Finnish-Swedish

Winter Navigation Research Board

Call for projects

  1. Invitation

Finnish-Swedish cooperation within the Winter Navigation Research Board started in 1972 and is based on annual funding from the maritime administrations of the two countries. The Research Board administers a research programme,which is based on a bilateral agreement between the Finnish Maritime Administration and the Swedish Maritime Administration.

The present parties to the agreement – the Finnish Transport Safety Agency, the Finnish Transport Agency and the Swedish Maritime Administrationin association with the Swedish Transport Agency – hereby invite research institutions and companies to apply for financing of winter navigation research projects for the year 2017.

  1. Purpose of the call

The maritime administrations in Finland and Sweden cooperate in research and development in order to promote winter navigation in the Baltic Sea and adjacent sea areas. Research and development should focus on the meteorological, oceanographic, technical, and nautical conditionsof navigation in ice. The Research Board announces a call on a yearly basis focusing either on parts of the aforementioned subjects, or all of them.

  1. Background and motivation

The research programme is based on the fact that Finland and Sweden have long-term cooperation in winter navigation, and a common vision for icebreaking. As a result, the icebreaking fleets nowadays almost work as a single unit. Another important outcome of the cooperation is the introduction and further development of joint Finnish-Swedish ice class rules for merchant ships.

Continuous emphasis on research and development is necessary if Finland and Sweden wishto have an impact on the actual development in the field.

Projects financed in the winter navigation research programme are relatively small. This gives the administrations an opportunity to monitor the projects in more detail. The programme is unique and it alsoinfluences international classification societies in their development of ice class rules for merchant ships.

  1. Topics of the call

This call focuses on the following four areas:

  • Meteorological research
  • research related to marine meteorology in winter conditions
  • research related to ice formation
  • climatologic research related to the aforementioned topics
  • development of forecasting and modelling
  • development of new tools for presentation of satellite images
  • Oceanographic research
  • research related to ice conditions at sea or sea water temperature
  • sea currents, sea water level and sea waves in winter
  • climatologic research related to the aforementioned topics
  • development of forecasting and modelling
  • development of new tools for presentation of satellite images
  • Technical research
  • structural design of hulls of ice-going ships
  • structural design of propulsion machinery of ice-going ships
  • development of minimum engine power regulations for merchant ships
  • winterization of merchant ships
  • Nautical conditions
  • research on the effectiveness of icebreaker assistance
  • research on winter traffic flows in the Baltic Sea area.

4.1Special research topic for 2017

  • New regulations for energy efficiency of ships were adopted by IMO in 2011. The Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) was made mandatory for new ships with the adoption of amendments to MARPOL Annex VI (resolutions MEPC.203(62)), by Parties to MARPOL Annex VI, which was later amended by resolution MEPC.245(66). The EEDI regulations require a minimum energy efficiency level per capacity mile (e.g. tonne mile) for different ship type and size segments. From 1 January 2013, energy efficiency of new ships have been regulated so that the requirements for the attained EEDI is tightened in three phases: phase 1 on or after 1 January 2015, phase 2 on or after 2020 and phase 3 on 1 January 2025 and onwards.
  • In the 2014 Guidelines on the method of calculation of the attained Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships (resolution MEPC.245(66)) correction factors for power fj for ice-classed ships have been defined, see table 1 in the annex to the resolution. The purpose of these correction factors is to allow more engine power to be installed in ships having an ice class so that the minimum engine power requirements of the Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Rules (FSICR) would still to be met.
  • The Maritime Administrations in Finland and Sweden invite research organizations to apply for financing of projects, which would focus to find out if the current correction factors for power are still sufficient, when the EEDI regulations will be tightened in phases 2 and 3. It should also be investigated, if power correction factors would be needed also for other ship types than those mentioned in the 2014 Guidelines. The study should focus on investigating the existing technical possibilities to improve ice-going performance of new ships having an ice class so that both the minimum engine power requirements of the FSICR and the EEDI regulations would be met.
  • If required, a proposal for improved correction factors for power should be provided in the study.
  1. Requirements for the project

Your planned project shall be in line with at least one of the research areas mentioned above. The project shall start in2016 or in early 2017, and last for 6 to 24 months. A final report shall be presented in English. If the project continues for more than 12 months, intermediate reporting is required.

  1. Evaluation process and criteria

The proposals will be evaluated by the members of the Winter Navigation Research Board, and the Board will make the formal decision about financing.

The following criteria, weighted as indicated, will determine the decision of financing:

  • Relevance: how well the project corresponds to the aim of the call (35%)
  • Quality: the ability to contribute to the technical and scientific development (15%)
  • Viability: the possibility of accomplishing the project (15%)
  • Impact: how the results can be used (35%)
  1. Budget

The budget for the research projects will be settled on a yearly basis. The annual budget was€200000 in 2016.If approved projects last for more than one year, this will result in a partially limited budget for the coming year. Co-financing both from research institutions, industry and other funding organisations is always welcomed.

  1. Time schedule

Call text available:27 June 2016

Deadline for applications:15 September 2016

Announcement of the financing decision:15 October 2016

Earliest project start:15 November 2016

  1. How to apply

Proposals should be sent by email to the contact persons of the secretariat given below.

The application form for research projects should be used.

The deadline for applications is 15 September 2016. The Winter Navigation Research Board will not consider applications received after the deadline.

  1. Content of the application

General information shall contain the items mentioned below. A maximum of one page can be used.

  • Project title
  • Acronym
  • Project summary – maximum 100 words
  • Start and end dates
  • Funding
  • Project manager
  • Project organisation

The following parts shall be described in the project outline. A maximum of 5 pages can be used.

  • Relevance: Description of needs the project aims at.
  • Quality: A short description of the research aims within this area, and the relation of the project to “state of the art” of the technology.
  • Viability: Strategy and methodology
  • Impact: A plan for how the result will be used and the impact
  • Dissemination: How to present the results
  • Brief project plan
  • Budget and resources
  • Relation to other projects: How the project relates to other projects
  1. Contact persons

Further information on the call can be obtained from:

Jorma Kämäräinen, Finnish Transport Safety Agency

Phone: +358 (0) 40 5155 407

Email:

Göran Rudbäck, Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA)

Phone: +46-(0)708 19 12 28

Email: