ADCP in Igoumenitsa Port: Ocean Current Measurement

1. Where is Igoumenitsa Port?

Overview of Igoumenitsa Port

Igoumenitsa Port is located in the northwest of Greece. It is a large-scale and high-throughput port. The port is an important transportation node, acting as a connecting point between Greece and Italy, as well as other Mediterranean destinations. It handles a wide range of cargo, including containers, vehicles, and various industrial and agricultural products.

Shipping connections at this port are excellent, with regular ferry services operating to Italy and the rest of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Igoumenitsa is also very important in the transport of passengers and cargo. Igoumenitsa Port operates with effectiveness regarding safety and smoothness in operation. Organized teams handle vessel traffic management, cargo handling, and customs procedures.

Port Facilities

Berths: The port has several berths, which were designed to accommodate various vessel types. There are deepwater berths for large ferries and cargo ships. These berths have modern mooring and docking facilities. High-quality fenders and bollards are used to ensure the safe arrival and departure of ships, even in adverse weather conditions and strong currents.

Cargo-handling Equipment: The quay is served by a full range of cargo-handling equipment. This includes gantry cranes to handle containers efficiently during loading and unloading, ramps and specialized loading equipment for vehicles, conveyor systems, forklifts, and cranes for the movement of bulk and general cargo between the ships and storage areas.

Storage Facilities: There are vast storage facilities for various types of cargo. For containers, there are well-organized container yards with an efficient storage and retrieval system. For vehicles, there are parking lots and storage areas. For other cargo, there are warehouses and stockpiles with appropriate containment and security measures.

Channel and Aids to Navigation: The channel of the port is maintained to a depth and width so as to comfortably see large and heavy vessels through. Dredging operations are regularly carried out as part of keeping it always suitable to all vessels with different drafts. Some navigation aids include buoys, beacons, and even radar systems that guide them during ingress and egress from and into the port. The radar systems provide real - time information on the position and movement of other vessels in the vicinity of the port.

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

Importance for Port Operation and Management

Measurement of ocean currents in Igoumenitsa Port is of great importance. First and foremost, for the safety of vessel navigation. The knowledge of current speed and direction is quite important for ship captains in the approach to berths or through the channel. A strong cross - current near a berth can make docking a difficult and dangerous process. For example, a ship approaching a berth against a strong current may need to adjust its speed and angle of approach to ensure a smooth and safe docking. Accurate current measurements allow captains to make informed decisions and reduce the risk of collisions and other accidents.

Secondly, it is crucial for optimizing the port's operations. Current data helps in scheduling the arrival and departure of ships more efficiently. By understanding the tidal currents and other regular flow patterns, port authorities can better allocate berthing resources and plan loading and unloading activities. This leads to improved productivity as it enables more effective coordination of cargo - handling operations.

Furthermore, knowledge of ocean currents is valuable from an environmental point of view in case of an accidental spill of pollutants such as oil or chemicals. Due to the nature of the cargo handled in the port, the spread of a spill needs to be predicted. This data will be used to immediately take containment and mitigation measures so that less damage is caused to the environment.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers represent an improved and more straightforward way of measuring such currents compared to prior methods.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

Measurement Principle

The ADCPs work on the principle of the Doppler effect. When an acoustic signal is sent from the ADCP current meter into the water, it scatters with the moving particles of the water. Since the water is moving because of the ocean current, there is a shift in frequency regarding the reflected acoustic signal, which the ADCP profiler receives back. By the Doppler effect, the shift in frequency depends upon the velocity of the flow.

Calculation of Current Speed and Direction

Using the magnitude and direction of this frequency shift, the ADCP current meter can determine the speed and direction of the ocean current at different levels within the water column. Because it sends out signals at multiple angles and from various depths, it is able to create a profile of the ocean current, detailing how the current changes with depth.

