Geoinformation support of the Mediterranean Branch of the Silk Road

DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2019-1-25-102-113

View or download the article (Rus)

About the Authors

Oleg V. Stoletov

Lomonosov Moscow State University,
Leninskie Gory, 1, 119234, Moscow, Russia,
E-mail: oleg-stoletov1@yandex.ru

Ivan A. Chikharev

Sevastopol State University,
Universitetskaya Street, 33, 299053, Sevastopol, Russia,
E-mail: ichikharev@yandex.ru

Olga A. Moskalenko

Sevastopol State University,
Universitetskaya Street, 33, 299053, Sevastopol, Russia,
E-mail: kerulen@bk.ru

Daria V. Makovskaya

Sevastopol State University,
Universitetskaya Street, 33, 299053, Sevastopol, Russia,
E-mail: 76mdvl@mail.ru

Abstract

The article provides a geo-economic analysis of the Mediterranean Branch of the Maritime Silk Road of the XXI century (MSR-XXI). Its geographical boundaries are outlined and its role in the world economy development is denoted. The role of digital technologies in the development of megaproject MSR-XXI is analyzed, individual technological capabilities of its geoinformation support are considered.

China is currently the main destination and shipment of international shipping routes; the country plays a key role in international freight traffic and is increasingly actively engaging high-tech IT companies in the modernization of the digital network of ports of the MSR-XXI routes.

Several cooperation priorities that could be related to the states of the Greater Mediterranean highlighted in the Concept of cooperation at sea within the framework of the initiative “One Belt—One Way”: “Green Development”, “Development of the maritime space and marine resources”, “Maritime security”, “Innovative growth” and “Intergovernmental Cooperation”.

The development of the “Digital Ocean” concept, which is a large and complex system that uses objective marine phenomena as research objects, is based on the national information infrastructure (information highway), is of great importance for the megaproject of the MSR-XXI; it operates with spatial data about the sea and is supported by the newest information technologies. The relevance of the project is determined by the growing resource crisis in recent decades.

In 2018, Chinese researchers presented a unified model and standards for building the “Digital Ocean” platform, which allows to overcome the existing shortcomings of the concept and the absence of its single common structure. The article describes the main characteristics of the project. The implementation by China of the megaproject MSR-XXI provides for the intensive formation of the “Digital Silk Road” based on this platform.

Keywords

Greater Mediterranean, Maritime Silk Road of the XXI Century, geoinformation support, “Digital Silk Road”, “Digital Ocean”, China, global trade, international cooperation, infrastructure projects

References

  1. Braudel F. History and Social Sciences. Historical duration. Philosophy and methodology of history. RIO BGK named after I.A. Baudouin de Courtenay, 2000 (reprint 1963). P. 115–142 (in Russian).
  2. Braudel F. The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World at times of Philip II. Moscow: Languages of Slavic culture, 2002. 496 p. (in Russian).
  3. Chaziza M. The Chinese Maritime Silk Road Initiative: The Role of the Mediterranean. Mediterranean Affairs, 2018. V. 29. Iss. 2. P. 54–69.
  4. Duchâtel M., Sheldon Duplaix А. Blue China: Navigating the Maritime Silk Road to Europe. European Council on Foreign Relations. Policy Brief, April 2018. 57 р. Web resource: https://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/Blue_China_Navigating_the_Maritime_Silk_Road_to_Europe.pdf (accessed 05.05.2018).
  5. Fung K.C., Aminian N., Fu X., Tung Ch.Y. Digital silk road, Silicon Valley and connectivity. Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, 2018. V. 16. No 3. P. 313–336. Web resource: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326431955_Digital_silk_road_Silicon_Valley_and_connectivity (accessed 17.03.2019). DOI: 10.1080/14765284.2018.1491679.
  6. Gemuyeva K.A. Chinese Infrastructure Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa: Loan Financing. Contours of global transformations: politics, economics, law, 2018. V. 11. No 5. P. 55–73. Web resource: https://www.ogt-journal.com/jour/article/viewFile/353/353 (accessed 12.12.2018) (in Russian). DOI: 10.23932/2542-0240-2018-11-5-55-73.
  7. Guo H., Liu J., Qiu Y., Menenti M., Chen F., Uhlir P.F., Zhang L., van Genderen J., Liang D., Ishwaran N., Zhu L., Liu J. The Digital Belt and Road program in support of regional sustainability. International Journal of Digital Earth, 2018. V. 11. No 7. P. 657–669.
  8. Ilyin M.V. Geochronopolitics—the connection of times and spaces. Moscow University Bulletin. Series 12. Political science, 1997. No 2. P. 28–44 (in Russian).
  9. Jiang X. Applications and Practice of Digital Ocean and Digital Coast. Modeling with Digital Ocean and Digital Coast. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2017. P. 205–227.
  10. Komissina I.N. Maritime Silk Road of the XXI century—China’s global geopolitical project. Problems of national strategy, 2017. No 1 (40). P. 60–81. Web resource: https://riss.ru/images/pdf/journal/2017/1/07.pdf (accessed 02.02.2018) (in Russian).
  11. Li W., Liu L., Li J., Peng Ch., Liu Zh. Modeling and implementation of basic digital ocean construction framework. Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 2018. V. 26. No 2. P. 275–284. Web resource: http://jmst.ntou.edu.tw/ marine/26-2/275-284.pdf (accessed 01.02.2019). DOI: 10.6119/JMST.2018.04 (2).0015.
  12. Liu X., Zhang X., Chi T., Qu H., Jiang Y. Study on China Digital Ocean Prototype System. Рroceedings of the WRI World Congress on Software Engineering (WCSE’09). IEEE, 2009. No 1. P. 466–469.
  13. Wallerstein I. The Inventions of Time Space Realities: Towards an Understanding of our Historical Systems. Time of the World: Almanac of modern studies on theoretical history, macrosociology, geopolitics, analysis of world systems and civilizations. Iss. 2: Story Structures. Novosibirsk, 2001 (in Russian).
  14. Wang L., Zhang X. Coastal Flood Forecasting Modeling and Analysis. Modeling with Digital Ocean and Digital Coast. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2017 (a). P. 49–72.
  15. Wang L., Zhang X. Spatial Decision Making and Analysis for Flood Forecasting. Modeling with Digital Ocean and Digital Coast. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2017 (b). P. 113–126.
  16. Zhang X. Ocean and Cost Disaster Data Modeling. Modeling with Digital Ocean and Digital Coast. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2017. P. 127–167.

For citation: Stoletov O.V., Chikharev I.A., Moskalenko O.A., Makovskaya D.V. Geoinformation support of the Mediterranean Branch of the Silk Road. InterCarto. InterGIS. GI support of sustainable development of territories: Proceedings of the International conference. Moscow: Moscow University Press, 2019. V. 25. Part 1. P. 102–113. DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2019-1-25-102-113 (in Russian)