irst Newbuild Inland Hydrogen Cargo Vessel Prepares to Enter Service

Antonie passed trials and is waiting for the installation of the hydrogen containers before enterign service (Concordia Damen)

PUBLISHED NOV 18, 2023 3:32 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The first newly built hydrogen-powered vessel is preparing to enter service as part of a demonstration program in the Netherlands designed to support the development of zero-emission shipping. Shipbuilder Concordia Damen reports the vessel recently completed technical sea trials and received a provisional certificate, while on Tuesday, Dutch King Willem-Alexander visited the vessel to mark its entry into service.

Named the Antonie, the vessel is approximately 443 feet in length with a cargo capacity of 3,700 tons and boasts a revolutionary fuel cell propulsion. The power from the hydrogen fuel cells will be converted to electricity to drive the vessel versus conventional inland shipping which relies on diesel fuel. Concordia Damen, which is leading the construction project for Dutch shipowner Lenten Scheepvaart reports the fuel cell has been installed on the ship. They expect the hydrogen containers to arrive and be installed by the end of the year, at which time the vessel will be ready to go into service.

The order for the ship was placed in 2021 as part of a project to demonstrate hydrogen-fueled propulsion. The government of the Netherlands provided a $4.9 million construction subsidy to Lenten Scheepvaart. Construction of the hull was completed in China at the Yizheng Yangzi Shipbuilding Co. (YZCB) where the vessel was launched late in 2022. It was loaded onto a heavy-lift vessel to be transported to the Concordia Damen shipyard where the installation of the propulsion system was completed along with the fitting of the deckhouse and outfitting.

The technical sea trails were completed on October 23 with a focus on testing the advanced diesel-electric propulsion system. Lloyd’s Register also inspected the vessel and issued a provisional certificate for it to enter service.

"The fuel cell will soon serve as an energy supplier for the battery packs after the installation of the distribution panel and the placement of the hydrogen containers,” explains Bart van Driel, project manager at Concordia Damen. “Once the distribution panel is delivered, it is just a matter of sizing and manufacturing the final pieces of piping and adjusting the fuel cell installation itself. The diesel generator will then no longer be used, so the Antonie will sail completely emission-free."

When the vessel enters service, it will operate under charter to Nobian, an industrial chemical company spun out from Nouryon (the former specialty chemical business of AkzoNobel), transporting salt from Delfzijl in the Netherlands to the Nobian plant in the Botlek. The company turns salt into chlor-alkali, among other things, with hydrogen as a residual product. The hydrogen produced in the chlor-alkali production process will be used as fuel for the Antonie. 

With three hydrogen containers on board, the Antonie will have enough energy available for full zero-emission transport between Delfzijl-Rotterdam-Delfzijl. A hydrogen bunker station has also been built in Delfzijl.

 

King Willem-Alexander and the PM of the German state look on at the ceremony in Duisburg (Royal House on X)

 

The unique nature of the project was highlighted by King Willem-Alexander during his visit to the Antonie in Duisburg on November 14. The King met with Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and toured hydrogen projects and the port of Duisburg, which is preparing to become a transshipment point for clean energy forms. Several cooperation agreements were signed during the visit to the port including for connection of national hydrogen pipeline networks and the Delta Rhine Corridor. During the event, the King and Prime Minister highlighted that the aim is for ten inland vessels and at least four hydrogen filling stations to support operations between Rotterdam, Duisburg, and Cologne by 2026.

In addition to the Antonie, several projects are converting existing vessels in the Netherlands and the Benelux region to hydrogen. The port of Rotterdam is also working with Damen and others in the development of hydrogen and the infrastructure at the port to support it as an alternative fuel.

Earlier this year, the retrofit to install hydrogen fuel cells on the first inland containership was completed in the Netherlands. Compagnie Maritime Belgique (CMB) launched the first hydrogen-powered crew transfer vessel in 2022 and the Port of Antwerp is currently preparing for the introduction of a hydrogen-fueled tugboat.

 

Dry Bulk in Africa Through the Eyes of an African Shipping Line

Capt. Pappu Sastry (Arise)

PUBLISHED NOV 19, 2023 2:03 PM BY BRIAN GICHERU KINYUA

 

With Africa increasingly exploiting its vast mineral resources, its demand for carriage of dry bulk commodities is on the rise. From rich deposits of iron ore in West Africa to coal in the Southern African region, the heterogenous mineral distribution across Africa gives it a unique potential. Africa also has in abundance critical elements such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, whose demand is rising to support manufacturing of today’s clean energy technologies.

