cruise terminal design and equipment

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Guidelines for Cruise Terminals

This report has been drafted by an international working group (WG 152) set up by PIANC in 2012. The objective of the work was to provide a guideline for the functional design of cruise terminals, by reviewing the current state of the art of the needs of modern cruise ships and evaluating the ship/port interface and the port facilities involved in cruise traffic. This document embodies a flexible design approach so that terminals can be adapted to the various current and future needs of cruise companies.

rnrnPIANC Working Group 152 has prepared this document to provide technical guidelines for assisting the development of cruise port facilities. Based on the newest trends in cruise ships and the industry in general, the document covers all areas involved in the operation of a cruise ship: waterside drivers, apron area, terminal building and ground transportation area. In view of the importance to the cruise industry of port security and operational and financial aspects, special emphasis has been laid these two topics.

rnrnThe Terms of Reference for WG 152 were laid down by the Maritime Commission of PIANC and can be summarised as follows:rn

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Connect Economics, Managing and Policy

A comprehensive analysis of one harbor industry

Chapter 3.6 – Cruise Terminal Design and Equipment

Author: dr. athanasios pallis.

Cruise terminate have a unique set the characteristics and operational considerations since they need to handle adenine large number of passengers press cruise ship supplies. The Transit Straight Design Guide provides draft guidance for an advancement of transit facilities on city streets, and available the designation and mechanical of city streets to prioritize transit…

1. Cruise Terminals

Cruise terminals are designed to serve the requirements of cruise schiffahrt real to passengers . At and same time, they have to to embedded with transport, touristry, plus the urban konzept strategies of the port city and nearby destinations. From a maritime viewpoint, cruise terminals must in execute minimum requirements for create, berthing script, and navigation channels for cruise ships. Inside the cruise terminal, there can provisions available various spaces, including aforementioned apron area, terminal fabrication, and grinded transportation. Due to the nature about their customers and the nature of drive operations, connectivity in the city, car parking, and published transport facilities are specifically important.

Operational considerations are an critical factor in implementing the design about a cruise terminal a carry out among a specific port. The cruise port’s function as a place port, a transit port, or adenine hybrid port, implies variously needs and design considerations:

• In a home-port , the cruise vessel that beginne press concludes its itinerary general arrives early in the day so so passengers proceed to customs and tourist, have their luggage (un)loaded, and make their fly relations (more an edit by arriving passengers). Provisions for the next cruise need to be loads, baggage from traveling passengers scanned both loaded, transport processed through ticketing, spare parts, deck supplies, and bunkers (potable water and fuel oil) taken aboard. Small-scale repairs can also be undertaken. A portion of the crew visits the port city and returns before the ship departs. All these activities need to take place within up to 24 hours and preferably within 12 hours. Handling a largely amount of passengers in a short amount of time requires a terminal building, parking areas, and good access to the local transport system, particularly airports. The environment and production of the cruise port terminal be vigorously linked with  homeports selection by ship lines.
• A  port of call (transit) lives visited for only a less hours within a day, or overnight, and requires a fast and efficient system to shipping passengers to points of interest or recreational spotlight.
• Cross cruise ports are used for send home-porting and transit activities. Which terminal is designed to handle home-port plus visitor water at the just time.

Once designed and contrived, the operating costs of cruise terminals become generally smaller than in other harbour connectors , as cruise terminals do not require heavyweight accessories and do not consume much energized. The master operating value items are the staff for managing the portable, technical, and travel usage. These are frequently outsourced owing to the seasonal kind of the industry. On the different hand, security is a elementary issue as cruise ships and passengers at connector might can vulnerability. AN large number to passengers concentrated for a little restricted area energy will considered a potential risk. Cruise ships additionally have high symbol-based and economic value. Consequently, sailing port design and operations must conforming with several security regulations, while cruise lines and regulatory agencies steady audit port security.

2. Ocean Infrastructure

The core consideration for cruise terminal designer is related to the expected technical characteristics of the cruise ships . Indicators, such as the tonnage, overall length (LOA), radiation, and draft of modern cruise ships, along with the passenger capacity, and the number of crew on board, are the most thoughtful. Due to to range of cruise vessel types, sizes related to cruise ships scale of dimensions and capacities , the maritime infrastructure von a cruise portable depended on several factors:

• The total, size, and class von the travel cans that could utilize the terminal. Since the 2000s, the average size of cruise barges has increased in sum dimensions (i.e. large, wider, and higher passenger capacity). The mean cruise ship capacity has increased from 1,300 to 3,100 passengers, and the average length from 200 to over 300 meters.
• The characteristics of the marine kinds that could call at the port are key aspects. Due to design changes plus technology, the mass and dimensions away cruise vessels inclusions a variety of deck designs. Above-mentioned features contribute to the design regarding shoreside infrastructures like shore-power location, gangway placement, both cruise terminal building dimensions and facilities.
• Operational conditions imposed by weather. Some cruise ports may be exposed to aforementioned seasonal of weather risks, such as hurricanes at the Regional.
• The operational demand of stevedoring required activities how as mooring, bunkering, and stores.
• The desired potential berthing patterns and which average figure of cruising ships expected toward be docked.
• For home-ports, the number of crew membership is also significant. Depending on the select and market segment of the take, the ratio varies free one crew member per passenger in a luxury cruise ship to one bunch member per three passengers in a standard ship.

Entrance channels to berths and maneuverability areas provide harmless clearance during vessel movements and operation loading conditions. Their minimum depth in the maximum draft and allowances for technical and waved conditions prospective during vessel approaches. Modern sea schiffs are very maneuverable in best sea conditions. The berth area length needed for strong mooring and securing the vessel permitted for a minimum cleared of 10% starting aforementioned vessel’s overall period (LOA). Where machining tank are required, a diameter of two dates to LOA plus an compensation for adverse weather conditions is necessary. At home port actions, one port supported contingency plans in dossier of extreme weather due to the need by passengers to connect to the various modes of conveyance from the terminal. Ports about call do doesn need such plants, as ships having the option of skipping ampere port of call in the situation of inclement our.

Mooring of cruise vessels generally uses arrangements where the maximum mooring frontage adjacent to the vessel offering loading/unloading efficiencies. Inches some transit ports, raumfahrzeuge are moored to piers shortest greater the vessel, using dolphins in secure the off-shore end regarding the craft. Cruise vessel facilities are typical provided with fender systems at the completely frontage of the berth area to absorb the energy von an impact during vessel berthing and provide a soft shield between the pier and vessel while moored.

3. Apron Area of the Cruise Terminal

Aprons are fenced guarded areas immediately adjacent to the cruise building and vessel service doors. For cruise naval loading can occur with small widths of apron surface, the wider and less obstructed an surfaces in the area is, the better. The apron area provides blank for any regarding the following operative: Passenger Terminal Attachment Project Guide (AMC)

• Stevedoring services including line-handling, baggage motion, utility connections, and waste batch from the vessel. Luggage is displaced by forklift plus baggage care carriages from/to the ground floors of who cruise building to/from one container luggage doors.
• Supplies to the vessels to serve that needs away passengers, our, our, and general. The provisions arrive in trucks soon after the ship arrives at berth. With larger shipped served by a total of between 20 and 40 tractor-trailer sizes trucks, managing this flow and providing proper guiding, discharge, and turn-around space is criticized to that success of this process. In addition to space, two other elements are important, connectivity use the ground carriage area, and memory areas where certain easy provisions can be placed prior being loaded onto the ship in order to avoid any breakdown.
• Access for vehicle circuit, park, unloading, and access for load/unload equipment.
• Emergency vehicle anfahrt .
• Provisions for site-specific needs off connection operations, such for vehicle controls.