ADCP Deployment in the Port

Shipborne ADCP

A shipborne ADCP installed on ships operating within the Igoumenitsa Port area sends acoustic signals continuously into the water underneath while the ship is in movement around the port area. The movement of the ship enables the ADCP profiler to survey a wide area and collect current data from different locations. For instance, in a normal survey of the port by a research or inspection ship with a shipborne ADCP, it can acquire data of the current patterns across various parts of the port for a comprehensive understanding of the water flow situation.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are installed at fixed, strategic positions within the port; on the seafloor near areas of high navigational interest or inside the entrance/exit of the port. These ADCPs continuously record the ocean currents from their fixed positions over a long period of time. Such data can be used for analyzing regular current patterns in a specific area of the port. For example, a bottom-moored ADCP located near the entrance can monitor the inflow and outflow currents, which will help to understand certain tidal effects and other steady characteristics of flow in that area.

4. What's needed for high - quality measurement of Igoumenitsa port currents?

Equipment Requirements

For high-quality measurement of the currents in Igoumenitsa port, some characteristics of the equipment are of high importance. First of all, the material reliability is the most important factor. The equipment should be able to resist the aggressive marine environment. Seawater contains salts and other chemicals which destroy the materials after some time. The equipment also needs to resist the pressure changes at different water depth and the mechanical forces of waves and currents.

The second desirable feature is smaller size, lighter weight, and lower power consumption. Smaller size allows for installation in various locations within the port, whether on ships, on fixed structures like piers, or on the seabed. A lighter weight makes installation and transportation easier. Reduced power consumption can ensure continuous equipment operation without often replacing the batteries or heavy power supplies, which in most of these circumstances is an essential requirement in cases concerning long-term monitoring.

Another main factor will be cost: an option is lower in cost so that more measuring devices may be used for comprehensive monitoring of the currents in a broader area around the port.

The Advantage of Titanium Alloy for ADCP Casing

The casing of ADCPs is preferably made of titanium alloy. The reason is that titanium alloy has excellent corrosion resistance, which means it can maintain its structural integrity and functionality even when exposed to seawater for a long time. Its high strength-to-weight ratio allows the construction of a durable yet relatively lightweight casing. For instance, in those parts of Igoumenitsa's port that are deeper and are subjected to higher water pressures, an ADCP current meter with a casing made up of a titanium alloy can readily withstand such pressures while it continues to deliver correct measurement of currents.

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

Selection Based on Usage

Shipborne ADCP: This type of ADCP profiler applies to wide-area surveys in port waters if the aim is to carry out while-laying operations. A proper method will be to mount on ships to cover different parts of the port as the ship navigates, gathering lots of data for an integrated perspective on overall current conditions across the whole port. That would be useful in mapping the general flow patterns and their variation among different areas of the port waters.

Sitting - bottom ADCP: The sitting-bottom ADCPs are more suitable for the long-term and fixed-point monitoring of specific locations within the port, near important infrastructure or areas with complex current behaviors. They can record the current data continuously at fixed positions, which can be very useful for obtaining local current characteristics and changes over time.

Buoy-mounted ADCP: In cases when it is not convenient to install fixed equipment on the seabed or on ships, buoy-mounted ADCPs can be used. They float on the water surface and can measure the currents in the upper layers of the water column. They are relatively easy to deploy and can be relocated if needed, making them suitable for monitoring certain dynamic or hard-to-reach areas within the port.

Selection Based on Frequency

The chosen frequency for ADCPs heavily relies on the water depth around Igoumenitsa port. For areas where the water depth is up to 70 meters, an ADCP flow meter with a frequency of 600 kHz would normally be a very good choice since it can normally provide accurate current measurements in this fairly shallow depth range. If deeper waters up to approximately 110 meters are approached, an ADCP current meter of around 300 kHz frequency will be better suited. In cases when there are areas of a really deep section of the port with water up to a depth of 1000 meters, the frequency will go down further to 75 kHz for reliable profiling of the ocean currents at such depth.

There are several well-known ADCP brands in the market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, there is also an excellent Chinese ADCP brand-China Sonar PandaADCP. It is made entirely of titanium alloy material, which not only ensures its durability in the marine environment but also offers an excellent cost-performance ratio. For more information, you can visit its official website: (https://china-sonar.com/).

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