However, these commodities have to be moved from mines to their destination markets, mainly in China and India. Unfortunately, the capacity of road, rail and port infrastructure in some parts of Africa is a major impediment for exports. This, coupled with a dearth of African shipping lines, has made the situation dire.

This is the gap that Arise Shipping and Logistics company hopes to fix. As a Pan-African shipping line, Arise Shipping is working to fulfill new demand for integrated maritime and logistics services for mining and industrial clients operating in Africa. It is now a year since Arise Shipping launched.

To give an update on the progress of the past year, Arise Shipping CEO Cpt. Pappu Sastry sat down with TME African Correspondent Brian Gicheru. Below is their conversation.

What has been your progress so far in the past year working in the African shipping sector?

Well, it is good to note that as a maritime professional I have been working in Africa for over a decade. In this regard, the African shipping sector is a familiar market. However, during the period some political changes have happened in key growth areas of bulk commodities, specifically the coups in parts of West Africa.

A good thing I have noticed though is the growth in logistics of critical commodities such as lithium. Interestingly, it has happened in countries we did not expect. When we started, we mainly focused in the logistics of bauxite and iron ore in Guinea (Conakry) and Sierra Leone. But now we have seen a shift and ended up having long-term contracts for lithium logistics in Madagascar. We are now looking for such long-term contracts in countries such as Namibia and South Africa.

In terms of volume, which commodities are likely to dominate bulk shipping in Africa?

In the last year, we have been exporting iron ore and bauxite, mainly from West Africa. Looking at the trends, for the last seven years the growth of the African bulk commodities has been represented by bauxite, mainly in Guinea. Production of bauxite from Guinea has risen from 15 million tons (mt) annually to the current 115 mt. This growth is likely to continue.

There are also new iron ore exploration projects coming up. Therefore, iron ore and bauxite will remain as the key bulk commodities out of Africa. On the other hand, coal in the southern African region is experiencing some decline and this is unlikely to change in the coming future.

With vast supplies of lithium, Africa is likely to become a major global supplier of the commodity as demand rises. Tell us more about the experience of your company in moving lithium out of Africa?

Indeed, there has been a gold rush for lithium in Africa for the past few years. This is because lithium exploration projects in other continents such as South America have failed to reach production. However, due to the high value of lithium, it will be easier to ship it via containers rather than as a bulk commodity. Hence, lithium trade in Africa is a boon for container shipping.

The main market for the African lithium is China, partly because the Chinese have invested significantly in lithium mines in Africa. India is also coming up as another destination market.

Poor hinterland and ports infrastructure in Africa is a major obstacle for logistics and maritime companies. At Arise Shipping and Logistics, how have you navigated this to effectively serve your clients?

Since we mainly serve clients in the mining sector, lack of publicly funded infrastructure tends to limit the number of players operating in the continent. As for the major mining corporations, some have opted for private stand-alone roads, railways and even ports to move commodities, something that is common in a country such as Guinea. This means smaller mining corporations find it hard to compete.

The way to change this is for governments to invest heavily in public infrastructure to guarantee access for all players. The impact of poor infrastructure has also meant commodities exported out of Africa have higher landing costs in the destination markets.

When you launched last year, you mentioned Arise Shipping intends to expand to other sectors besides bulk shipping. Has this been possible?

Apart from bulk we are also into container shipping, but we rely on the existing carriers for exports. We are also doing land logistics, especially for our clients in lithium mining. In fact, this is an exciting challenge for us, partly because land logistics in Africa could cost more than ocean freight. Ideally, this presents us with an opportunity to help in streamlining land logistics.

As a Pan- African shipping line, Arise Shipping and Logistics is a trailblazer for other African companies with an interest to invest in the shipping sector. What is needed for Africa to have more dedicated shipping lines?

Access to funding is a major factor, without which investors do not find the need to enter the sector. In addition, there is not much of intra- African trading with AfCFTA relatively new. In essence, most of the imports come from abroad. It is therefore important for African nations to have dialogues with their neighbors to spur intra-African trading.

