geometric meaning that refers to the possibility of physical contact rather than to an arbitrary CPA value. The practical advantage of this modification is that MARPA output can indicate not only that a course or target is hazardous but also which domain-based constraint is responsible for the classification. This study is theoretical and analytical in nature; full simulator-based, automatic identification system/radar-based, and onboard validation are identified as a necessary stage for future work.

Industrial infrastructure in coastal environments is exposed to particularly demanding operating conditions that can significantly affect the durability and reliability of metallic structures. Environmental factors characteristic of coastal zones, including high humidity and the presence of airborne salts containing chloride ions, accelerate corrosion processes and contribute to the progressive degradation of structural components. Such degradation may influence not only the physical condition of materials but also the operational stability, safety, and maintenance requirements of industrial systems. For this reason, corrosion-related damage should be considered within a broader framework of quality management and infrastructure safety rather than solely as a materials engineering issue. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for analyzing corrosion-related degradation in metallic structures operating in coastal environments, using a disturbance coding approach inspired by methodologies from safety science. In the proposed perspective, corrosion processes are interpreted as sequences of disturbances affecting system stability, while inspection procedures and maintenance interventions are treated as adaptive actions aimed at restoring operational reliability. The introduction of a structured coding scheme for identifying and documenting degradation-related events enables a more systematic monitoring of structural disturbances and supports decision-making in maintenance and quality management processes. The proposed framework integrates knowledge from corrosion engineering with safety-oriented system analysis and introduces structured coding logic linking disturbances, degradation signals, and adaptive maintenance actions. This approach may contribute to more effective monitoring and management of industrial infrastructure operating in aggressive coastal environments.

The paper presents a discussion of sonar target positioning in side-scan surveys. Practical experience shows that, regardless of layback uncertainty and vessel position error, an additional along-track component of uncertainty is observed during the processing of side-scan sonar data. This component is assumed to result from a delay in sonar data acquisition. It can be a significant issue because it is included in the calculation of the final target position during sonogram georeferencing and contributes to the overall horizontal linear uncertainty along the sonar track. This paper includes a theoretical analysis of the problem as well as empirical calculations based on real measurements. The aim is to investigate the magnitude of this additional error and, in the future, propose methods to reduce it while identifying its possible causes. The paper uses the recommended method for determining the final position of an object on the seafloor and proposes this method as a tool for calculating the total horizontal linear error along the sonar track.

This study investigates post-stall damage identification and vibration characteristics of the AMT Olympus micro gas turbine following a compressor surge event. The engine, primarily used for UAV propulsion, experienced rotor damage and increased imbalance during acceptance testing under steady-state conditions. Experimental diagnostics included measurements of rotational speed, vibration levels at compressor and turbine bearing planes, pressure, and temperature. The results reveal a significant increase in vibration amplitudes correlated with rotational speed. A spectral analysis identified rotor rubbing phenomena and imbalance signatures, providing insight into damage progression. This study highlights the diagnostic value of steady-state vibration monitoring for early fault detection in micro gas turbines and recommends limiting operational speeds to below 88% of the maximum allowable rpm during testing to ensure safety. Additionally, design flaws in the starter clutch system have been identified, suggesting improvements to future engine reliability. These findings contribute to enhanced engine health monitoring and maintenance strategies for micro-class turbine engines in UAV applications.

The maritime transport industry plays a key role in global trade and is also a significant emitter of greenhouse gases. Although literature on maritime decarbonization, regulations, technological change, and fragmented supply chains exists, it does not yet offer a tool that fully integrates these interrelated issues and has been empirically tested. The present study proposes and tests a multidimensional maritime transport transformation scale that covers supply chain disruptions, sustainability challenges, and carbon emission reduction initiatives. Forty-eight items across four constructs were developed from a literature review and piloted with 55 maritime and supply chain professionals. The results revealed that the instrument has high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.963), a sampling adequacy value of 0.608, and a theoretically derived four-factor model that explains 53.13% of the total variance. The scale shows preliminary reliability and structural validity, offering a robust tool for future maritime sustainability research and evidence-based decision-making

This paper presents the results of a study aimed at improving the accuracy of the recently published SATUFER method for estimating the dilution level of lubricating oil with diesel oil. It used the measured value of oil kinematic viscosity and known reference values of kinematic viscosity at the same temperature for fresh lubricating oil and diesel oil fed to the engine. This method was based on the REFUTAS algorithm for the analytical determination of the viscosity of a mixture with known mass shares and viscosities of the components. The correction factor K used in the formula estimating the concentration of diesel in the lubricating oil was Pareto optimized in the range 0.0–1.0 to minimize the value of the maximum absolute fitting error, δmax, and maximize the coefficient of determination, R2 , determined for the function estimating the degree of dilution of the lubricating oil with diesel relative to a known reference value. The analysis used a dataset of kinematic viscosity values for blends of SAE 30 or SAE 40 viscosity grade lubricating oil with B7 diesel oil at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75, and 100% m/m diesel oil in the blend at temperatures of 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 °C. For each mixture, an estimated dilution level was calculated using the SATUFER method, and the result was presented with a known reference value. The results of the analysis for the assumptions presented in this article indicated that the initial value of the K-factor for further analysis was K = 0.53 instead of the initial value of K = 0.80 adopted in the REFUTAS method, which was the basis for the proposed and developed SATUFER method.

The seakeeping performance of ships is a critical factor in ship design, influencing both safety and efficiency. This paper examines the effect of two stern shapes (i.e., transom and canoe) on the response of the heave and pitch motions of a ship. The original U-shaped stern is redesigned into a curved shape by adjusting the longitudinal and transverse control points of the hull. The curvature starting point is positioned at 0.04L from the stern perpendicular toward the bow. After designing and constructing the modified model, the response amplitude operator (RAO) of the heave and pitch motions for regular waves in a towing tank test is analyzed under three different speeds and six wave frequencies. The results reveal that the transom stern shows slightly higher heave RAO values than the canoe stern, while demonstrating improved performance in pitch motion. Overall, the canoe stern exhibits a 5–15% reduction in total motion response compared with the transom stern.

The coastal zone is a very dynamic area, hence the need to monitor changes occurring within it. The aim of this study was to use video monitoring along the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea to analyze changes in beach width depending on the hydrodynamic conditions prevailing in the analyzed period. The research was conducted from October 20, 2022, to July 31, 2023. Snapshot images were collected in Jarosławiec. The measurement of beach inundation in the collected images was made using the FIJI is just ImageJ program, designed for image analysis. This research included the analysis of three issues: (1) change in beach width (2) statistical analysis of hydrological data and (3) correlation between beach width and hydrological parameters. Analyses showed that the greatest beach inundation occurs in winter and spring. The height of a significant wave was usually equal or less than 2 m. The dominant direction of waves was west. Most often, the maximum sea level during storms reached from 510 to 540 cm.