ADCP Application for Ocean Current Measurement at Caniçal Port

1. Where is Caniçal Port?

Caniçal Port is situated on the island of Madeira in Portugal. Comparatively small to some major ones in the area, yet at the same time quite important in local maritime activities.

Port Scale and Throughput

It has a scale that is relatively modest and mainly caters to local fishing fleets and small cargo vessels. The goods in its throughput are generally composed of local fishery products, such as tuna, swordfish, and other catches from the surrounding Atlantic waters. Besides this, there might be shipments of goods vital for the local community, including construction materials and food supplies. Infrastructure is fit for the docking and unloading of small to medium-sized boats.

Routes and Business

Caniçal Port is linked with the rest of the local ports in this island and also has connections with some of the other ports on the Portuguese mainland. Locally, it offers possibilities for the transport of locally produced goods and fish derivatives. The majority of activity involves fishing: the actual catching, reception, handling, and distribution of this catch, along with commercial shipping for cargo, both locally and in a few other areas.

The Port Management and Operation

The port is managed by local authorities or some kind of port management entity. Their responsibilities include the safety and order of the port area, the smooth operation of the docking facilities, and liaison with the relevant agencies such as fisheries and maritime safety. In the interests of keeping the infrastructure of the port in good working condition, regular maintenance is effected on the docks and associated buildings.

Port Facilities

It has docks that accommodate fishing boats and small cargo ships. For the fish that it handles, it can handle facilities for processing it. These could include cold storage to keep it fresh. Similarly, other basic equipment will be found for loading or unloading cargo. Support facilities of the vessels that use these ports could provide ancillary services like fueling or freshwater supply for them. Channel and Direct Shipping

The facility with a channel in Caniçal Port is the kind of place through which boats can transit in and out without any hazards. This is where the depth and width are maintained according to the vessel size that frequents them. Though direct shipping links may not be as wide-ranging as in the case of major ports, the facility provides a vital link in local maritime transport.

2. Why measure ocean currents in the Caniçal Port?

Safety of Fishing and Local Vessels The measurement of ocean currents at Caniçal Port is highly necessary for fishing boats and all other small vessels. It enables the local fishermen to realize the direction and speed of the current for safe navigation, especially while going to the sea and coming back to the port. Awareness of the currents avoids various accidents like collisions with structures of the port or with other boats while arrival or departure.

Optimizing Fishing Operations

The understanding of ocean currents can optimise fishing operations for the fishing industry. Currents control the distribution of fish in any water body, and through the knowledge of the above-mentioned current patterns, fishermen will be better placed in positioning their boats in places where they would achieve higher catch. During unloading at the port, good and accurate current data can facilitate efficient transfer of catch from the boats to port side facilities.

Port Infrastructure Long - Term Planning

Additionally, the knowledge of currents is relevant in the long-term planning of the port facilities. The forces that the currents exert imply something in terms of durability on the docks and other structures at the port. The knowledge of the same therefore enables the port authorities to make appropriate decisions on upgrading and expansion of those with a view that they should be able to withhold the forces over time.

The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) provides a much-advanced and convenient way of measurement in regard to ocean currents than any other traditional methods. This will, in a faster manner, provide quite detailed information on currents at various levels of depth, thus aiding the efficient operation and further developments of Caniçal Port.

3. How does the principle of the Doppler work in ADCPs?

These operate using the Doppler principle whereby it emits acoustic signals to the water. The emitted acoustic waves interact with some suspension particles or any other movements by ocean current-carrying particles in the water. These waves reflected back into the ADCP have varied frequencies due to the Doppler effect.

From this Doppler frequency shift, the ADCP can infer the velocity of the ocean current at different depths.

ADCP in Ocean Current Measurement : Shipborne ADCP

Shipborne ADCPs will be installed on boats operating in and around the Caniçal Port area. In this, while a boat cruises around a port area, the ADCP continuously sends acoustic signals in multiple directions, thereby allowing current measurement at many points along the path of travel, thus yielding a good picture of the distribution of the ocean current within the area covered. Fixed ADCPs are usually deployed at a fixed location in the port, for instance, on the seabed near an important infrastructure or at a strategic point in the waterway. They continuously monitor the ocean current conditions at that particular location over a long period. This provides valuable data about the regular patterns of the current and its impact on the port facilities at that fixed point.

4. What is needed for the best measurement of currents in Caniçal Port?

Material Reliability

Speaking about high - quality ocean current measurement at the Port of Caniçal, what is required first of all is reliable materials. Given the aggressive marine conditions with saltwater corrosion, water pressure differentiated for each depth, and the constant action of waves, the materials must resist them without degrading the performance of the measuring device. The employment of a casing made by titanium alloy is one of the best options for ADCPs. It guarantees high strength, which is capable of resisting mechanical forces in the marine environment, and its corrosion resistance is very good, ensuring a long lifetime in seawater.

Size, Weight, and Power Consumption

Besides, the equipment should be small in size, lightweight, and low power consumption. The small size allows easy installations in different areas of the port, whether on boats or fixed locations. The lightweight allows for easy handling and deployment while the low power consumption ensures the equipment can operate continuously without need for frequent battery replacements or excessive power supply.

Cost - Effectiveness

Cost-effectiveness is important for large-scale measurement. It should be of reasonable cost to enable it to be widely used in the port for comprehensive current data.

5. How to Choose the right equipment for current measurement?

According to the Usage Purpose

• Shipborne ADCP: This could be very helpful when the aim is to do mobile measurements while the boat is navigating in the port area and thus can quickly create an overall view of the actual situation in large parts of the port. A much larger area can be covered with the movement of a boat.
• Bottom-mounted ADCP: When there is a need for continuous and long-term monitoring of the ocean current at a specific fixed location in the port, such as near important facilities or areas where the impact of currents on structures needs to be closely observed, bottom-mounted ADCP is more appropriate. It provides stable and consistent data at a fixed position.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: This type of ADCP can be used in situations when it is not convenient to install fixed equipment on the seabed or on other structures. The buoy-mounted ADCP can measure the ocean current in the upper layers of the water body and transmit the data wirelessly.

According to Different Frequencies

• Water depths within 70m in the Caniçal Port; usually, the 600kHz ADCP is fitted, since it can return quite accurate current data for this depth range.
• For a depth of about 110m, 300kHz ADCP is more suitable because at this depth, it will capture the current characteristics much better. The -75kHz ADCP shall be selected for deeper water areas with up to 1000m of water depth, because it reaches deeper and captures more reliable current information.

There are well - known ADCP brands such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, a Chinese ADCP brand, China Sonar PandaADCP, is also worth considering. It is made of all - titanium alloy materials and offers an excellent cost - performance ratio. You can learn more about it at (https://china-sonar.com/).

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.