On the upside, the entry barrier to the African shipping market is low without regulations such as cabotage rules. This means a company could start small even with a single vessel. However, governments ought to provide incentives for African shipping lines such as port access and tax guarantees.

 

Royal Navy Nuclear-Missile Sub Accidentally Dove to "Danger Zone"

HMS Vanguard (Royal Navy file image)

PUBLISHED NOV 20, 2023 8:47 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

A Royal Navy nuclear ballistic missile submarine nearly kept diving towards it maximum rated operating depth because of a malfunctioning gauge, according to The Sun. 

The Vanguard-class submarine was under way for a patrol with Trident ballistic missiles on board. Its crew intended to navigate at a set depth, and believed that they were doing so, but the submarine was actually diving deeper. A malfunctioning gauge led the bridge crew to believe (incorrectly) that they were still on a level plane.

As the sub continued to dive towards its "danger zone" rating depth, the engineering crew noticed on their own depth gauge that the sub was descending. They raised the alarm and alerted the navigation team - and may have saved their ship. 

“It’s not the engineers’ job to control the sub’s depth but they saw how deep they were and realized something was wrong," an inside source told UK tabloid The Sun. “Technically the sub was still at a depth where we know it can operate, but if it ever has to go that deep the whole crew is piped to action-stations."

A spokesperson for the Royal Navy declined to confirm or deny the incident, saying only that safety is the service's top priority and that its subs continue to meet commitments.

According to The Sun, a safety review has been launched. 

The vessel in question was a Vanguard-class submarine, one of four nuclear missile-carrying subs operated by the Royal Navy. The oldest has been in commission for 30 years, and the newest has been running for 24. At least one Vanguard-class is at sea at all times to maintain continuous second-strike deterrence. The subs typically operate with 140 crewmembers aboard, and can carry up to 16 Trident missiles, each fitted with up to four nuclear warheads. At present, two of the subs are in shipyard or refit status.

Earlier this year, the Royal Navy discovered a repair defect aboard the first-in-class sub HMS Vanguard. The issue was caught and repaired before the sub reentered service, and it had no nuclear safety implications even if it had gone unrepaired, according to the UK Ministry of Defense. The details, according to The Sun, involved bolt heads that had been snapped off and glued back on.

The Vanguards are due for replacement in the 2030s when the future Dreadnought-class comes into service.

 

Royal Navy Tests Largest-Ever Unmanned Aircraft on Carrier off Virginia

The Mojave in HMS Prince of Wales' hangar (Royal Navy)

PUBLISHED NOV 18, 2023 6:00 PM BY ROYAL NAVY NEWS

 

The largest uncrewed aircraft ever launched from a Royal Navy aircraft carrier has paved the way for the next generation of UK naval air power.

Codenamed ‘Mojave’, the specially-modified aircraft – operated remotely by a ‘pilot’ at a computer terminal – has taken off from and safely landed back on board HMS Prince of Wales in a unique trial off the East Coast of the USA.

No crewless machine its size – nine meters long, with a wingspan of 17 meters (six meters wider than an F-35B Lightning stealth fighter) and weighing more than 1.5 tonnes fully loaded – has ever flown from an aircraft carrier outside the US Navy before.

The trial off the coast of Virginia further unlocks the potential of the UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, demonstrating how modern uncrewed air systems can operate alongside fifth-generation crewed aircraft like the Lightnings.

“The Mojave trial is a European first – the first time that a remotely piloted air system of this size has operated to and from an aircraft carrier outside of the United States,” said Rear Admiral James Parkin, Royal Navy Director Develop, whose team planned the trial. “The success of this trial heralds a new dawn in how we conduct maritime aviation and is another exciting step in the evolution of the Royal Navy’s carrier strike group into a mixed crewed and uncrewed fighting force.”

The Royal Navy has two decades’ experience in operating pilotless aircraft from its ships, but the Fleet Air Arm’s existing systems – such as the hand-launched Puma, and the new Peregrine miniature helicopter which enters service in January – are designed for short-range surveillance operations on land and at sea.

Mojave – a version of the MQ1C Gray Eagle aircraft adapted for short take-off and landing from runways even shorter than the flight deck of Queen Elizabeth-class carriers – is a much larger and more complex aircraft.