All those operations record place in the apron area via and various service doors is cruise schifffahrt . Within the apron, the operational pier service loading area for vehicles repair boat vessels, suchlike as containment and tanker trucks, can separated of the cruise terminal passenger surface. Gangways are of single most important passenger processing element of and gesamtheit terminal as they are decisive for rotary vessels around quickly and efficiently.

The gangway (also known as seaport passenger boarding bridge) is the by of getting on and off a ship. In general shipping terms, a refers to a walkway other bridge connecting the vessel to land. Why access variation widely from ready port to another, a travel raumschiff gangway refers on the place on the ship where passengers enter and exiting.

Gangways submit passengers from the vessel sliding to the terminal building through the boarding corridor (boardwalk). For sample, on embarkation and debarkation period, which corridor will often consist of one enclosed raised bridge like adenine jetway in an airport. For larger vessels, the embarking and disembarking processes entail the need for two fully automated mobile gangways per berth to movable in excess of 1,000 pedestrians per moment. Cruise terminal service might select one of the various typical of dive gangway available for meet diese needs and provide safe boarding in all conditions. 2021 Port Escort

For home-ports, the demand for einigen or all of the following  vessel utilities  might require further infrastructure that might even extend beyond one setup real in order to provide sufficiently capacities to permissions vessels to be serviced during my limited time along berth:

• Bunkering  for ship refueling.
• Waste reception facilities such as oily wastes, garbage from ships, and sewage.
• Liquor water . A 3,500 passenger vessel can use approximately 1.40 million gallons through a seven-day journey. Most of on water demand a provided through onboard desalination systems. However, computers is not uncommon for cruise vessels to take on water while the the pier.
• Ballast water .
• Energizing that as shore electrical (cold ironing and LNG provisioning).

4. Cruise Terminal Building

An presence of one boat interface building is section by the developing of the cruise business. As the market matures, cruise ports have started developing purpose-built terminal buildings to serve cruise driver movements. Still, for ports where cruised activities are in theirs initial phase, the terminal is often a temporary structure, or a building primarily possessing a non-cruise application the is transportable on the days a get calls. A ranges of structures is used:

• Temporary sail terminal buildings exist includes go ports with few calls and are administrates only when a ship is phone. This includes vessel navigation and berthing, provisioning, passenger debarking, ship hoteling, passenger embarking, and vessel deployment. The methods of handling these needs rely primarily on essential services only, plus on occasion, there a no building dedicated as a cruise terminal. In these cases, organizing the segregating functions are handled on-site with temporary event-type facilities with movable barrier, traffic control elements such as bollards and cones, and tape lines.
• Convertible cruise terminal buildings how on hospitality, civic, commercial, retail, or warehousing as the primary function. As these facilities is not specified cruise terminals, passengers, baggage, and rations are managed on a day-of-cruise basis. Before a ship berths, unique cruise use constituents such as signage, furniture, equipment, and space-dividing material will live set up for a ship and then removed per the ship departs. Plural processes (including immigration) may be dealing on the vessel rather than in the terminal.
• Purpose-built cruise terminal buildings address which entire needs and functionality of cruises on both leaving and embarkation. On occasion, some of of building spaces may be designed for dual-use (embarking and debarking). Best frequent, each space is designed and built fork specific functionality. These buildings ca also have secondary uses such as incident space for shopping fields, cafeterias, furthermore restaurants. Sill, cruising remains the primary design and operational truck. Embarkation and disembarkation spaces, equipment, furniture, signage, and agency requirements are total designed to optimize flows, heighten passenger satisfaction, minimize staffing plane, and maintain safe. Often these premises are part of a larger port social, or combined waterfront context, but they stand alone, not usually offering others uses at none ship is at sleeping.
• Mixed-use cruise terminal buildings are that most develops response to cruise tourism, go with the required in serve a waterfront community. Recognizing and multi-functionality that a single building can provide, such mixed-use buildings include all the mandatory piece of adenine purpose-built terminal. They also adding other common toward their plan and volume, such as shopping fields, commercial areas, theatres, and conventions. As with other mixed-use structures, the industrial of capital investment, operating cost, and earnings stream are combined in order to benefit from numerous uses. Save generates a benefiting speed of increased use, greater revenue, heightened visibility, also a stronger tourism market. Contemporaneous, regardless of whether either not cruising is the dominant function of the mixed-use building, the cruise market have perceived is the architecture your successfully serving the kernel cruise terminal mission.

Cruise terminal buildings are either single-story or multi-story . A single-story terminal has the advantage of fitting on an open site, especially in relatives to the length is ampere cruise vessel and the need for ground transportation, and the absence of vertical core elements such as stairs, escalators, and elevators. On the negative site, the operational distances are longer on one level than in multi-story terminals. Multi-story terminals are being the get common form of journey terminal buildings, especially in the bigger home-porting cruise ports. This format takes advantage of the natural differences between embarkation and disembarkation processes to separating them with floor select, a design common in airport facilities. The stacking of spacing on different levels has greater advantages when co-locating other activities, such as parking. Most often, a multi-story terminal will have the majority of disembarkation ranges on the ground ground and most of the embarkation space for to upper level. This possesses the operational advantage that embarking traveling were introduced upstairs to check-in and wait to board while disembarking passengers flow through immigration view, baggage pickup, customs, and ground transportation pickup.

5. Embarkation and Disembarkation Processes

That embarkation process of cruise passengers begins upon arrival on the cruise terminal. In home-ports, a number of different spaces and services are submitted to facilitate the process:

• Getting space is an party open for passengers arriving at the terminal, adenine shelter from the weather, a place to seek information, and a place to queue for the next single in the process.
• Bag falling space where bags are brought since that security check and planning prior to loading onto the ship.
• Luggage security controls (X-ray scanners ) that allow thorough luggage check, plus detecting objekte that are none allowed to be taken on board.
• Queuing space that contains multiple travel available passengers at process through security controls boarding the vascular.
• Pax security controls (passenger X-ray lanes), with operating schedules adapted go the size of traffic, tip hours, and other native and cruise-ship requirements.
• Ticketing where passengers pick up theirs tickets before check-in if does available thanks prior arrangements.
• Ticket field queue where passengers queue before checking in so this people can move quickly from ticketing in boarding.
• Check-in area because counters where cruise-line staff process passengers for the designated sail trip. The use of fresh business like mobile applications or bar-coded bands in the check-in process is already bringing changes in who layout of this sector.
• Expect related available checked-in ticked passengers to wait until boarding can begin. This spacing is larger enough to allowed for ample seating and circulation area, as well when space for cruise information the other pre-travel raw that cruise lines have.
• Boarding corridors where passengers move toward the vessel.
• Staff offices with cruise operator staff, cruise line staff, and port guarantee.
• Others scopes, such for spaces where passengers can have their gallery taken, VIP lounges separated from the general embarkation experience, or even wedding and others extraordinary group spaces.

