We have developed the helicopter-based fluorescence imaging LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) for the monitoring of oil spills. This is an active, remote sensing system which shoots a UV pulsed laser beam to an oil spill on the sea's surface, the fluorescence image is then observed. Compared to other techniques, this monitoring method has the merit of a high reliability of oil spill identification. And also high observability, even in nighttime, or rainfall and in high-wave conditions.
In the helicopter flight experiments, the detection and identification of sea water and light fuel oil has been successful. In addition, the area of light fuel oil film was estimated by the fluorescence 2-D image observations.
In this technical report, we describe the details of this system and the results of the performance evaluation so far and by experimentation using helicopters.

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The OSD (Oil Spill Detection) system's main objective is to detect oil spills on the sea surface, and to track the oil spill over time. The system provides help both for those supervising oil fields, and those in charge of clean-up operations. The OSD system has been thoroughly tested during several field trials in the North Sea. During these trials the spill size, sea state and wind conditions varied throughout, thus enabling realistic real time testing. The OSD system may operate in complete darkness or fog, and for 24 hours per day. This greatly enabling recovery and skimming operations when visibility is poor.
The Miros AS Company has developed the OSD system in close co-operation with the Norwegian Clean Seas Association for operating companies, thus complying with the NOFO practical and operational requirements. To identify an oil spill, the OSD system uses advanced image-processing algorithms on radar images and extracted by the Miros Wavex System. The OSD system is based on the fact that areas covered with oil will reflect less microwave power. This is due to the damping of capillary waves on the sea surface.

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The Ports and Harbors Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has a number of work vessels which can be dispatched to sea to skim oil when spilled from a wrecked ship. The Port and Airport Research Institute provides technical support to them, in the case of oil skimming systems. However, we need more oil spill vessels to cover rapidly in emergency, the great length of the Japanese coastline. Therefore, we are researching the development of an oil skimming system for port construction work vessels; these are widely distributed at ports and harbors throughout Japan. This would enable us in an emergency to use work vessels instead of special oil skimming vessels. This article introduces the technical support of our new proposal.

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Since Year 2000, the authors have been developing a remote radar network to observe the vessel traffic in Tokyo Bay. The first operational remote radar station was setup by the National Defense Academy, Yokosuka. The second remote radar station - and an AIS receiving station - were installed at Higashi Ogishima, Kawasaki. Both radars can be controlled remotely; this from our monitoring station at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology. Long term observation of vessel traffic can be envisaged. Along with some observed data, the outline of the system is explained in this paper.

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In the field of LNG carrier, proven reliability has been regarded as the most important thing and safe operation has been kept as long as 40 years in the past. However, LNG trading is so remarkably expanding in the world that the increase of transport capacity of LNG is becoming an urgent job. As a result, (1) a marked increase in number of LNGC new-buildings, (2) newbuildings of Ultra-large LNGCs and (3) a wide variety of propulsion plants is rapidly starting just now. This paper describes these things, detailing economic evaluation of dual fuel diesel LNG carriers.

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Kobe used to be a shipping center in Japan. However, import and export cargos have been shifted to other places, not only in Japan but also in other East Asian countries, after the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in 1995. As a new vision for the maritime industry in Kobe, the cruising business will contribute to revive the total business of the Kobe region. Nevertheless, the total infrastructures for cruise business in Kobe are not matured enough. Therefore, we propose a change of strategy of the administrative leadership in order to combine the sectors such as tourism, air/ load transportation, amusement and hotel etc. in the Kobe region.

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The light weight engine leads to low rigidity of cylinder head, and thus the deformation of cylinder head becomes high. This affects the cylinder head gasket sealing and interferes with the operation of engine. In the present study, the relationship between cylinder head deformation and gasket sealing is clarified and the treatment is proposed.

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System operation and maintenance always depends on system components' characteristic. Further, components which build a system yield unique system behaviors beside the components operation and maintenance condition. The research objective is to identify and understand behavior of component and as well behavior of system under various operation and maintenance policies. It is directed to give policy options to the management as decision maker and further, inform likely impacts of those options. This work presents a user friendly and easy system to simulate the effect of various operation and maintenance plans to the system reliability, operation cost, and maintenance cost For each plan of operation and maintenance, this simulation models failure rate, time to maintain, decision whether to maintain or not, degree of how good maintenance done, effect of component after maintenance to the system, maintenance cost, and operation cost A case study of main engine cooling system is presented using previous works data [1] . The simulation shows prognostic results for a given scenario of system configuration, operation, and maintenance plan.

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Troubles with a marine Diesel engine can occur unexpectedly, and regardless of the quality of maintenance. It can take much time to find the cause when a marine Diesel engine stops without any clear mechanical reason.
It has been reported that huge amounts of sludge containing mycelia were found trapped on a marine Diesel oil strainer element; this causing the engine to stop because of the reduction of fuel supplying the engine. In this study we examine the contamination and the distribution of fungi - and their mycelia - in fuel oils loaded aboard and stored on an ocean going training ship. Fungi in the marine Diesel oil were discovered localized in the hull fuel tanks and in the settling tank of the engine room; the fungi had made mycelia.
These results indicate the importance of the management of marine Diesel oil stored in a ship's tanks in order to avoid unexpected troubles with a main engine and/or generator engines. We also examined the lubricating oil temperature at the main engine outlet, which increased 50-55°C.
Fungi could not be detected from the sample taken from the tank-pipe lubricating system, except in the settling tank. Since the lubricating oil in the settling tank was stored for more than ten years without use, the pH value had been reduced to about 6.0, indicating the importance of keeping the lubricating oils alkaline. Also, exposure to high temperature can prevent fungous growth.

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