Produced by US company General Atomics, Mojave is capable of performing numerous long endurance missions from medium altitude.

It’s from the same family of aircraft as the Royal Air Force’s new Protector RG Mk1 aircraft, such ‘medium altitude long endurance’ remotely piloted aircraft are capable of conducting long-range surveillance and strike missions over many thousands of square miles.

Months of planning by experts from the Royal Navy, General Atomics and HMS Prince of Wales’ crew went into the trial – one of several involving crewless aircraft and F-35s this autumn to push the boundaries of operations involving the UK’s two carriers.

“My team and I are excited and proud to be the first to launch and land a Mojave from an aircraft carrier,” said Commander Martin Russell, in charge of air operations aboard HMS Prince of Wales. “During a deployment centered around experimentation and expanding the envelope of the Queen Elizabeth class, this is one of the highlights."

HMS Prince of Wales is now conducting intense training and trials activity with the US Marine Corps before returning home to Portsmouth next month.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

 

Houthi Rebels Release Video of Car Carrier Hijacking

Houthi fighters advance along the top deck of the Galaxy Leader (Houthi Military Media)

PUBLISHED NOV 20, 2023 2:03 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Yemen's Houthi rebel group has released video footage of the hijacking of the car carrier Galaxy Leader, confirming Western reports that militants boarded the vessel by helicopter. 

The video's existence suggests that Sunday's operation had a preplanned media component. A high-definition camera attached to the tail of the Mi-17 helicopter recorded its movements as it approached the ship. As the armed boarding team piled out of the helicopter and fanned out across the car carrier's top deck, at least one soldier had a helmet-mounted camera turned on to capture their movements. Another had a camera on a selfie stick mounted to his pack (as first noticed by TankerTrackers.com). The footage was spliced together and distributed online in less than a day. 

The video shows that the helicopter approached from astern, where the car carrier's bridge watchstanders had the least visibility. In what appeared to be a rehearsed and coordinated operation, the boarding team moved forward along the top deck from the landing zone, pausing periodically to take cover behind deck machinery, vents and other obstacles.  

The footage also shows that the attack happened in broad daylight. A previous warning from the International Maritime Security Construct had advised shipping to transit past Yemen's coast during darkness in order to avoid detection - an unusual and stringent cautionary measure for commercial vessels in one of the world's busiest maritime thoroughfares. Stopping during daytime would have schedule implications (and commercial effects). 

The Houthi rebel militia that controls northern Yemen announced Sunday that it had captured an Israeli-linked ship and taken the crew hostage. The vessel has been identified as the PCTC Galaxy Leader, operated by NYK. It is commercially operated by the Isle of Man-incorporated, Israeli-owned ro/ro firm Ray Car Carriers, according to its Equasis record.

Israel's defense ministry has denied that the ship is "Israeli," but warned Sunday that the hijacking is "a very grave incident of global consequence." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office reports that there are 25 seafarers aboard - none Israeli, and most drawn from the top seafarer-supplying countries.

Israel has described the attack as "another act of Iranian terrorism." Iran is the primary foreign sponsor of the Houthi cause. 

SEE

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2023/11/british-owned-cargo-ship-hijacked-by.html

 

NY Pushes Forward with Offshore Wind with First Install and Upcoming RFP

South Fork Wind installed its first turbine as New York's first large offshore wind farm (NY State released)

PUBLISHED NOV 20, 2023 9:22 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

New York State is working to push forward with its ambitious plans for the offshore wind energy sector after several recent setbacks. Governor Kathy Hochul is using every opportunity to highlight progress and the state’s efforts to expedite alternative energy including positive news from developer Ørsted after the company announced massive impairment charges due to challenges in the U.S. offshore wind sector and other major developers backed away from planned projects for New York.

New York is targeting 9 GW of offshore wind energy by 2035 with state officials highlighting New York that the state has three conditional awards for offshore wind. New York also has one of the two first large-scale offshore wind projects in the United States under construction. 

Ørsted and development partner Eversource Energy reported today that the first turbine has been successfully installed at South Fork Wind, New York’s first commercial-scale offshore farm. The first of South Fork Wind’s 12 Siemens Gamesa wind turbine generators was hoisted into place by the offshore construction team at the project site 35 miles off Montauk, N.Y. and when the installation is completed by the end of 2023 or early 2024 it will have a capacity for 130 MW. They are highlighting the project will power approximately 70,000 homes and eliminate up to six million tons of carbon emissions over a 25-year period.

The first installation in New York comes about a month after Avangrid, part of the Iberdrola Group, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners highlighted the successful installation of the first GE Haliade-X Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) at their Vineyard Wind 1 project in nearby Massachusetts. The project, which is also targeting the end of 2023 for completion of the installation, will consist of 62 wind turbines to generate 806 MW, enough to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.

 

South Fork's first wind turbine installed by Van Oord's vessel Aeolus (NY State released)

 

New York looks to regain its momentum with several additional steps. The government reported that they will launch their next Request for Proposals for offshore wind and land-based renewable energy on November 30. Companies will have till January 25, 2024, to submit proposals, and results are expected to be released by the end of February. Details will be released with the launch next week as they have not yet announced if there will be changes or considerations to the changed economics of the industry.

A month ago, the New York State Public Service Commission refused applications from Empire Offshore Wind and Beacon Wind, being developed by Equinor and BP, and Sunrise Wind, being developed by Ørsted, to reprice their previously agreed power purchase agreements. Each of the petitions had requested an order from the commission that would have directed the New York power regulator New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to incorporate an adjustment mechanism into existing Renewable Energy Credit and the offshore wind power purchase agreements. 

New York reported that the projects that previously petitioned the New York State Public Service Commission for financial relief can choose to participate in the upcoming round. They, however, said the solicitation will emphasize competition between those and other projects, to “ensure the integrity of the process and best value for New York electricity consumers.”  Combined those three projects that will need to compete in the next round represent more than 3 MW of the governor’s offshore wind plan. The decision to make the projects rebid also came days after the governor vetoed a bill that would have expedited the offshore efforts for power cables from the wind farms.

One of the projects recently designated by New York to proceed into negotiations is Attentive Energy One with co-developers TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power, and Corio Generation, highlighting last week their efforts to move forward. It is one of the sites awarded in the 2022 federal auction of the New York Bight. Located some 50 miles south of Long Island and east of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, it calls for a 3 GW development. One of the unique features the developers are highlighting would be converting a 60-year-old onshore generating station into an onshore operation for the wind farm with an underwater transmission cable. New York selected the first phase which is for 1.4 GW to proceed with negotiations with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for an offtake agreement.

The next test for New York’s plans will come when the details are released for the next round of solicitations and how the developers respond to the proposals.

Octopus Energy and Tokyo Gas Plan $3B Offshore Wind Fund

Courtesy Octopus Energy

PUBLISHED NOV 19, 2023 11:57 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Octopus Energy and Tokyo Gas Debuts Offshore Wind Fund

The consumer-focused utility Octopus Energy has partnered with Tokyo Gas to create a $3.7 billion offshore wind fund. According to Octopus, this dedicated fund is aimed at boosting energy security and reducing global reliance on fossil fuels.

The fund has been set up with a $237 million investment from Tokyo Gas, and it plans to put over $3 billion into offshore wind globally by 2030. The fund will mainly focus on Europe, Octopus’ home market, and will invest in projects at all stages (development, construction, and operational). New companies creating new offshore wind farms are also eligible for the fund.

The fund is part of Octopus’ plans to invest $19 billion into the offshore wind sector. Its power generation arm first invested in offshore wind last year with stakes in Hornsea One and Lincs in the UK. It has since expanded to other countries, including the Netherlands, South Korea, Norway and Ireland.

“This latest partnership further deepens Octopus Energy’s relationship with Tokyo Gas - and we look forward to welcoming on board more investors so together we can tap into this huge offshore wind opportunity worldwide,” said Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation.

Kentaro Kimoto, Vice President of Tokyo Gas, said his company has set a target to acquire and trade 6 GW of renewable power sources by 2030. “To accomplish this goal, we have proactively taken multifaceted approaches for offshore wind projects, and will accelerate developments of offshore wind, including floating offshore wind,” said Kimoto.

Octopus and Tokyo Gas first joined forces in 2020 to set up the energy supplier Octopus Energy in Japan. Early this year, Octopus also announced plans to scale up its Asia-Pacific renewables investments, as well expanding its energy retail hub in Tokyo.  

