B6579 - MARITIME TRANSPORT AND PORT INFRASTRUCTURES

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will acquire the basic knowledge of maritime transport and of the dedicated coastal infrastructures, knowing also their main requirements and consequences. The student will have dealt with some examples of technical evaluations useful for approaching the main factors in dimensioning of carriers and infrastructures and will then be able to interact with port operators and identify the effects of the port's presence for the integrated coastal management.

Course contents

Knowledge of the port and its operation

The port and shipping are an important resource of society and also a complex system in which a lot of facilities and people operate. The module aims to illustrate this reality.

• Functions
• History and its evolution
• Localization
• The roles within the port
• Governance
• International agreements
• The basic infrastructures
• Services and aid to navigation
  

Maritime transport

Maritime transport fits into the overall transport chain with its own specific characteristics. The module aims to illustrate the main benefits and critical issues.

• Product categories and other uses of maritime navigation
• The logistics chain
• Economic and social factors
• Gigantism of ships

The ships

The way in which ships are built relates either to the targets that must be satisfied or to the characteristics of the ports or to  technological evolution. The module aims to illustrate these links and the related impacts.

• History and their evolution
• Current typologies
• Typical sizes
• Impacts on environment and port structures

Port infrastructure

The main types of port infrastructure and the design criteria that are normally used will be explained.

• Protection structures
• Berthing facilities
• Dredging
• Special structures

The infrastructure building process 

The technical and administrative paths that lead to the building of a port infrastructure and the management techniques that are used will be explained.

• The development phases
• Managing of complex projects

The course will be completed with a classroom exercise regarding the design of a port dredging and its planning

Readings/Bibliography

Course slides containing some links.

Teaching methods

Class lectures supported by powerpoint slides.

Assessment methods

Oral exam oriented to verify the knowledge of the different topics presented during the course.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint slides used during lectures and other documents extracted from real projects and port management.

Office hours

See the website of Matteo Graziani