| dc.description.abstract | The development of autonomous maritime systems has been proliferating in recent years. One of these systems is a subsea shuttle tanker (SST) concept proposed as a potential alternative to pipelines and tanker ships for liquid CO2 transportation. The SST is an extra-large merchant autonomous underwater vehicle. It travels from onshore facilities, where CO2 is captured and transiently stored, to subsea wells for permanent storage and enhanced oil recovery projects. It is believed that introducing such extra-large AUVs can reduce the occurrence frequency of human-induced accidents. However, the potential accidents related to these vessels are still not detailed identified. Therefore, this work presents the full risk assessment of the SST for liquid CO2 transportation. This work aims to close the gap within the operative context and design characteristics of such autonomous underwater freight vehicles. To do so, a formal safety assessment is performed in accordance with International Maritime Organization standards. First, the most critical information about the SST regarding the risk assessment process is highlighted. Then, the preliminary hazard analysis is implemented to identify hazards and evaluate relevant risks based on the presented baseline SST. Subsequently, systematic hazard identification is used to find critical safety and security risks. Further, corresponding control safety options are addressed for risk mitigation. Finally, generic recommendations for the main design aspects of the SST are provided based on the work results. The presented assessment revealed 90 hazards and relevant scenarios, and the implemented analysis showed that the most prioritised risks are dedicated to human involvement at the stage of mission configuration. It is expected that the results of the performed assessment will be taken into account in further stages of the SST development and may be useful for future unmanned and autonomous marine transportation studies. | |
