Sustainable Risk Management of Damage to Seaport Infrastructure Caused by Vessel Impacts

This paper presents an analysis of the risk of failure of port structures in a modern seaport due to vessel impacts. The analysis addresses potential damage related to port maneuvers of self-maneuvering vessels and possible risk reduction options that can be applied to enhance port resilience. The proposed system model—including ship, port infrastructure, and environment—enabled the observation of both implemented and anticipated future risk reduction measures. The analysis was carried out using the ferry terminal in the large Polish Port of Gdynia as a case study. A Bayesian influence diagram—including decisions related to the implementation of risk reduction options—was used to determine the total risk associated with Ro-Pax ferry port calls. Sustainable risk management led to the implementation of a cloud-based monitoring system and, subsequently, to the design of a new terminal in line with the green port concept. The main result of the study was a quantitative assessment of the risk of damage to port infrastructure caused by ferries, related to ship maneuvering operations. A comparative assessment of the two locations demonstrated improved safety and reduced environmental pollution in the new Public Ferry Terminal. This improvement was made possible mainly by reduced spatial risk and the implementation of cold-ironing technology.