ADCP for Ocean Current Measurement in Alexandria Port

1. Where is Alexandria Port?

Alexandria Port lies along the Mediterranean coastline of Egypt, within the city of Alexandria. Being one of the largest and busiest ports in Egypt, it contributes much to Egyptian maritime trade.

Port Scale and Throughput

Alexandrina Port is big and consists of many quays and berths, receiving different vessels such as container ships of giant size, bulk carriers, and passenger liners. In this port, the throughputs have been increasing annually for the past years. Its cargo includes containers, petroleum products, grains, and general merchandise. A high level of import and export is being dealt with annually, and it contributes much to the economic leading role of Egypt.

Routes and Business

It is a very important facility for international shipping routes. In fact, it has direct connections to virtually all the ports in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. These routes make the transportation of goods between regions possible and allow for trade in different products. On the business side, it provides a full service: cargo handling, storage, and customs clearance. The port also has facilities for ship repair and maintenance, which further supports the shipping industry.

Port Management and Operations

The port is governed by the Alexandria Port Authority charged with the smooth operation of all activities relating to the facility. They oversee activities such as berth allocation, traffic within the port, and implementation of various safety and security measures within the facility. Management is also concerned with continuous improvement of port facilities and services for development of its competitiveness in the global maritime market.

Facilities at the Port

Alexandria Port is a modern facility with an advanced infrastructure of its own. It has expansive container terminals with modern handling machinery, gantries, and reach stackers that will be able to load and unload containers in high efficiency and with utmost speed. The bulk cargo terminals are to handle various bulk items, using conveyor systems for moving the products and storage silos. Pipelines and tanks will store liquid cargo handled at the special terminals. Added to this, the port has passenger terminals that boast facilities for passengers of cruise ships.

Channels and Direct Navigation

The port has well-maintained channels that are deep and wide enough to accommodate large vessels. These channels are regularly dredged to ensure a consistent depth. Alexandria Port has direct navigation links to major international shipping lanes, allowing ships to easily access the port from different parts of the world. Added to this geographical advantage, its modern infrastructure makes it an important stop for ships traveling between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal.

2. Why should we measure the ocean currents in the Alexandria Port?

The measurement of the ocean currents in Alexandria Port is very important with regard to several aspects of port operation and management.

Navigation Safety

Precise knowledge of ocean currents is vital for safe navigation. Currents can affect the speed, direction, and maneuverability of a ship. In Alexandria Port, where hundreds of vessels enter and leave daily, knowledge of the current patterns enables pilots and captains to plan their routes more effectively. For example, it allows them to take appropriate courses to avoid collision with other vessels or structures in ports through prior knowledge of strength and direction of currents. Besides, it reduces the risk of grounding, mainly when channels are narrow or have shallow spots.

Cargo Handling Efficiency

Currents can affect cargo handling. Indeed, strong currents will make it very difficult to place a ship precisely at the berth, which increases the time used for loading or unloading a ship. On the basis of the ocean currents measured, port operators can timetable cargo handling at times when ocean currents are at a more favorable condition. This allows for efficiency in operations, shortening ships' turnaround time and thus minimizing costs for the shipping companies.

Ecosystem and Environmental Protection

The general ocean currents of Alexandria Port influence the marine life of the region, such as distribution of nutrients and planktons that control the population of fishes. This will be able to determine the pattern in the dispersal of pollutants and waste material at the said area, so this study will guide a proper ecological waste protection plan or approach. For example, in case some kind of pollutant spill, the understanding of the present pattern can help a lot to predict where it will spread and take up appropriate counter-measure.

The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) has become more advanced and a convenient method than the traditional techniques of measuring the ocean currents of Alexandria Port. It can provide real - time and high-resolution data, crucial for the efficient management of the port.

3. How do the ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

Principle of Measurement by ADCP

The principle behind ADCPs is the Doppler effect. First, a device emits acoustic signals at a known frequency. As those signals meet moving particles in the water, like suspended sediment, plankton, or simply water molecules, the frequency of the reflected signal changes. This shift in frequency, which is proportional to the velocity of the particles along the direction of the acoustic beam, is known as the Doppler shift.

Most ADCPs use multiple acoustic beams typically three or four - oriented at some angle to vertical. By measuring the Doppler shifts of signals received from these different beams, the ADCP current profiler can compute the three-dimensional velocity. The vertical beam provides the vertical component of the velocity, while the angled beams provide the horizontal components.

