ABSTRACT

Nautical tourism ports make an open, dynamic and complex system which has been rapidly evolving; this is the reason why the development of this system requires continual monitoring and research. The existing models and development plans concerning nautical tourism ports donot provide for a systematic qualitative and quantitative development of nautical tourism, thus contributing to economical inefficiency likely to cause even ecological imbalance. The more so if nautical ports are regarded as business subjects by whom the concept of sustainable development is declaratively acceptable. For this reason, this paper presents in a systematic and clear way the results of the research based on an overall analysis and evaluation of nautical tourism ports’ position and development plans. On the basis of the results obtained, the paper presents a model of sustainable development of nautical tourism ports whereby the authors propose to redefine the approach to planning the development of nautical tourism and particularly to creating the offer and to understanding the relationship between economic development and environmental protection.

The integrated navigational system (INS) enhances the effectiveness and safety of ship navigation by providing multifunctional display on the basis of integration of at least two navigational functions, the voyage route monitoring with Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) and collision avoidance with radar. The INS is essentially a software platform for fusion of data from the major ECDIS and radar systems with sensors for the additional navigation functions of route planning, status and data display, and alert management. This paper presents a study on cyber security resilience examination of a shipboard INS installed on a RoPax ship engaged in international trade. The study was based on a mixed-method approach, combining an interview of the ship's navigational ranks and cyber security testing of the INS using an industry vulnerability scanner. The identified threats were analyzed qualitatively to study the source of cyber risks threatening the INS. The results obtained point out cyber threats related to weaknesses of the INS underlying operating system, suggesting a need for occasional preventive maintenance in addition to the regulatory compliance required.

Hydrographic surveys, in accordance with the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) S-44 standard, can be carried out in the following five orders: Exclusive, Special, 1a, 1b and 2, for which minimum accuracy requirements for the applied positioning system have been set out. They are as follows, respectively: 1, 2, 5, 5 and 20 m, with a confidence level of 95% in two-dimensional space. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network solutions (accuracy: 2–3 cm (p = 0.95)) and the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) (accuracy: 1–2 m (p = 0.95)) are now commonly used positioning methods in hydrography. Due to the fact that a new order of hydrographic surveys has appeared in the IHO S-44 standard from 2020—Exclusive, looking at the current positioning accuracy of the DGPS system, it is not known whether it can be used in it. The aim of this article is to determine the usefulness of GNSS/Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) for hydrographic surveys. During the research, the following two INSs were used: Ekinox2-U and Ellipse-D by the SBG Systems, which were supported by DGPS and Real Time Kinematic (RTK) receivers. GNSS/INS measurements were carried out during the manoeuvring of the Autonomous/Unmanned Surface Vehicle (ASV/USV) named “HydroDron” on Kłodno lake in Zawory. The acquired data were processed using the mathematical model that allows us to assess whether any positioning system at a given point in time meets (or not) the accuracy requirements for each IHO order. The model was verified taking into account the historical and current test results of the DGPS and RTK systems. Tests have confirmed that the RTK system meets the requirements of all the IHO orders, even in situations where it is not functioning 100% properly. Moreover, it was proven that the DGPS system does not only meet the requirements provided for the most stringent IHO order, i.e., the Exclusive Order (horizontal position error ≤ 1 m (p = 0.95)). Statistical analyses showed that it was only a few centimetres away from meeting this criterion. Therefore, it can be expected that soon it will be used in all the IHO orders.

Seaports are an important factor in regional economies since their operations create positive effects on the economy. The application of new technologies and innovations is important for the successful operation of seaports; their use reduces costs, facilitates business, increases transparency, and attracts new business entities. This paper analyses the impact of seaports on the growth of regional economies within the endogenous growth theory based on research and development (R&D) for a sample of 107 European Union’s (EU) port regions observed over the period from 2005 to 2015. The model was tested by using the two-step generalized method of moments. The results of the research indicate that seaports have a significant impact on the economic growth of the EU port regions, yet it is necessary to consider other factors that affect the growth of regional economies such as investments in R&D and human capital. These factors are often underestimated in relation to investment in transport infrastructure; therefore, the guidelines for partial diversion of funds might follow such a path.