Transport belts are one of the most important parts of the equipment designed to secure the load during transport and movement. They are used in many branches of industry, depending on their strength and resistance to environmental factors. Therefore, their strength affects not only the effectiveness of cargo protection and the limitation of cargo losses but, especially, its safety. This article presents the influence of external factors on the strength of the material from which the fastening belts are made. In the introduction, the most commonly used types of belts are described alongside their main applications. The next part of the paper focuses on research on the influence of environmental factors and the impact of the level of utilization on the strength of transport belts. For this purpose, belts free from the influence of environmental factors are compared with belts that had previously been placed in a salt chamber for 90 days. Strength tests are carried out using a testing machine. The aim of these tasks is to determine the impact of the maritime environment on the tensile strength of transport belts and, more specifically, on the breaking force. The obtained results are compiled using graphs and tables. On the basis of this data, a decrease in strength parameters such as the breaking force, Young’s modulus, and strain is indicated.

In the modern world, the role of women in the maritime economy is becoming increasingly important. Most women acquire jobs in the organization of sea transport, cargo handling, warehousing, accounting, insurance, and marketing, while fewer women are employed on ships as sailors. The maritime transport sector has been dominated by men for years, not only in positions related to work at sea but also in management positions. Maritime economy entities are taking action to equalize the opportunities for women in relation to employment in managerial positions. This article aims to identify and assess the role of women in the maritime economy based on the employment structure as part of equalizing career development opportunities. The research utilizes a literature review and a desk research method. A statistical procedure and a comparative analysis are also used. The research results constitute interesting cognitive material not only for sea carriers but also for organizations associated with women employed in the maritime economy

With the ongoing transformation of business to the era of Industry 5.0, related IT technologies and solutions dedicated to logistics are undergoing transformation. This article presents a workflow that will help managers choose the correct strategy and sequence for implementing solutions that help companies embark on the path to Industry 5.0. The practical implications of the results include a clear roadmap for companies implementing Industry 5.0. The proposed IT hierarchy and LSCM prioritization provide decision-makers with actionable insights for planning investments, selecting technologies, and improving resilience and efficiency. This study supports strategic decisions across sectors by highlighting the most impactful digital tools that can drive transformation, sustainability, and competitive advantage in real business environments. In the scientific context, this article presents a template combining IT technologies used in companies and logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) planes in relation to the Industry 5.0 concept. Then, using the hybrid DEMATELPROMETHEE II methodology, the characteristic parameters of these spheres are assessed and hierarchized. The results presented in this article indicate that among the areas characterizing Industry 5.0, resilience solutions should be implemented first. Among IT technologies, solutions from the area of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) should play the leading role and, in terms of LSCM areas, the most important solutions should cover the sphere of demand planning and forecasting.

Plastics, despite their extensive applications across various industries, represent a significant environmental threat due to their slow degradation rate. The increasing volume of polymer waste highlights the urgent need for the development and implementation of effective recycling strategies. Catalytic pyrolysis has emerged as a promising solution for the sustainable processing of plastic waste. This study investigates the production of fuels through low-temperature pyrolysis of three widely used plastic types: polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS). The resulting pyrolysis fuels are blended with commercial diesel in proportions of 15%, 25%, and 50% and subsequently analyzed at an accredited research facility at the Maritime Academy in Szczecin, following European fuel standards. The distillation results of the fuel mixtures suggest that the blend containing 50% pyrolysis-derived fuel can be effectively utilized in internal combustion engine vehicles.

In this paper, the authors analyze, theoretically, the dependence of the work function on temperature within the model proposed by one of the authors in his earlier works. In accordance with the introduced analytical equation, the thermal metal expansion leads directly to changes in the electron gas density and this, in turn, modifies the value of the work function in a complicated way. The numerical calculations carried out by the authors also show changes in the chemical potential of the metal, together with the changes in temperature. Knowing the dependence of the chemical potential as well as the work function of the metal on the temperature, in the next step, the authors analyze the influence of temperature on the dipole layer on the metal surface. All the calculations are applied to the example of metals for which the dependence of work function on temperature is known from experimental research. The conducted analysis is a solid theoretical justification of the results of known experimental works carried out in this field.