Who select and location orientation of anyone starting the above spaces or particular services varies from one voyage terminal till the extra. Not everything of the spaces quoted will be create in every connecting or found in similar arrangements. Security might take place at the entree to the terminal build or after check-in. Well-developed VIP spaces go not exist to get terminals, as the shape is determined to meet the needs of all organizational (port, drive lines, operator, customs, and port security). In any cas, the terminal needs to offer a positive experience to passengers , as to might provide aforementioned first notion to the embarking passengers and it is thus valued significantly by trip lines. Moreover, if the terminal is too smallish for who capacity of of cruise ship, comfort ca bottom from passengers being forced to stand up to crowded spaces over periods of time.

The disembarkation process in the residence port anfang before one passenger leaves the vessel to input the connecting, destination at reducing the processing time up a minimum and maximizing this final endure for the front. Aforementioned different spaces and services that exist provided in home-port terminals encompass:

• Boarding corridors by disembarking passengers.
• Customs, immigration, isolation, and police spaces and processes.
• Packing lay down , which is often the single largest space in this building. Luggage is bring instantly upon the ship according the deck level and grouped via a “lay-down” process that takes place before passengers enter the space. While in most cases separations refers to baggage waiting in different scopes pro group of passengers, more sophisticated processes of managing bags also exist, the most obvious nature carousels similar as those utilised in airports.
• Customs range for passengers to proceed after luggage collections to processing counters, and till conclude applicable procedures.
• Meeting spacing where tourists gather and meet with additional and move on ground transportation.

In ports of call, the disembarkation/embarkation processes have less complex, particularly since passengers accomplish not carry luggage. The terminals do not ordinary have instead need a building to throng passengers since the (dis)embarkation time is normally short, lasting less more an total, with access to the local means is transportation or to who walkways and reverse to the ship having to to as quickly and simple in possible. For which absence of a terminal building, the port provides and open space along the quay to enable train to gather comfortably. With a terminal building lives, transit ends do no require spaces for the check-in process or go operations. Design Standards and Guidelines

6. Ground Transportation

Of sanding transportation area of a cruise terminal is where passengers arrive away all transport modes up embark on the cruise. It a also whereabouts they disembark to capture any transportation operating to travel indoor, usually through public route and transit systems. Since the passengers of a single cruise generate immense numbers of inland wanderungen , ground transportation is at important function of to cruise terminal. As traffic needs to move quickly, safely, and efficiently from press toward the terminal and from and to who city, this area must be located close until the terminal building. The ground shipping area includes spaces for:

• Coach parking , such how shuttle buses pending by the port or the cruise lines also tour tour provided by the ship and independent tour transportation.
• Taxis lines with comfortable space around the cars to facilitate loading and unloading.
• Drop-off blanks such as a short-stay car park limited for people dropping off or picking up passengers.
• Park spaced for passengers who drove to the terminal to take a cruise.
• Regional and local connectivity to both who location and community intermodal system, such since the airport, needs to be connected to the home ports by guard or road.

The modal distribution of cruise passenger mobility differs by connect. Passengers can decide until capture a coach, a taxi, ampere private car, or go on foot depending upon factors as as proximity to great hotels and connectivity to the region transport sys. Space assigned to ground transportation services at a cruise terminal depends on:

• Type of cruise vessel operations at the ports of call, with buses and shuttles being the main transportation mode. In a home-port taxis and personal transport are the most used transport mode, together with transfers and connections with to terminal.
• Port-city distance where the drive terminal is within a metropolitan district, most in which passengers might go into the towns by foot, contingent on the presence of walking corridors. However, if the city is far off a shuttle system transport is assuming.
• Transport systems available as several transport modes and services near the terminal area, such as machine parks, train connections, and airport cable, are consider.
• Other factors  such as local, regional, additionally environmental considerations may affect the design criterions. ONE terminal in an area of recur high temperatures allowed want to offering broadcast conditioning in most ground freight areas. In contrast, ampere terminal in an area prone up safety risks will need to ensure that these areas are secured.

Int added to infrastructures such how quays construction, docked expansion, dredging of channels and basins, waiting sections, and gangways which improve traffic flows and accessibility, modern cruise portable also involve shoreside projects . In many cases, earth reclamation, retail, restaurants, and hotels are of equal prominence. The multi-purpose use of cruise terminate is of a different type. Owing to to service and touristic orientation, the terminals are ‘people-friendly’, rather than ‘cargo friendly’. Thus, they magie are used with opens admission to the public for exhibitions or sundry usages. This is especially the kiste as the seasonality of cruise activities implies the numerous terminals host cruise ship calls for only a few months each year.

Beyond the change the to usage of existing infrastructure or the growth of greenfield projects, recent changes have also revolved around an customizable reuse of brownfield assets . Such cases can be found in the United Federal, both at the East (Brooklyn and Galveston) and the Occidental (San Francisco and San Diego) coasts. In all cases, go harbor infrastructure development taking far longer than building new cruise ships, meaning which ports may lag behind in trying go meet vessel capacity developments in which market.

Related Topics

• Part 3.1 Terminals and Terminal Managers
• Chapter 3.2 Portable Concessions and Land Leases
• Chapter 5.4 Larboard Rating
• Chapter 8.1 Cruise Attachments
• Cheng, Z. Tam-tam L. and Li C. (2020).  Design and Practice of Cruise Gates. Singapore: Springer .
• Pallis, AN. A. 2015. “Cruise shipping and urban advanced choose regarding this art from of choose and cruise ports”.  OECD-ITF Discussion Paper 2015-14 , MACROECONOMIC: Paris.
• PIANC Operating Group 152 (2016). Guidelines since Cruise Terminals. Brussels: PIANC.

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Cheng, Z., Gong, L., Li, C. (2020). Cruise Terminal Process. In: Design and Practice of Cruise Ports. Springer Series on Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Shipbuilding and Shipping, vol 4. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5428-5_6

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Port Economics, Management and Policy

A comprehensive analysis of the port industry

Port Economics, Management, and Policy (PEMP) analyses the contemporary port industry and how ports are organized to serve the global economy and regional and local development needs. It uses a conceptual background supported by extensive fieldwork and empirical observations, such as analyzing flows, ports, and the strategies and policies articulating their dynamics. The port industry is comprehensively investigated in this unique compilation:

• Multidisciplinary perspective on the port industry relying on economics, geography, management science, and engineering.
• Abundance of graphic elements such as maps, figures, photos, and tables.
• Focus on the latest trends impacting the industry, such as supply chain management, automation, digitalization, and sustainability.
• Multisector analysis , including containers, bulk, break-bulk, and the cruise industry.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction: a multifaceted approach to seaports.