 

BOEM Schedules Oil Lease Auctions in Rice's Whale Habitat

Rice's whale (NOAA file image)

PUBLISHED NOV 20, 2023 10:15 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Yielding to a court order, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has agreed to hold an offshore oil auction covering 73 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico, including 6 million acres previously excluded for the protection of the endangered Rice's whale. 

The Rice's whale is a relative of the Bryde's whale, and is found only in the Gulf of Mexico. It has been known to science for decades, but was only formally confirmed as a separate species in 2021, when researchers at NOAA were able to obtain a full carcass to examine for the first time. Estimates suggest that fewer than 50 individuals remain.

Last year, more than 100 marine scientists called for "excluding leasing and other [oil and gas] activities from the whale's habitat," warning that the Rice's whale may soon become the first large whale species to go extinct due to human activity.

In response to these concerns and petitions from environmental groups, BOEM removed Rice's whale habitat areas from a federal lease auction scheduled for September 27. It also asked offshore oil and gas operators to slow traffic to 10 knots and observe a daylight-only policy for crossings of the 100-400 meter depth contour, where the whales are believed to spend time. The rule would have effectively stalled nighttime transits to and from platforms.

Shell, Chevron, the American Petroleum Institute and the State of Louisiana sought an injunction to prohibit BOEM from implementing these new rules in the next lease auction round. Judge James Cain of the 5th District Court ruled in their favor, and BOEM was forced to delay its next lease sale while litigation continued. 

The agency did not immediately give a timeline for when the court-ordered auction would occur. Last week, Cain followed up and ordered BOEM to hold the auction in December. BOEM has agreed to comply, and will carry out the lease auction on December 20. 

“Energy independence scored an important win . . . with the Fifth Circuit decision lifting unjustified restrictions on oil and natural gas vessels and restoring acreage for offshore energy development," said American Petroleum Institute SVP Ryan Meyers, celebrating the court's ruling. "The U.S. Gulf of Mexico plays a critical role in maintaining affordable, reliable American energy production, and [the] decision creates greater certainty for the essential energy workforce and the entire Gulf Coast economy.” 

NOAA has also turned down a petition to slow vessel traffic in Rice's whale habitat areas, saying that it needs to follow a more deliberate regulatory process before imposing limits. 

 

People watched other people shake boxes for science. Here’s why

Peer-Reviewed Publication

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

 

VIDEO: 

WHEN RESEARCHERS ASKED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO WATCH OTHER PEOPLE SHAKE BOXES, IT TOOK JUST SECONDS FOR ALMOST ALL OF THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SHAKING WAS FOR.

view more 

CREDIT: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

When researchers asked hundreds of people to watch other people shake boxes, it took just seconds for almost all of them to figure out what the shaking was for.

The deceptively simple work by Johns Hopkins University perception researchers is the first to demonstrate that people can tell what others are trying to learn just by watching their actions. Published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study reveals a key yet neglected aspect of human cognition, and one with implications for artificial intelligence.

“Just by looking at how someone’s body is moving, you can tell what they are trying to learn about their environment,” said author Chaz Firestone, an assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences who investigates how vision and thought interact. “We do this all the time, but there has been very little research on it.”

Recognizing another person’s actions is something we do every day, whether it’s guessing which way someone is headed or figuring out what object they’re reaching for. These are known as “pragmatic actions.” Numerous studies have shown people can quickly and accurately identify these actions just by watching them. The new Johns Hopkins work investigates a different kind of behavior: “epistemic actions,” which are performed when someone is trying to learn something.

For instance, someone might put their foot in a swimming pool because they’re going for a swim or they might put their foot in a pool to test the water. Though the actions are similar, there are differences and the Johns Hopkins team surmised observers would be able to detect another person’s “epistemic goals” just by watching them.

Across several experiments, researchers asked a total of 500 participants to watch two videos in which someone picks up a box full of objects and shakes it around. One shows someone shaking a box to figure out the number of objects inside it. The other shows someone shaking a box to figure out the shape of the objects inside. Almost every participant knew who was shaking for the number and who was shaking for shape.

“What is surprising to me is how intuitive this is,” said lead author Sholei Croom, a Johns Hopkins graduate student. “People really can suss out what others are trying to figure out, which shows how we can make these judgments even though what we’re looking at is very noisy and changes from person to person.”

