As the year 2022 has come, people expect much and are looking to achieve new goals and face challenges. We are happy to offer to you another issue of the Scientific Journals of the Maritime University of Szczecin. In this issue, we present views, opinions and research findings from different areas of research. Articles have been grouped into the following thematic sections: Civil Engineering and Transport, Material and Mechanical Engineering, Economics, Management and Quality Science and Information and Communication Technology. In Civil Engineering and Transport, there are two articles. The authors of the first study believe that the shoreline is an important geographical zone, and a better understanding of it could have key importance for shore management and creating maps. An analysis of methods for delineating the shoreline was made, where the focus of attention was accuracy. The second paper describes the mathematical formulas for the boundary element method (BEM) governing the dynamics of mooring with buoy equipment. The paper dealt with the semi-submersible FOWT OC4-DeepCwind platform. It was found that by properly selecting the volume and the position of a buoy on the rope the rope’s stress can be reduced by up to 45%. Material and Mechanical Engineering consists of two articles. In the first study, a functional diagram for an automatic sliding mode control system for a three-phase bridge buck current converter was developed. To achieve this, a simulation program was created in MATLAB/Simulink which analysed the dynamic performance of the developed automatic control system, operating in the active rectifier and network current inverter modes. The second article analyses the impact of gas turbine contamination on a drop in airflow, pressure ratio and compressor efficiency. The analysis was based on the assumption that the turbine contamination results in a decreased rated power of the gas turbine and an increased fuel consumption. The case of a shipborne MT30 gas turbine with a nominal power of 36 MW is used in the study. In Economics, Management and Quality Science, we present three articles. Authors of the first study have set out to determine the main conditions for cost-effective production of motor boats in Poland taking into account the implementation of an R&D project. A descriptive analysis was carried out to describe the market conditions for the operation of manufacturers of motor boats, including electric boats. The results obtained allowed defining changes in the business model based on the R&D project. The subject of consideration in the second paper of this section is the concept of a green port. The authors have analysed various initiatives and strategies for ports that are already called “green”. Recommendations based on the analysis are profiled specifically for the Port of Gdynia. The authors of the third study focused on the relationship marketing aspects of container transport. They believe that the strategic competitive advantage in this area of transport is no longer entirely dependent on the basic characteristics of the service provided, and that customer relationships are becoming more important. Authors conclude that container shipping lines must develop effective customer-oriented relationship marketing strategies. Guided by this view, the authors examined selected relationship marketing strategies that are practised in the container shipping industry. Information and Communication Technology presents a study, in which the authors explore the use of ontology for semi-automatic marine vessel navigation and ship-to-ship communication to mitigate collision risk. Examples of how such communication can be used are discussed, based on a comprehensive analysis of selected marine collisions, with particular attention to the communication conducted on ships. The effectiveness of such communication was assessed and compared. I am hoping that the studies presented will meet with wide interest implying discussions and research not only in the discussed research areas, but also going beyond them, giving a stimulus to interdisciplinary and heuristic analyses.

The shoreline is an important geographical zone, and knowledge of its accurate location can be crucial for coastal management and mapping. The ever-increasing number of aerial and satellite sensors is leading to research related to the development of new methods for the automatic extraction of the shoreline. Currently, there is a lot of research in this area with different research methodologies. In this paper, an analysis of shoreline extraction methods was carried out. Based on the analysis undertaken, current research processes in this field can be verified. This enabled the further evaluation of the research methodologies studied, including the identification of basic assessment elements for shoreline extraction accuracy. Practical aspects of this work include the ability to establish the correct methods to assess the accuracy of extracted shorelines for both research and production processes related to data extracted from remotely sensed images.

In this paper, to improve the mechanical behavior of DeepCwind semi-submersible floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) platform mooring lines, the nonlinear catenary cables of the platform were divided into multi-segment and intermediate buoys. Mathematical formulations of the boundary element method (BEM) governing the dynamics of mooring line systems with buoy devices were described. This study was applied to the OC4-DeepCwind semi-submersible FOWT platform, which is designed for a 200-meter water depth with mooring lines consisting of three catenary steel chain cables at 120° angles to each other. The dynamic response of the multi-segment catenary mooring lines with different buoy radiuses and different positions along the cables was investigated. The full-scale platform was modeled in ANSYS-AQWA software, and the simulations were performed under harsh offshore conditions. The mooring line’s general arrangement, tension, strain and uplift force for different buoy radiuses and their position along the cable are presented and discussed. Moreover, platform motions in three directions (surge, heave, and pitch) were also analyzed. It was concluded that by correctly selecting the buoy volume and position along the cable, the tension of the cable may be reduced by up to 45%. By incorrectly selecting the buoy, the results caused adverse effects.

