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Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613903893037056 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Saman, Kaylen |
| author2 | Bosman, Adele |
| author_browse | Bosman, Adele Saman, Kaylen |
| author_facet | Bosman, Adele Saman, Kaylen |
| author_sort | Saman, Kaylen |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134803 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:33.016Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134803 Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports Saman, Kaylen Bosman, Adele Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering. Harbors -- Africa Hydrogen -- Storage -- Africa Hydraulic structures -- Inspection -- Africa Structural health monitoring -- Africa Renewable energy sources -- Africa Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Saman, K. 2025. Developing a Condition Assessment Framework for Green Hydrogen Port Infrastructure in African Ports. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/64e4d134-5577-42b7-8193-9879cf1dc44e ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Maritime infrastructure is central to global trade and critical for the emerging green hydrogen economy. In African ports, condition assessment planning is often undertaken post-construction, resulting in reactive maintenance practices that limit asset performance and shorten service life. The growing interest in green hydrogen as a traded commodity introduces additional technical, operational, and safety requirements for port infrastructure, underscoring the need for a proactive, standardised approach to asset evaluation. At present, no unified technical framework exists for conducting condition assessments of maritime infrastructure within African ports, creating challenges for infrastructure readiness evaluations and hindering the comparability of sites for green hydrogen–related investment. This research developed a technical condition assessment framework tailored to African ports, focusing on the structural, operational, informational, and hydrogen readiness of maritime assets for import and export. Central to this is a hydrogen assessment rubric that integrates liquid hydrogen (LH₂), compressed hydrogen (CH₂), ammonia (NH₃), and liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs), capturing the distinct infrastructure implications of each transport pathway. The methodology combines a comparative review of existing condition assessment manuals (ASCE 130, WSCAM, FICAP) benchmarked against international standards such as PIANC, ISO 55000, and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) guidelines, with adaptations to suit the operational, environmental, and resource constraints of African ports. The applicability of the framework was tested through a case study at Port Nolloth. Its robustness was examined using sensitivity analysis, combining scenario testing with Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the stability of the Composite Condition Index (CCI) under uncertainty. These analyses confirmed that the framework is resilient to parameter variation while remaining sensitive to critical drivers such as hydrogenreadiness thresholds and structural condition. The resulting framework provides a structured, repeatable process for the technical evaluation of maritime infrastructure, supporting lifecycle maintenance planning and enabling transparent, comparable assessments across ports. By embedding green hydrogen–specific requirements within the assessment criteria and applying probabilistic robustness testing, the framework facilitates both technical due diligence and informed investment decision-making. Its adoption will enhance asset utilisation, extend service life, and position African ports to participate competitively in the emerging global green hydrogen economy. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Seevaart-infrastruktuur is sentraal tot wêreldhandel en van kritieke belang vir die opkomende groenwaterstofekonomie. In Afrika-hawens word die beplanning van toestandsbeoordeling dikwels eers na konstruksie onderneem, wat lei tot reaktiewe instandhoudingspraktyke wat bateprestasie beperk en die lewensduur van infrastruktuur verkort. Die groeiende belangstelling in groen waterstof as 'n verhandelbare kommoditeit stel bykomende tegniese, operasionele en veiligheidsvereistes vir hawe-infrastruktuur, wat die behoefte aan 'n proaktiewe, gestandaardiseerde benadering tot bate- ssessering beklemtoon. Tans bestaan daar geen gekonsolideerde tegniese raamwerk vir die uitvoering van toestandsbeoordelings van seevaart infrastruktuur binne Afrika-hawens nie, wat uitdagings skep vir infrastruktuur-gereedheidsevaluerings en belemmer die vergelykbaarheid van alternatiewe haweterreine vir groen waterstofverwante belegging. Hierdie navorsing het 'n tegniese toestandsbeoordelingsraamwerk te ontwikkel wat op Afrika-hawens toegepas kan word, met die fokus op die strukturele, operasionele, inrigtings- en waterstiofgereedheid van seevaart infrastruktuur vir die invoer en uitvoer van groen waterstof. Sentraal tot hierdie raamwerk is ’n waterstof-assesseringsrubriek wat vloeibare waterstof (LH2), saamgeperste waterstof (CH2), ammoniak (NH3) en vloeibare organiese waterstofdraers (LOHC’s) integreer, en sodoende die onderskeie infrastruktuurimplikasies van elke vervoerroete vasvang. Die metodologie integreer 'n vergelykende oorsig van bestaande toestandsbeoordelingshandleidings (ASCE130, WSCAM, FICAP) getoets teen internasionale standaarde soos PIANC, ISO 55000, en die Internasionale Seevaart Organisasie (IMO) se riglyne, met aanpassings om by die operasionele, omgewings- en hulpbronbeperkings van Afrika-hawens aan te pas. Die toepaslikheid van die raamwerk is getoets deur middel van ’n gevallestudie in Port Nolloth. Die robuustheid daarvan is ondersoek deur middel van sensitiwiteitsanalise, waarin scenario-toetsing gekombineer is met Monte Carlo-simulasies om die stabiliteit van die Saamgestelde Toestandindeks (CCI) onder onsekerheid te evalueer. Hierdie ontledings het bevestig dat die raamwerk veerkragtig is teenoor parameterwisselings, terwyl dit sensitief bly vir kritieke drywers soos waterstofgereedheidsdrempels en strukturele toestand. Die resulterende raamwerk bied 'n gestruktureerde, herhaalbare proses vir die tegniese evaluering van seevaart infrastruktuur, wat lewensiklus-onderhoudbeplanning ondersteun en deursigtige, vergelykbare assesserings oor hawens moontlik maak. Deur groen waterstof-spesifieke vereistes in die assesseringskriteria in te sluit, fasiliteer die raamwerk beide tegniese omsigtigheidsondersoek en ingeligte beleggingsbesluitneming. Die aanvaarding daarvan sal batebenutting verbeter, dienslewe verleng en Afrikahawens posisioneer om mededingend deel te neem aan die opkomende globale groen waterstofekonomie. Masters 2026-01-08T10:08:57Z 2026-01-08T10:08:57Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134803 Stellenbosch University 267 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Harbors -- Africa Hydrogen -- Storage -- Africa Hydraulic structures -- Inspection -- Africa Structural health monitoring -- Africa Renewable energy sources -- Africa Saman, Kaylen Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports |
| title | Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports |
| title_full | Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports |
| title_fullStr | Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports |
| title_short | Developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in African ports |
| title_sort | developing a condition assessment framework for green hydrogen port infrastructure in african ports |
| topic | Harbors -- Africa Hydrogen -- Storage -- Africa Hydraulic structures -- Inspection -- Africa Structural health monitoring -- Africa Renewable energy sources -- Africa |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134803 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samankaylen developingaconditionassessmentframeworkforgreenhydrogenportinfrastructureinafricanports |