Added Firestone, “When you think about all the mental calculations someone must make to understand what someone else is trying to learn, it’s a remarkably complicated process. But our findings show it’s something people do easily.”

The findings could also inform the development of artificial intelligence systems designed to interact with humans. A commercial robot assistant, for example, that can look at a customer and guess what they’re looking for.

“It’s one thing to know where someone is headed or what product they are reaching for,” Firestone said. “But it’s another thing to infer whether someone is lost or what kind of information they are seeking.”

In the future the team would like to pursue whether people can observe someone’s epistemic intent versus their pragmatic intent—what are they up to when they dip their foot in the pool. They’re also interested in when these observational skills emerge in human development and if it’s possible to build computational models to detail exactly how observed physical actions reveal epistemic intent. 

The Johns Hopkins team also included Hanbei Zhou, a sophomore studying neuroscience.

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JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

 

Analysis of cyberstalking research identifies factors associated with perpetration, victimization

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CRIME AND JUSTICE RESEARCH ALLIANCE

The widespread use of digital technologies and the Internet has spurred a new type of personal intrusion, known as cyberstalking. Incidences of cyberstalking have risen, with the U.S. Department of Justice estimating that more than 1.3 million people experience this type of victimization annually. A new study explored research to identify the factors associated with perpetration and victimization in cyberstalking. The study’s findings can inform the development of efforts to prevent and address cyberstalking.

Conducted by a researcher at Sam Houston State University (SHSU), the study appears in the Journal of Criminal Justice.

            “In light of both the high prevalence of cyberstalking and the harmful consequences associated with this type of victimization, it is important to understand more fully the factors that contribute to it,” says Bitna Kim, professor of criminal justice at SHSU, who conducted the study. Kim is an expert whose work is promoted by the NCJA Crime and Justice Research Alliance, which is funded by the National Criminal Justice Association.

Although cyberstalking does not involve physical violence like offline stalking, repeated and unwanted electronic communication can induce fear in victims and make them feel unsafe. Perpetrators are often difficult to find because of the anonymity of the Internet.

            Kim identified nearly 60 studies on cyberstalking between 2002 and 2022. All the studies assessed repeated, unwanted electronic contacts that caused fear. Most of the research (76%) was conducted in the United States; studies were also done in Australia, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, Canada, Chile, Egypt, England, and Portugal. Participants included adults and adolescents.

Through a three-level meta-analytic approach, Kim assessed the relative validity of predictors associated with cyberstalking perpetration and victimization, including those related to individuals’ sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity), background (previous experiences of cybercrime and victimization, as well as offline experiences), risk (e.g., antisocial patterns or attitudes, family risk, attachment issues), and protective domains (e.g., protective traits, guardianship and security). In each domain, she measured subdomains to identify contributing factors. Her ultimate goal: to determine the relation between a potential risk or protective factor and cyberstalking.

            The background domain had the largest effect for cyberstalking perpetration and victimization, followed by the risk domain, while sociodemographic and protective domains had no significant effect. The effect of background and risk varied depending on the age of the participants and the country, highlighting the need for studies that identify the unique factors to cyberstalking in adults from various countries. Among the study’s additional findings:

• People who engage in cyber-aggressive behaviors may put themselves at risk of being cyberstalked or retaliated against by victims.
• Offending experiences, both online and offline, correlated highly with cyberstalking victimization.
• Personality and psychological traits (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) correlated strongly with both cyberstalking perpetration and victimization, as did risky relational traits (e.g., cheating behaviors, romantic jealousy, threats).
• Cyberstalking is similar to offline stalking in several ways, including that antisocial patterns (e.g., risky behaviors, alcohol problems, tendency toward physical fighting, likelihood of carrying a weapon) were significantly associated with both cyberstalking perpetration and victimization.
• Cyberstalking differs from offline stalking in a variety of ways, including that personality and psychological traits relate strongly to cyberstalking but have little or no impact on offline stalking, and that victims of cyberstalking rarely know their stalkers.

“Providing a comprehensive picture of factors that increase and decrease the likelihood of cyberstalking perpetration and victimization can help institutions and governments create prevention strategies,” explains Kim. “This is critical when allocating limited resources efficiently and targeting prevention strategies to areas with the greatest need.”