This article presents a decision-support system developed for optimizing workforce allocation within production processes, specifically addressing the challenge of assigning employees to individual workstations during the assembly of ship hull sections. The proposed methodology integrates discrete-event computer simulation and evolutionary optimization techniques to accommodate the inherent complexity and stochastic nature of the analyzed manufacturing tasks. The objective is to assess the effectiveness of the proposed optimization system in determining optimal workforce allocation to workstations within stochastic production models

Critical infrastructure facilities, especially those located close to urban agglomerations, can cause serious difficulties for tourists. An example of such a situation is Poland’s only sea-land LNG terminal located in one of Poland’s three seaports of strategic importance to the national economy, Świnoujście. This port is located in the center of the city, which borders Germany, and is a very popular sea resort for both compatriots and foreign tourists. On the basis of a critical analysis of the literature, a comparative analysis, and the method of inductive-deductive reasoning, the authors point out a research gap in the field of transportation problems in critical infrastructure areas. The purpose of this article is to present current transportation problems resulting from the introduction of a closed transportation zone within critical infrastructure. In this article, the authors focus on presenting the effects of the aforementioned restriction on the tourism economy. One of them is a reduction in the ability to reach important historical sites and, thus, a significant decrease in interest in these monuments. The authors, with the help of observations, interviews, and a comparative method, analyzed possible solutions to transportation problems and proposed the most favorable solution. The proposed scenarios include three modes of transportation: road, rail, and water. Currently, the only possible solution is water transport. Consequently, the authors proposed an innovative and inviting means of transport for tourists, which is electric water cabs. An analysis of the effectiveness of such boats is made, and their additional added value for the environment and the image of the city and port as nature-friendly are pointed out.

Rapid technological progress in the field of autonomous surface ships (MASS) has outpaced international regulations concerning the safety of their operation and various research centers and classification societies, which independently conduct work on requirements of MASS safety. The implementation of “remote” risk management during MASS voyages, with the support of remote operations center (ROC) operators, is generally recognized as key to safety in MASS operations. This paper presents issues related to the operation of MASS in the context of long-distance voyage planning, taking into account the risk management process. The factors initiating hazards in MASS operation are described with the background of current requirements for the crewed ships. The voyage plan and route selection are presented using the example of a bulk carrier sailing from Gdynia to Miami in the winter season. A MASS casualty accident probability model related to the hazards occurring at individual stages of the ship’s voyage, based on the Poisson distribution, is proposed.

International trade has skyrocketed in recent decades, with global trade expected to grow by 3.5 between 2017 and 2050. There have been diverse scholarships in the study of inland nodes to enhance seaport-inland connectivity and efficient global supply chain. A dry port is described as the most common inland node. However, research on dry ports is mostly lacking in developing nations like Nigeria, with developed economies dominating the space. We used mixed methods, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches for data collection, analysis, and interpretation to evaluate seaport efficiency and competitiveness indicators. A 5-point Likert scale structured questionnaire was administered to 478 respondents (the sample size), including logistics companies, importers, distributors, and marketers. A total of 383 respondents completed and returned their questionnaires. The study shows that existing seaports lack fully effective and functional conditions to support growing trade demands. Secondly, the study showed high interest in dry ports as complementary facilities that enhance logistical efficiency and regional competitiveness. Thirdly, space inadequacy, congestion, and challenges in handling high cargo volumes drive dry port development. Fourthly, dry port development can enhance seaport-inland transportation networks, improve seaport-inland access, provide adequate space for containerized cargo, expand seaport facilities to the hinterland, extend customer and value-added services inland, improve seaport flexibility and reliability, reduce inland distribution costs, and increase ship call frequency in Nigeria, particularly the southeast zone. These findings can shape regulatory and policy landscapes for implementing dry ports in other developing jurisdictions to expand research and data limitations on dry port operations in developing nations. We recommend replicating this study in other data-constrained locations and land-locked areas to promote seaport efficiency and competitiveness.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the global economy and disrupted daily life across many regions of the world. Restrictions imposed at the time, such as the closure of national borders and restrictions on mobility, led to unprecedented challenges for the transportation sector and related tourism services compared with any prior crisis. This disruption also affected maritime passenger transport in Poland. This article aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on passenger traffic in Polish seaports and to develop mathematical models that could support management in the event of future epidemic threats. Three different models are proposed, which showed that the epidemic crisis resulted in a significant decline in passenger traffic at Polish seaports. The most accurate proved to be the SARIMA model. The Holt-Winters model also demonstrated high fitting and predictive performance. In turn, the STL model offered intriguing insights with its time series decomposition, enabling a detailed analysis of individual components. A comparative analysis of the proposed models confirms their usefulness in forecasting passenger traffic in seaports in the face of disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These models can be an effective decision-support tool, helping to reduce the negative effects of future epidemic threats.

Seakeeping capabilities represent a crucial aspect of marine hydrodynamics research. Calculating the movements, amplitudes, and accelerations of the ships offers valuable support for assessing and forecasting their safety and security parameters while the ships are in use. While experimental data on ship movements in consistent wave patterns are considered reliable, they also come with high impacting costs. This research is particularly designed to estimate the seakeeping performance by assessing the hydrodynamic response of a 192-meter-long container ship vessel in both regular and irregular waves. The present computational study is focused on predicting the six degrees of freedom responses for a ship at zero speed for different heading angles. Using the panel method within Maxsurf Motions software, RAOs for all degrees of freedom are obtained. In irregular sea simulations, the ITTC spectrum is employed.