• i.1 Defining Seaports
• i.2 Seaports and the Blue Economy
• i.3 Seaports: Social and Environmental Value
• i.4 Emerging Issues in Ports and Maritime Shipping

I. PORTS & MARITIME SHIPPING

• Chapter 1.1 Maritime Shipping and International Trade
• Chapter 1.2 Ports and Maritime Supply Chains
• Chapter 1.3 Ports and Container Shipping
• Chapter 1.4 Ports and Distribution Networks
• Chapter 1.5 Ports and Cruise Shipping
• Chapter 1.6 Interoceanic Passages

II. CONTEMPORARY PORTS

• Chapter 2.1 The Changing Geography of Seaports
• Chapter 2.2 Port Hinterlands, Regionalization and Corridors
• Chapter 2.3 Inland Ports / Dry Ports
• Chapter 2.4 The Digital Transformation of Ports
• Chapter 2.5 Green Shipping and Supply Chain Management
• Chapter 2.6 Ports and Energy Transition [Under construction]
• Chapter 2.7 Ports and the Circular Economy [ NEW CHAPTER! ]

III. PORT TERMINALS

• Chapter 3.1 Terminals and Terminal Operators
• Chapter 3.2 Terminal Concessions and Land Leases
• Chapter 3.3 Financialization and Terminal Funding
• Chapter 3.4 Container Terminal Design and Equipment
• Chapter 3.5 Bulk and Breakbulk Terminal Design and Equipment
• Chapter 3.6 Cruise Terminal Design and Equipment
• Chapter 3.7 Dock Labor
• Chapter 3.8 Terminal Automation
• Chapter 3.9 Port Terminal Construction

IV. PORT GOVERNANCE

• Chapter 4.1 Port Governance and Reform
• Chapter 4.2 Port Authorities
• Chapter 4.3 Port Coordination and Cooperation
• Chapter 4.4 Port Clusters
• Chapter 4.5 Green Port Governance
• Chapter 4.6 Port Management, Governance and Leadership

V. PORT COMPETITION

• Chapter 5.1 Inter-Port Competition
• Chapter 5.2 Intra-Port Competition
• Chapter 5.3 Port Marketing
• Chapter 5.4 Port Pricing
• Chapter 5.5 Entry Barriers

VI. PORT PERFORMANCE

• Chapter 6.1 Performance
• Chapter 6.2 Efficiency
• Chapter 6.3 Effectiveness
• Chapter 6.4 Resilience

VII. PORT POLICIES & DEVELOPMENT

• Chapter 7.1 Ports, Policies and Politics
• Chapter 7.2 Ports and Economic Development
• Chapter 7.3 Port Planning and Development
• Chapter 7.4 Port-City Relationships
• Chapter 7.5 Representing Port Interests

VIII. PORT MARKETS

• Chapter 8.1 Cruise Ports
• Chapter 8.2 Break-Bulk
• Chapter 8.3 Energy
• Chapter 8.4 Containers: The Box and Chassis Markets
• Chapter 8.5 Containers: The Containerization of Commodities [ NEW CHAPTER! ]
• Chapter 8.6 Port Cold Chains
• Chapter 8.7 Automotive and RORO Markets [Under Construction]

IX. CASE STUDIES

• Optimal Ship Size: Container Ships and Cruise Vessels
• Competition between the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
• Ports and the COVID-19 Pandemic
• The Port of Savannah Logistics Cluster
• Nike European Logistics Campus in Belgium
• The Nicar agua Canal Project
• Tools for Managing Port Risk and Resilience

Endorsements

The new book by Theo Notteboom, Thanos Pallis and Jean-Paul Rodrigue, provides the most comprehensive analysis of the current functioning of seaports for academics and port professionals. This publication is particularly relevant from a pedagogic perspective for anybody giving the first steps in the port and maritime world, but also for experienced scholars. For AIVP, the work from these authors is very valuable, since it addresses all port key topics, from terminal design, to the governance models and the port-city relationship. A key reference for future researchers. Bruno Delsalle, General Manager, Association Internationale Villes Ports (AIVP)

One of the daily tasks of any Port Authority is to promote the port activity of all its stakeholders and to make known all the actors of the port-logistic chain and their great contribution to international foreign trade and job creation. This handbook touches on practically all aspects of our sector and is of great help to all of us involved in port promotion: a comprehensive and easy-to-use reference manual for any occasion. Francesca Antonelli Ibáñez, Marketing & Cruises Manager, Commercial & Business Development, Port Authority of Valencia

Ports are very diverse, they are complex entities combining different tasks and have different responsibilities. At the centre of the economy and society and as engines of growth they are constantly changing and aim at responding to today’s challenges of energy transition and digitalisation. Understanding this complexity is not easy. Explaining this complexity and considering all facets of this complex but fascinating port ecosystem in a comprehensive but clear way is even more difficult. This book sets the bar high but succeeds in its purpose and is a must read for anyone who wants to discover the fascinating world of ports! Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General, European Sea Ports Organisation.

The Port Economics, Management and Policy is such an excellent source of knowledge about our cruise industry. We clearly see in a concise manner how we grew up and develop over the years but also the maps and graphs put the light from new perspectives. Figen Ayan, MedCruise President, Galataport Istanbul Chief Port Officer

With the ongoing global supply chain crisis, accelerated digitalization, and the historical challenge of decarbonizing maritime transport, seaports have come to the forefront of the public debate. “Port Economics, Management and Policy” could not be more timely. The three authors – leading scholars in their field – have produced a magnificent book on the organization of seaports, and how port operation and governance can – and must – contribute to regional, national, and global trade-driven development. Jan Hoffmann, Head, Trade Logistics Branch, UNCTAD

Port Economics, Management and Policy is a very insightful and valuable analysis of the different models of ports and how they are organized to serve the global economy, regional and local development needs. The book also provides an exhaustive overview of how port ecosystems are becoming logistic and industrial nodes in global supply chains and currently undergoing major transformations. A book to be read by all persons interested in ports and their future role Lamia Kerdjoudj-Belkaid, Secretary General, Federation of European Private Port Companies and Terminals

While the role of ports hasn’t changed significantly since the dawn of ocean-going trade, their impact and complexity parallel the expansion of globalization and technology. Port Economics, Management and Policy charts this evolution through a thorough, multidisciplinary and multisector review and analysis that deftly explains how supply chain management, automation, digitalization, and sustainability will shape ports of the future. Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor of The Journal of Commerce

Comprehensive in its coverage and thorough in its approach, this multi-disciplinary book has something for every reader. It will be easily understood by those new to the industry or citizens of the local port community, and yet contains nuggets of insight for the most seasoned port professionals. This book will assist those in local government make sense of what ports can do beyond their role as facilitators of trade, exploring their contribution as critical economic, social and environmental tools of development. The authors have not shied away from tackling the emerging trends in this global industry and provide six case studies to enhance our understanding of ports in the 2020s. Mary R. Brooks, Professor Emerita, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

I warmly recommend ‘Port Economics, Management and Policy” by Theo Notteboom, Thanos Pallis and Jean-Paul Rodrigue. Having personally worked with the authors over many years, I have come to know them as anything but ‘ivory tower’ academics. They combine solid theoretical knowledge with a thorough understanding of how the port and maritime industry works. That is what makes this textbook so unique and a must-have for every port executive. Patrick Verhoeven, Managing Director, International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH)

Working with Theo Notteboom, Thanos Pallis and Jean-Paul Rodrigue is a very enriching and valuable collaboration. Taking advantage of opportunities on both sides, a full and accessible chapter on the topic of circular economy and port ecosystems was swiftly integrated into the online version of the book. We welcome this approach as it provides both an international reference and continuous updates for the benefit of port professionals, researchers and students. I look forward to the ongoing process of deepening the complex topic of circular economy and port ecosystems. Walter Tempst, Facilitator Circular Economy, Circular Flanders / Circular Ports

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Planning your cruise terminal transportation for an upcoming vacation? Travelers have a variety of options from cruise shuttle services, public transportation, hotel buses, to ride-sharing apps and more. Read on to find the one that best suits your pre-cruise needs.