In designing prevention strategies, Kim suggests that approaches targeting violence in general need to account for the overlap between offending and victimization, as well as the co-occurrence between offline violence and cyberviolence. For example, since the risk of perpetrating and suffering cyberstalking is higher among those who have been victimized online or offline, prevention efforts should consider these background factors.

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JOURNAL

Journal of Criminal Justice

DOI

10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102084 

ARTICLE TITLE

A multilevel meta-analysis of cyberstalking: Domains (and subdomains) of contributing factors

 WOKE WORKS

Anti-bias police training improved performance and reduced discrimination-based complaints significantly

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CRIME AND JUSTICE RESEARCH ALLIANCE

In recent years, many police departments have mandated or encouraged anti-bias training. This has occurred in response to government-imposed measures such as consent decrees or as a proactive attempt to enhance public perceptions of police following actions that have raised concerns about racially motivated and other discriminatory practices. In a new study, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of an anti-bias training intervention in one Californian jurisdiction. The study found that officers who received the training had improved performance scores (measured by Body Worn Camera footage), decreased disparity in how they treated different groups of people, and fewer discrimination-based complaints. Results were small but significant.

The study, by researchers at Washington State University (WSU) and RTI International, is published in Policing: An International Journal.

Through anti-bias training programs, police departments seek to promote fairness in police decision making, enhance public perceptions of police, and ultimately improve interactions between police and community members. Many programs target bias, with two methods used most frequently: implicit bias training (classroom-based training with lectures on the science of bias, strategies to recognize bias, and scenarios for practicing strategies) and counter-bias training (simulation-based training in which officers respond to scenarios to facilitate their recognition of biases in behavior and practice unbiased decision making).

“Despite concerns around bias and departmental commitments to anti-bias training, there is limited evidence on the impact of the trainings on officers’ behavior and decision making in interactions with the community,” explains Lois James, Assistant Dean of Research at WSU’s College of Nursing, who led the study. James is an expert whose work is promoted by the NCJA Crime and Justice Research Alliance, which is funded by the National Criminal Justice Association.

            Between 2019 and 2021, James and her colleagues evaluated the effects of an anti-bias intervention that combined implicit and counter-bias training on two distinct outcomes: officers’ performance as measured by coded body worn camera (BWC) footage of encounters with community members and discrimination-based citizen complaints issued against the police.

Fifty patrol officers from the Sacramento Police Department were randomly selected to participate in the anti-bias intervention. Before and after the intervention, researchers coded a random selection of BWC videos from the intervention group and from a control group of officers who did not take part in the training to assess police performance in interactions with the public. They also collected discrimination-based complaints by community members before and after the intervention for both groups.

            Officers who participated in the anti-bias training had a small but significant increase (approximately 5%) in performance scores compared to officers who did not take part in the training. In addition, officers who were trained had a reduction (approximately 50%) in discrimination-based complaints compared to officers who were not trained.

The improvements in officers’ performance scores appeared to be driven by reductions in disparities in how officers treated community members who were suffering homelessness. The study did not find disparities in how officers interacted with community members based on race, but disparities were observed for gender, with officers receiving lower performance scores in interactions with men than with women.

            “Although our results are from a single municipal police department, ours is the first study to suggest that anti-bias training could have a positive behavioral impact on officers’ behaviors during interactions with the public and on public perceptions of biased treatment by officers,” notes Stephen James, Assistant Professor in WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, who coauthored the study. “As such, this is a tentatively encouraging step forward in demonstrating the effectiveness of anti-bias training.”

“However, our findings should be interpreted with caution and do not necessarily mean that anti-bias training will be successful in improving police interactions with the public,” adds Renée Jean Mitchell, who was a senior research scientist at RTI when she coauthored the study. “Other factors could contribute to these findings and so we encourage more research on this important issue.”

            Moreover, the authors caution that the combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil unrest of 2020 might have influenced results in ways that are difficult to account for, even with a no-training control group. The way police in the jurisdiction studied dealt with these factors might have differed from how other departments dealt with them, so the findings might not generalize to other jurisdictions.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Justice.

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JOURNAL

Policing An International Journal

DOI

10.1108/PIJPSM-01-2023-0014 

ARTICLE TITLE

Results from an effectiveness evaluation of anti-bias training on police behavior and public perceptions of discrimination