ADCP in Port Current Measurement - Specific Methods

Ship - borne ADCP

A ship - borne ADCP is installed on the hull of a ship. While the ship moves through the water, the ADCP measures the ocean currents at different depths along the ship's track. This method is useful for obtaining a large - scale view of the current patterns in the port area. The ship can be programmed to drive along specific survey routes, covering different parts of the port, such as channels, berthing areas, and open water areas. Ship-borne ADCPs are able to obtain high-resolution data on the spatial and temporal variations of the currents, which is very valuable for understanding the overall current regime in the port.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are installed in discrete locations within the port, such as near the entrance of the channel, at key berths, or in areas of particular interest. These instruments can be mounted on structures such as buoys, piers, or the seabed. Fixed ADCPs can monitor the ocean currents continuously at a fixed point, and thus provide long-term data of the current characteristics. This information is used to study the long-term trends in the current patterns and for real-time monitoring of the currents for operational purposes, such as vessel traffic control.

4. What is required for high-quality measurement of currents in Alexandria Port?

Reliability of Equipment

The equipment must be highly reliable, allowing high-quality measurement of currents in the Alexandria Port. The ADCP flow meter should not fail due to exposure to salt water, strong winds, and the fluctuating nature of the weather in the port area. The materials used in the ADCP should be resistant to corrosion, ensuring that the operation is long-term and stable.

Size, Weight, and Power Consumption

The ADCP should be small in size and light in weight. A smaller size allows for easier installation, whether it is on a ship or a fixed structure. It also reduces the impact on the flow of water around the device, minimizing measurement errors. A lightweight ADCP is more convenient to handle during deployment and retrieval. Besides that, the power usage by ADCP should be low since fixed-deployed devices may require battery power or small-scale generation systems. This is necessary to enable its operations for the longest period without the need to replace power frequently or recharges.

Cost-effectiveness

In large-scale measurement in the port, the cost of the ADCPs is an influential factor. The equipment should be reasonably priced for the deployment of several units wherever necessary. That will provide better measurement of current patterns in different areas within the port.

Titanium Alloy Casing

The casing of ADCP is preferred to be made by titanium alloy. Titanium alloy has many advantages:. It is very corrosion-resistant, which is necessary for long-term use in the saltwater environment of Alexandria Port. It also has a high strength-to-weight ratio, meaning that it will provide a strong and durable casing while keeping the overall weight of the ADCP as low as possible. Besides, this alloy is bioactive, hence harmless to the aquatic environment because no toxic elements can be released to the water.

5. How to Choose the Right Equipment for Current Measurement?

Based on Usage

Ship - borne ADCP

While the former case is to be used if the purpose is to get a large-scale view of the prevailing patterns in the port during the movement of a ship, a ship-borne ADCP would be the one that can cover a wide area and give data about the variations of the current across its path.

Bottom-mounted (Sit-on-the-bottom) ADCP

A bottom-mounted ADCP is appropriate for a long-term monitoring at one location, such as near the entrance of channel or at a berth. Continuous data obtained from the ADCP can help to develop a clear understanding of the long term trends of local current conditions as well as allowing for real-time monitoring for port operations.

Buoy-mounted (Floating) ADCP

Buoy-mounted ADCP is helpful for measurement of the current in the surface layer. The open water areas in the port may be used to deploy the system with this model type ADCP that can monitor surface-level current pattern. This variety of ADCPs is also apt to carry out interaction of ocean currents at the water surface to the atmosphere.

based on Frequency

The selection of frequency in an ADCP will be based on water depth. In water depths less than 70m, it is good to go with 600kHz in the ADCP. This frequency gives high resolution over shallow water. In deeper water of up to 110 meters, a 300kHz is more viable; it will grant higher penetration within the water mass but still be at a pretty reasonable resolution rate. In that case, one can recommend a 75kHz ADCP as it covers deeper depths up to 1000m.

Some of the well-recognized brands in the ADCP market include Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. In such cases where affordable but quality instruments are being sought, China Sonar PandaADCP is another Chinese brand that stands out. It is made of all - titanium alloy materials, ensuring durability and reliability. With its incredible cost - performance ratio, it is an ideal option for ocean current measurement in Alexandria Port. You can find more information on their official website: [https://china-sonar.com].

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