On This Page:

Cruise port shuttle (airport to cruise ship), hotel shuttles, taxis vs ride sharing, group transportation & private car service.

• Drive Yourself- Cars, Bikes & Motorcycles

Public Transportation

Safety tips and travel advisories.

Among your choices for transportation, cruise shuttle services stand out for their convenience and reliability. Many lines offer a dedicated airport shuttle to cruise port service that you can book on their website or cruise app.

Often, you can simply add cruise shuttles to your package and the cruise line takes care of the rest. Some lines may also have partnerships with local transportation providers, allowing you to book cruise ship shuttles directly.

Booking these cruise shuttles often requires a simple addition to your cruise package, and it's wise to check the options available through your cruise line's website or customer service. Many lines provide useful tools like cruise apps and websites, and some lines have partnerships with local transportation providers and will let you book cruise ship shuttles directly.

If you’re staying at a hotel near cruise port locations, you may have access to “cruise bus” services that will take you directly to your ship. Using the hotel’s shuttle to cruise ship service not only makes embarkation day easier but also lets you see more of the city you're leaving from. When booking your hotel, ask about their shuttle service to cruise terminal locations, including any associated fees or scheduling requirements. Opting for a hotel shuttle can streamline your port transportation needs, letting you focus on the excitement of your upcoming sailing.

Deciding between taking a taxi and booking a car service to cruise terminal locations can be tough. Consider important factors such as cost, availability, and personal preference to make the right choice. In a large port city, taxi rides may be your best bet because of their set prices and easy access. However, ride-sharing apps can be more convenient for cruise transportation, allowing you to select your car, arrival time, and pick-up spot.

The size of your group is also an important consideration for your cruise port transportation. For solo travelers or couples, taking a Lyft or Uber from the airport to cruise port is suitable, especially in cities where ride-sharing is prevalent. But travel groups with over 6 people will find taxis more convenient, as they remove the wait for the right-sized ride.

Group travel can make cruise transfers more difficult, but it can also open doors for fun shared experiences. Charter buses, large passenger vans, and even group rates for shuttle services can offer efficient and cost-effective transportation for your party. When planning a group cruise, booking early is crucial to secure the best options and rates, ensuring that your group arrives together and is ready to begin your cruise adventure.

Booking a private limousine or car service can add a touch of luxury to your trip, well make it more convenient for group travelers. Private services offer unique advantages as well, such as access to exclusive entrances at certain air and sea ports.

Drive Yourself: Cars, Bikes & Motorcycles

If you're driving to the cruise terminal, it's important to know about hotel and cruise parking options and how much they cost. Most cruise ports offer dedicated parking areas, with prices varying by proximity to the terminal and length of stay. For secure and worry-free vehicle parking, choose official cruise port parking that has clear prices and security. Tips for saving on these fees include researching off-site parking options with shuttle service to the terminal, which can offer significant discounts.

Many Cruise terminals also support eco-friendly travel by offering special parking for bikes and motorcycles. If you're driving an electric vehicle, check out our list of ports with EV charging stations.

If you’re an adventurous traveler, taking public transportation to cruise ship ports is an efficient way to soak in the city’s people and rhythm. A train, tram or bus to cruise terminal locations also provides a direct, wallet-friendly route in many big cities. In your port city, airport transit may also be available, allowing seamless travel from the airport to your cruise ship.

However, you may prefer other choices from our list for cruise port transfers if you’re traveling with heavy luggage or in a large group.

In European cities, where public transport is known for its efficiency, using buses, trains, or trams can make getting from the airport or your hotel to the cruise terminal smooth and easy.

Planning is key: research your route in advance and always allow time for the unexpected. Download local public transportation apps to find routes, the latest schedules, and ticket costs for the smoothest ride.

Stay informed about safety tips and travel advisories while planning your cruise terminal transfer. Check for travel warnings or advisories for your port and destination, especially if you’re navigating unfamiliar cities. Get familiar with local emergency numbers and your country’s embassy or consulate location if you’re traveling internationally.

While traveling, be sure to keep your belongings secure and in sight, especially in crowded areas. If you use a transportation provider, opt for a reputable company. Be wary of unsolicited offers from taxi or private drivers who may not follow best practices.

Cruise with Confidence

Now that you’ve chosen your transportation to cruise port, take the next step. Sign up at Cruisebound to receive exclusive guides, discounts, and onboard credits for your next cruise. Start your getaway with confidence, knowing every detail is covered.

Burevestnik: a Russian air-launched anti-satellite system

By bart hendrickx monday, april 27, 2020.

In September 2018, an aircraft photographer noticed something interesting while observing activity at the Gromov Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky near Moscow, sometimes called the “Russian Edwards Air Force Base.” What caught his attention was a MiG-31BM fighter jet with a large black missile suspended under its belly. While this specific aircraft had been seen before, the rocket was new. The pictures he posted on the Internet baffled observers: it seemed to be too big to be an air-to-air or an air-to-surface missile. It did appear to be the right size for an anti-satellite weapon.

The pictures brought back memories of a Soviet-era ASAT project called Kontakt, which comprised the MiG-31D aircraft and a missile of the MKB Fakel design bureau outfitted with a kinetic kill vehicle. Kontakt was the Soviet response to the American Air-Launched Miniature Vehicle or ASM-135A, which destroyed a US satellite in September 1985 after having been dropped from an F-15 fighter jet. Test flights of the MiG-31D with the missile were reportedly conducted in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but without targeting satellites.

So it looked like the new project could well be a reincarnation of Kontakt, as was speculated in many articles in the weeks following the release of the pictures. Backing up that idea were at least two statements made by Russian officials. In August 2009, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, Aleksandr Zelin, had declared that the MiG-31 was being upgraded to perform the same space defense tasks as in the Soviet days. About eight years later, in February 2017, a squadron commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Yevgeny Polyakov, was quoted as saying by the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Zvezda TV channel that a new missile was being developed for the MiG-31BM “capable of destroying targets in near-space.”

Analysis of publicly accessible online Russian sources now leaves little doubt that the MiG-31BM and the rocket are part of a broader ASAT project called Burevestnik (“Stormy Petrel”). Most likely, the rocket will not carry a kinetic kill vehicle like its Soviet-era predecessor, but will serve as a launch vehicle for small interceptor satellites that can approach and disable enemy satellites.

Burevestnik, a popular name in Russian culture, was also the name given by popular vote to a nuclear-powered cruise missile (9M730) not long after it was unveiled by President Vladimir Putin during his State of the Union address in March 2018. This has no connection whatsoever to the ASAT project.

The Burevestnik satellites

Burevestnik has never been discussed in Russia’s state-controlled media or even in specialized Russian space publications, but details about the project have slowly leaked out in recent years, mainly via openly available tender documentation and contracts on Russia’s government procurement website. These showed that the project began on September 1, 2011, with a government contract awarded to the Design Bureau of Machine Building (NPK KBM), a weapon manufacturer based in Kolomna (about 100 kilometers southeast of Moscow) that seems to be the overall coordinator of the project. At the end of that same month, NPK KBM signed a contract with a Moscow-based organization called the Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (TsNIIKhM or CNIIHM), which in turn subcontracted work on satellites called Burevestnik-M.