In this study, a functional diagram for an automatic sliding mode control system for a three-phase bridge buck current converter was developed. To achieve this, a simulation program was created in MATLAB/Simulink which analyzed the dynamic performance of the developed automatic control system, operating in the active rectifier and network current inverter modes. The results present the mathematical modeling outputs, along with the analyzed control algorithm and the automatic control system of the buck current converter evaluated.

Deterioration in the performance of gas turbines is a well-known phenomenon occurring during their operation. The most important form is a decrease in the internal efficiency of the compressor and turbine due to fouling, which is the most significant deterioration problem for an operator. This article presents the effect of gas turbine fouling as a drop in airflow, pressure ratio, and compressor efficiency resulting in a reduction in power output and thermal efficiency. This resulted in a decrease in the nominal power of a gas turbine and an increase in the fuel consumption (heat rate). The fouling effects were described using the example of the MT30 marine gas turbine with a nominal power of 36 MW. The estimated profit loss during the operation of the gas turbine was within the range of 1–10% of the total fuel consumption cost. A 2% deterioration in the output of a gas turbine accounted for US$ 10,000–20,000 per year and 1 MW of gas turbine nominal power (according to marine fuel prices in 2019–2020) – this means at least US$ 300,000 annually for an MT30. Due to the low accuracy of fuel consumption measurements, another possibility was provided. The correlation between the gas turbine power deterioration and thermal efficiency was presented, which made it possible to estimate the increase in the specific and total fuel consumption when the nominal power deterioration is known. Two linear approximations were proposed to calculate increases in the annual operating costs for an MT30 due to fouling.

The purpose of this article is to determine the main conditions for the profitable production of motorboats in Poland by taking into account the implementation of an R&D project. Theoretical considerations were made for the analysis of the main considerations based on the VT Sport case study. A descriptive analysis was carried out, indicating the market conditions for the functioning of enterprises producing motorboats, including electric boats. The effects of the implementation of the R&D project for the production of electric motorboats were indicated. Results were obtained for defining changes in the business model through the use of the R&D project, and a critical discourse on the effectiveness of electric propulsion of motorboats was carried out.

The aim of this article is to present the results of research on solutions that can be implemented by the Gdynia Sea Port to allow it to obtain the title of a Green Port. The conducted research concerned a broad area, i.e., the identification of initiatives taken by seaports distinguished as Green Ports and other possible solutions consistent with the ideas of sustainable development. The article focuses on solutions for the Gdynia Sea Port, which, despite the implementation of many pro-ecological initiatives, does not have the official title of a Green Port. Seaports serve many modes of transport, but they are currently dominated by road transport. The activities of seaports located in urban agglomerations significantly contribute to the emission of air pollutants, noise, congestion, and other factors, which directly affect the health and quality of life of its inhabitants. The research process involved a critical literature analysis, the method of deduction, and a structured interview with representatives of the seaport in Gdynia. Based on the conducted research, areas important for obtaining the title of Green Port were identified, including increased investments in renewable and alternative energy sources, as well as a focus on the implementation of intelligent solutions.

Recently, technological advancements, globalization, ongoing mergers and acquisitions, and intense competition have dominated the container shipping industry. This situation has led to the formation of major container shipping lines with similar technologies, offering the same service. In such an environment, a strategic competitive advantage is no longer entirely dependent on the basic features of the service provided and customer relationships, which is more difficult to replicate, has gained importance. Container shipping lines must develop customer-centric relationship marketing strategies that cover the whole organization and marketing activities to survive, and maintain their profitability, in the current competitive environment of the industry. However, these strategies and their implementation are not precisely defined in the container shipping industry. Therefore, this study explores the relationship marketing strategies that are practiced in the container shipping industry. Data is collected via 22 semi-structured interviews with container shipping partners (i.e. container shipping lines and freight forwarders). Loyalty programs and relationship pricing are the most often mentioned relationship marketing strategies that foster customer loyalty in these interviews.

This article explores the use of ontology for semi-automatic marine vessel navigation and ship-to-ship communication to mitigate collision risk. Semi-automatic vessel communication is a step towards automatic communication for autonomous ships. Examples of how such communication can be used is discussed, based on a comprehensive analysis of selected marine collisions, with particular attention to the communication conducted on ships. The effectiveness of such communication was assessed and compared. The suggested solutions are based on the review of official reports from accident investigations. The novelties of this work include original ontologies and interfaces. Through this work, it could be possible to fully automate communication processes between ships. In future work, the research results in this work will be used to create a system of automatic communications for manned and autonomous vessels.