The marine insurance contract primarily aims at providing security for the performance of the commercial activity of transporting goods. This contract has a special nature that aims to indemnify the insured against losses to the marine adventure. Marine insurance contract disputes, like several other types of disputes, are determined by various resolution procedures, either in the courts or through alternative methods such as arbitration, negotiation, and mediation. This characteristic influences the choice of the substantive and procedural rules that will apply to resolve possible conflicts between the parties. If disputes do arise, peaceful and quick resolution is in the interest of everyone involved. Commercial parties usually insert in marine insurance contracts the choice of court and applicable law clauses that determine a timely resolution of disputes. The choice of dispute resolution method is therefore critical. In this paper, we discuss modern, quick, and effective resolutions to ensure that the disputes arising from a marine insurance contract are resolved at the lowest cost. We also analyze several cases.

This article addresses the optimal choice of transport mode for a specific transport task. Knowing each branch’s limitations, strengths, and weaknesses facilitates decision-making when identifying them for use in a given situation. This is of particular importance when transporting oversized loads and heavy pieces. Therefore, this article aims to propose a new model of the game with nature based on SWOT analyses for transport systems selection for oversized and heavy loads. Firstly, for this solution, it is necessary to define measures for each of the four elements of a SWOT analysis (i.e., strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). Secondly, these four elements are the states of nature in a defined game with nature. Here, the transport mode builds the scenarios that are possible to select. The SWOT analysis determines the strategic position, market attractiveness (MA), and market position (MP) of transport modes. Next, applying very well-known decision-making criteria in the theory of games with nature makes it possible to create appropriate decision-making models for transport mode selection. The application of the method is shown in the example of selecting the most competitive modes of transport for oversized loads.

Composite materials based on aluminum alloys are widely used in the automotive, aviation, and shipbuilding industries. The presence of the ceramic reinforcing phase significantly changes the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys. By appropriate selection of the components that make up the composite materials, it is possible to create mechanical properties that are not possible with unreinforced alloys. Structural elements made of these types of materials often require joining in welding processes. This article presents a general description of methods of joining composites based on aluminum alloys reinforced with ceramic particles, which have been divided into three groups: fusion welding method, solid state welding, and different methods. The individual methods highlighted how the presence of a reinforcing phase affects the welding process. Difficulties mainly arise from the disintegration of the ceramic phase by the concentrated heat source during welding processes, the formation of harmful surface products, and the lack of wettability of the ceramic particles through the metal matrix. The joints obtained vary in terms of structure, ceramic particle distribution, and mechanical properties with respect to the values characterizing the native material. From an analysis of the individual methods, it appears that solid-phase methods have the smallest effect on the degradation of ceramic particles, but have limitations in terms of the shape and size of the materials to be joined. In fusion welding methods, the degradation of the reinforcement phase by the concentrate heat source is greatest. To a certain extent, this can be compensated for by the choice of an additive material, which consists of elements that improve the wettability of the reinforcement phase through the metal matrix and form strengthening separations.

Rapeseed meal (RSM), mainly used as a protein-rich component of animal feed, is susceptible to quality degradation under the influence of high relative humidity and ambient air temperature. The aim of this study was to present empirical data and water vapour sorption isotherms for rapeseed meal at various ambient air conditions. The equilibrium moisture contents (EMCs) of RSM at two temperature levels (25 °C/40 °C), a wide range of water activities (0.3‒0.9) and two sorption pathways (adsorption /desorption) were determined, using a static gravimetric method. Mathematical equations were applied to analyse the experimental data, of which the modified GAB and modified Halsey were found to be the best fitting models, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.983 to 0.998. It was observed that the EMC of RSM decreased with increasing temperature, but this effect was not statistically significant at water activities above 0.6. The hysteresis was statistically significant in the region of water activities from 0.3 to 0.6, but the greatest differences between moisture bound by attachment and evaporation mechanisms were revealed at the lower values of this range. The area of the hysteresis loop was smaller for the isotherms plotted at higher temperature. It was concluded that a moisture content up to 10.5% would be appropriate for short-term handling of RSM during trading, whereas for long-term storage at temperatures of 20 °C or below, a moisture content between 5.5% and 8.5% wet basis should be maintained. The results presented in this study may be applicable to the design of technological and storage parameters, necessary to ensure the microbiological and chemical stability of RSM during handling in international trade.