Another phase in the project began on December 1, 2015, when NPK KBM received another government contract under which CNIIHM subsequently performed work on satellites named Burevestnik-KA-M. The difference between Burevestnik-M and Burevestnik-KA-M is not known, but a PowerPoint presentation (in Russian) of a Russian solar panel and battery manufacturer (PAO Saturn) that somehow ended up online in May last year clearly identified them as two different satellites. The hush-hush nature of the project as well as the background of some of the contractors involved strongly pointed to an ASAT role, as was discussed in an earlier article here (see “Russia’s secret satellite builder” , The Space Review, May 9, 2019).

The Burevestnik rocket

What has emerged from further research in recent weeks is that the scope of the Burevestnik project is much broader than earlier believed. First, it turned out that another component of the project is a solid-fuel rocket. A rocket by the name Burevestnik first showed up in the annual report of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 2015, where it was said to be one of several rockets for which new types of solid propellant were being developed. No further details on it emerged in the following years.

Analysis of procurement documents now shows that the rocket has the code name “293” and is built by NPO Iskra, a manufacturer of solid-fuel rocket motors in Perm (roughly 1,400 kilometers east of Moscow). Contracts for “293” (some of which also mention the name Burevestnik) refer back to the same September 1, 2011, contract awarded to NPK KBM that is also seen in documents on the Burevestnik satellites, leaving no doubt that the two are part of the same project. NPO Perm was assigned to “293” by NPK KBM on the very same day. Some of the contracts for “293” are based on an earlier government contract dated August 7, 2009, suggesting the roots of the project may go back even further.

Available contracts for the “293” rocket going back to 2013 regularly mention parts called 14D812, 14D813, and 14S47, which presumably are the rocket’s individual stages. 14S47 fits in a series of indexes for upper stages of space launch vehicles, strongly suggesting it performs the same role. Procurement documents placed online by NPO Iskra in recent months also show that the company began working in December 2018 on another rocket called “328”. The parts ordered for this indicate that it is a modified version of the “293” rocket, possibly using the new solid propellants mentioned in the 2015 Academy of Sciences report. Two companies linked to that work in the report are also seen in one of the contracts for the “328” rocket.

The MiG carrier aircraft

A search for the “293” rocket on Russia’s government procurement website subsequently revealed that it is an air-launched rocket to be carried aloft by a modified version of the MiG-31 aircraft. A contract (in Russian) signed by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK MiG) in August last year is for work “to determine the safety of operating Object 08 with Product 293 under the influence of naturally and artificially produced electromagnetic fields.” This work was to be completed in four months and would involve both a mock-up and “live” version of the rocket.

This is unmistakable evidence that “293”, the solid-fuel rocket built by NPO Iskra as part of Burevestnik, is designed to be carried by a MiG aircraft described as Object 08. This almost certainly is the MiG-31BM aircraft with number “81” that was seen carrying the mysterious black rocket in September 2018. One other RSK MiG contract (in Russian) that can be positively linked to Burevestnik refers to the aircraft more specifically as “Object 08/1”, a further indication that it is indeed MiG-31BM nr. 81.

The documentation links this work to a government contract awarded to NPK KBM for Burevestnik on December 1, 2015, and another one subsequently concluded between NPK KBM and RSK MiG on December 17, 2015. Therefore, it is in the same sequence of contracts that initiated work on the Burevestnik-KA-M satellites. However, RSK MiG’s involvement with Burevestnik began earlier than that. According to court documents (in Russian) published online late last year, NPK KBM and RSK MiG signed an initial contract for Burevestnik (described as “Burevestnik-MiG”) as early as January 23, 2012. This was presumably in the same chain of contracts that started work on the Burevestnik-M satellites and the “293” rocket back in 2011.

Burevestnik’s explosive payload

Other recently uncovered procurement documentation may provide conclusive evidence that the Burevestnik satellites are indeed ASAT interceptors. One contract (in Russian) for Burevestnik was signed in June 2017 between an organization called the Krasnoarmeysk Scientific Research Institute of Mechanization (KNIIM) and a company called OOO Expotekhvzryv. KNIIM is an institute in Krasnoarmeysk (a name derived from the Russian word for “Red Army”), which is situated about 60 kilometers northeast of Moscow. It is a leading manufacturer of ammunition and explosives, as can be seen in this profile of the institute.

Expotekhvzryv, based in Moscow, specializes in industrial safety control of “dangerous objects” (the word vzryv in the company’s name means “explosion”). Under the deal with KNIIM, it was to perform what was literally described as “industrial safety control of an experimental container for special products” and complete that work before the end of June 2017. According to the documentation, the work involved detonating the container to study the effects on its surroundings and on the container itself. The contract is clearly related to the Burevestnik-KA-M satellites because the documentation links the work to the December 2015 government contract that initiated that phase of the Burevestnik project and a subsequent one inked between CNIIHM and KNIIM on September 1, 2016.

The most logical interpretation of this information is that KNIIM developed some type of explosive charge for the Burevestnik satellites and that the tests conducted by Expotekhvzryv were needed to ensure that this material is safe for storage and transportation. While KNIIM seems to be the manufacturer of this payload, it should be noted that CNIIHM itself probably also has the necessary expertise in the field. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, a team at CNIIHM led by Kirill N. Shamshev devised two types of explosive charges that were carried by experimental interceptor satellites called IS (“Satellite Destroyer”). These were detonated when the satellites came in the vicinity of specially launched target satellites. According to its former website, CNIIHM has a “Center of Ammunition and Special Chemistry” and this may very well play a role in this work as well.

As is clear from several technical papers and patents, a number of Russian institutes (including CNIIHM) have also done research on non-destructive technology for co-orbital ASATs, mostly involving the use of finely dispersed particles that could presumably disable satellite sensors or cause other damage. Similar technology has also been studied to conceal satellites from potential enemy ASAT interceptors under a program known as Vual (see “Self-defense in space: protecting Russian spacecraft from ASAT attacks” , The Space Review, July 16, 2018). However, there are is no convincing proof that any of this work is connected to Burevestnik.

Possible on-orbit tests

It is perfectly possible that Burevestnik satellites have already been tested in orbit. Between 2013 and 2019, Russia launched six mysterious satellites from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome that showed similar in-orbit behavior and transmitted on identical radio frequencies, indicating they share a common platform. They were called Kosmos-2491, 2499, 2504, 2521, 2535, 2536, and 2543. All were launched as co-passengers with other payloads, the first three on the Rockot launch vehicle (now retired) and the later ones on the Soyuz-2.1v, the lightest rocket in the Soyuz launch vehicle family (without the first-stage strap-on boosters and carrying NK-33 engines inherited from the Soviet-era N-1 moon rocket.) All except the first one performed rendezvous and proximity operations with other objects launched on the same mission, either the rocket’s upper stage or other satellites.

