SEAM - Assessing concepts, systems and tools for a safer, efficient and environmentally aware and friendly maritime transport
Overview
Background & policy context:
Unquestionably, all shipping operations exert pressures on the marine environment. In parallel, legal framework on this issue is rapidly evolving at international, European and local levels, in order to reach a safe and environmentally acceptable maritime transport system.
The acceptance of the hazards and risks associated with the use of antifouling paints, the discharge of ballast water and emissions from ship exhaust has led to research and
development into methods to mitigate these effects.
Objectives:
SEAM focuses on formulating safety and environmental measures and procedures to mitigate the impact of three key elements of shipping operations on the marine environment:
- Ballast water management;
- anti-fouling paints; and
- quality of fuel and emissions.
More specifically, SEAM targets:
- Technical and operational solutions for treating ballast water;
- assessment of existing anti-fouling paints as well as environmentally friendly alternatives; and
- proposals for reduction of air pollution from ships.
Methodology:
SEAM will utilise Formal Safety and Environmental Assessment (FSEA) methodology as a rational structure for achieving its objectives. It will also make use of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to assist in the scientific and technical evaluation.
The measures that will be proposed will meet acceptable risk levels of shipping operations taking into account the views of the main stakeholders - i.e. shipowners, shipmanagers, shippers, ports, terminals, and regulatory bodies - and will be assessed for economic viability.
SEAM's five principal areas of investigation comprise:
- FSEA of the maritime transport system relative to ballast water management, the use of anti-fouling paints and air pollution from ships;
- safety and environmental measures of existing preventive and consequence reducing measures (mitigation);
- Risk Analysis Evaluation tool;
- life cycle engineering of the design; and
- new safety and environmental measures including management, procedures and operational tools verified by case studies and economic feasibility.
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