Some of these satellites are likely part of a project called Nivelir, started in the same month as Burevestnik (September 2011) and also managed by CNIIHM. The Nivelir satellites are believed to be intended for on-orbit inspection of other satellites and are known to share at least two design features with the Burevestnik satellites, namely 4LI-20 lithium-ion batteries of PAO Saturn and MSKV84 fuel tanks of NIIMash, which likely feed K50-10.6 hydrazine monopropellant thrusters of OKB Fakel on both types of satellites. Because they seem to use a common bus, it is hard to tell which of the satellites belong to which program.

Two of the satellites (Kosmos-2521 and 2543) were deployed from larger “parent satellites” built by NPO Lavochkin (Kosmos-2519 and 2542). Having the military index 14F150, these are also part of the Nivelir project and themselves seem to be used for space situational awareness. Kosmos-2542 raised concern in US Defense Department circles earlier this year when it made several relatively close passes to the American reconnaissance satellite USA 245 in an apparent attempt to take detailed pictures of the satellite.

While most of the six satellites seem to have performed missions comparable to those of American and Chinese inspection satellites, two experiments conducted during these missions seem to have nothing to do with inspection. In October 2017, Kosmos-2521 itself deployed a small subsatellite (Kosmos-2523) that immediately lowered its perigee by 100 kilometers and has remained inert ever since without ever coming close to another satellite. Speaking to Time magazine last February, Gen. John Raymond, the commander of the U.S. Space Force, likened these satellites to Russian nesting dolls and described the subsatellite as a “high-speed projectile.” Possibly, Kosmos-2523 was another top-secret satellite of CNIIHM identified as Napryazheniye, the purpose of which is unclear.

Another puzzling event occurred last year during the mission of Kosmos-2535 and 2536, launched in July 2019 along with two other satellites (Kosmos-2537 and 2538) that are probably used for calibration of ground-based radars. About two weeks after launch, Kosmos-2535 and 2536 began a lengthy series of close encounters that continued until earlier this year. The first of those, in early August, was actually reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense, which described the two objects as an “inspection satellite” and a “registering satellite.” They were reportedly on a mission to study the effects of “artificial and natural space factors” on satellites and also to test technology to protect satellites and service them in orbit. More specifically, the equipment on the inspector satellite was designed to study the effects on the registering satellite of “space debris, electron and proton radiation of the Earth’s outer natural radiation belt, protons and heavy charged particles, solar and galactic cosmic rays.”

Then, in mid-October, objects labeled as “Kosmos-2535 debris” started gradually appearing in the catalog of space objects maintained by the United States Strategic Command. In all, 24 such objects were registered. The catalog does not disclose when exactly the satellite generated this debris, but orbital analysis has traced most of it back to a close encounter between Kosmos-2535 and 2536 in late September (which would mean the debris could have come from either satellite).

The debris wound up in widely scattered orbits with altitudes ranging from less than 400 to more than 1,000 kilometers, while the two satellites themselves have been circling the Earth in roughly circular orbits slightly over 600 kilometers above the Earth. This means it must have been created by some sort of energetic event. Both of the satellites did continue maneuvering afterwards, meaning that neither was rendered inoperable.

This could lead one to conclude that it was either a failed ASAT test or not an ASAT test at all. However, numerous other scenarios are possible as well, including one where the Russians elected to test an explosive charge without destroying the satellites in order to minimize the amount of debris and not attract undue attention to the mission. It could, for instance, have been ejected in a canister and detonated at a safe distance, with one or both of the satellites observing the event. It is also possible that one or both satellites carried protective material enabling them to survive the event and even sensors to detect possible impacts, like many of the target satellites used in the Soviet IS project. Such scenarios would still be in line with two of the mission objectives given in the official Russian statement on the mission, namely studying the effects of space debris and testing technology to protect satellites in orbit.

Future outlook

If Burevestnik has already been tested in orbit, it was launched as a co-passenger on a conventional ground-based rocket. However, this is likely to change in the future. As is clear from the evidence presented above, the satellites, the “293” rocket, and the MiG-31BM aircraft are part of one and the same project. Most likely, the air-launched “293” rocket will serve as a launch vehicle for future Burevestnik satellites. In Russian terminology, all these components would be described as belonging to the same “space complex,” a word used for the combination of the satellites, the launch vehicle, and all the ground-based infrastructure needed to support them. In some official documents, Burevestnik has been more specifically called “a space security complex,” a fitting term for an ASAT project (it has also been applied in one document to a project called Kalina, a ground-based laser system designed to blind or dazzle optical instruments of satellites). The index for the Burevestnik space complex is 14K168.

The idea that “293” is a satellite launch vehicle is corroborated by the fact that the index for one of its stages (14S47) is similar to that of some upper stages of space launch vehicles. Moreover, plans to use the MiG-31 as a satellite launch platform are not new. They were first put forward by the MiG design bureau in the late 1990s and culminated in a 2005 Russian/Kazakh proposal called Ishim to equip the aircraft with a three-stage solid-fuel rocket capable of placing 160-kilogram satellites into 300-kilometer orbits with a 46-degree inclination. With a maximum speed of Mach 2.8 and a service ceiling of more than 20 kilometers, the MiG-31 is an ideal platform for such missions.

With the Burevestnik satellites probably weighing around 100 kilograms or less, a rocket the size of “293” should be capable of placing them into orbit from a MiG-31, although potential targets would probably be limited to satellites in relatively low orbits, primarily reconnaissance satellites. The use of an air-launched rocket instead of a ground-based launch vehicle offers several advantages for ASAT missions. First, not being tied to a specific launch site, air-launched rockets can use a much broader variety of launch azimuths and, consequently, send satellites into a wide range of orbital inclinations. Second, they can be prepared for launch at short notice (certainly solid-fuel rockets like “293”) and away from the prying eyes of reconnaissance satellites, giving the enemy little warning time. By contrast, the Soyuz-2.1v, the lightest launch vehicle in Russia’s current rocket fleet, is a liquid-fuel launch vehicle that needs two days of launch preparations on a single available pad. In addition to that, the Soyuz-2.1v (with a payload capacity of 2.8 tons to low Earth orbit) would be far oversized for launching a single Burevestnik satellite. Both the “293” rocket and its apparent successor (“328”) could potentially also be used to launch other small military satellites on quick-response missions, a capability that the US military has been seeking for a long time without much success.

All this does raise the question why dedicated infrastructure for Burevestnik is being built at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. This infrastructure is identified in procurement documents as “Object 7511/4,” As can be inferred from recent procurement documents, a new contract for the construction work was awarded by the Ministry of Defense just last December, clearly showing it is not yet finished. One possible explanation is that Burevestnik flights using the MiG-31BM will be staged from Plesetsk’s airfield (known as “Pero”), benefiting from the cosmodrome’s infrastructure for storage and preparation of rockets and satellites. Another, much more remote possibility is that “293” has a two-stage air-launched version (consisting of the 14D813 and 14S47 stages) that can take off from a multitude of air bases and a three-stage ground-launched version (consisting of the 14D812, 14D813, and 14S47 stages) that will be based at Plesetsk. It is hard to tell whether the rocket seen in the photos taken at Zhukovsky has two or three stages. Similarly, America’s Pegasus air-launched rocket had a ground-based “sister rocket” (Taurus/Minotaur-C), which essentially consisted of a Pegasus mounted on top of the first stage of a Peacekeeper ICBM. However, there are no clear signs that any launch infrastructure for such a rocket is being built at Plesetsk.

Other ground-based infrastructure for Burevestnik, named “Object 7511/3,” is under construction near Pervomayskoye in the Tambov province, about 450 kilometers southeast of Moscow. This is the location of a military base (nr. 14272) primarily used for the long-term storage of rockets awaiting shipment to the launch site.

The control center for Burevestnik missions is likely situated right next to the headquarters of Russia’s space surveillance network in Noginsk-9 (also known as Dubrovo), a small town about 60 kilometers east of Moscow. Noginsk-9 was also home to the control center for the Soviet-era co-orbital ASAT missions. A facility in Noginsk-9 known as “Object 3006M” has been linked in building contracts to both Burevestnik and Nivelir. It will probably be fed with targeting data by a network of space surveillance radars and optical telescopes stationed across Russia. Autonomous satellite navigation equipment known to have been developed for Burevestnik satellites by MKB Kompas should also help guide the satellites to their targets relatively quickly. Even with 1970s technology, the Soviet-era IS interceptor satellites demonstrated the ability to reach their targets on the first orbit after launch.

All the construction work is a sign that Burevestnik is not merely seen as an experimental system, but one that Russia intends to place on operational stand-by. When that will occur is hard to tell. The Burevestnik project has been underway for almost a decade but, like many other Russian space projects, was probably hit hard by the Western-imposed sanctions that complicated the delivery of foreign-built electronic components for the Russian space industry. Despite Russia’s policy of “import substitution,” even highly classified Russian military satellites remain very reliant on Western electronics. This is illustrated by one 2016 contract for the delivery of electronic components for Burevestnik satellites, which listed a total of 457 foreign electronic components versus just 45 Russian-built components.

Still, it does look like one or more Burevestnik satellites have already been tested in space, with more such test flights (using the Soyuz-2.1v) possibly yet to come. As for the “293” rocket, the one seen in the September 2018 photos was presumably a mock-up, but one of the earlier quoted RKS MiG contracts signed in August 2019 strongly suggests that a “live” version is undergoing captive carry tests by now. A CNBC article published in September 2018 quoted “three sources with direct knowledge of a U.S. intelligence report” as saying that the MiG-31BM spotted shortly before was believed to be “a mock-up of an anti-satellite weapon that will be ready for warfare by 2022.”

Other Russian ASAT projects

As large in scope as Burevestnik appears to be, it is only one of several ASAT projects that Russia is currently working on. The most advanced of these is Nudol, a ground-launched direct-ascent ASAT missile built by OKB Novator that is believed to have made at least ten test flights from Plesetsk since 2014, without destroying targets in space. The latest of these took place on April 15, prompting an immediate response from the US Space Command’s Gen. John Raymond, who regards it as “further proof of Russia’s hypocritical advocacy of outer space arms control proposals designed to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting their counterspace weapons programs.” Recently gathered evidence indicates that another, possibly more capable missile may be under development for Nudol at the Moscow-based MIT Corporation.

Other likely ASAT systems under development are ground-based and air-based systems to dazzle or blind satellite optical systems ( Kalina and Sokol-Eshelon ) and ground-based and space-based systems for electronic warfare (Tirada-2S and Ekipazh ). In November 2017, a Russian military official also disclosed the existence of a “mobile anti-satellite complex” called Rudolf, about which nothing is known. Another satellite under development at CNIIHM called Numizmat will probably carry a hard-to-detect ultrawide-band noise radar for proximity operations and may also have an ASAT-related role. An up-to-date overview of Russian ASAT systems is given in the latest edition of the Secure World Foundation’s annual report Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open-Source Assessment .

The co-existence of several ASAT projects indicates they are designed to fulfill complementary roles, possibly targeting different types of satellites in different types of orbits. Similarly, in the 1980s the Soviet Union worked on a plethora of ASAT systems , each of which had its own well-defined tasks in various possible war scenarios. The collapse of the Soviet Union prevented any of those from reaching operational status, but by all indications Russia now once again has a sustained program to develop a broad range of counterspace capabilities, whatever the motives for that may be.

For more details on Burevestnik and a complete list of sources, see this thread on the NASA Spaceflight Forum , which is updated with new information as it becomes available.

Bart Hendrickx is a longtime observer of the Russian space program.

Note: we are temporarily moderating all comments submitted to deal with a surge in spam.

Rosatom Starts Production of Rare-Earth Magnets for Wind Power Generation

TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom has started gradual localization of rare-earth magnets manufacturing for wind power plants generators. The first sets of magnets have been manufactured and shipped to the customer.

In total, the contract between Elemash Magnit LLC (an enterprise of TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom in Elektrostal, Moscow region) and Red Wind B.V. (a joint venture of NovaWind JSC and the Dutch company Lagerwey) foresees manufacturing and supply over 200 sets of magnets. One set is designed to produce one power generator.

“The project includes gradual localization of magnets manufacturing in Russia, decreasing dependence on imports. We consider production of magnets as a promising sector for TVEL’s metallurgical business development. In this regard, our company does have the relevant research and technological expertise for creation of Russia’s first large-scale full cycle production of permanent rare-earth magnets,” commented Natalia Nikipelova, President of TVEL JSC.

“NovaWind, as the nuclear industry integrator for wind power projects, not only made-up an efficient supply chain, but also contributed to the development of inter-divisional cooperation and new expertise of Rosatom enterprises. TVEL has mastered a unique technology for the production of magnets for wind turbine generators. These technologies will be undoubtedly in demand in other areas as well,” noted Alexander Korchagin, Director General of NovaWind JSC.

For reference:

TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom incorporates enterprises for the fabrication of nuclear fuel, conversion and enrichment of uranium, production of gas centrifuges, as well as research and design organizations. It is the only supplier of nuclear fuel for Russian nuclear power plants. TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom provides nuclear fuel for 73 power reactors in 13 countries worldwide, research reactors in eight countries, as well as transport reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world operates on fuel manufactured by TVEL. www.tvel.ru

NovaWind JSC is a division of Rosatom; its primary objective is to consolidate the State Corporation's efforts in advanced segments and technological platforms of the electric power sector. The company was founded in 2017. NovaWind consolidates all of the Rosatom’s wind energy assets – from design and construction to power engineering and operation of wind farms.

Overall, by 2023, enterprises operating under the management of NovaWind JSC, will install 1 GW of wind farms. http://novawind.ru

Elemash Magnit LLC is a subsidiary of Kovrov Mechanical Plant (an enterprise of the TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom) and its main supplier of magnets for production of gas centrifuges. The company also produces magnets for other industries, in particular, for the automotive

industry. The production facilities of Elemash Magnit LLC are located in the city of Elektrostal, Moscow Region, at the site of Elemash Machine-Building Plant (a nuclear fuel fabrication facility of TVEL Fuel Company).

Rosatom is a global actor on the world’s nuclear technology market. Its leading edge stems from a number of competitive strengths, one of which is assets and competences at hand in all nuclear segments. Rosatom incorporates companies from all stages of the technological chain, such as uranium mining and enrichment, nuclear fuel fabrication, equipment manufacture and engineering, operation of nuclear power plants, and management of spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. Nowadays, Rosatom brings together about 350 enterprises and organizations with the workforce above 250 K. https://rosatom.ru/en/

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