ADCP in Ocean Current Measurement of Ningbo - Zhoushan Port

1. Location of Ningbo - Zhoushan Port

Ningbo - Zhoushan Port, situated in the East China Sea, lies across the cities of Ningbo and Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province, China. It is the largest port in the world.

Port Scale and Throughput

Scale: The port facility is huge with many terminals. Its coastline is quite long; the port areas stretch over a wide geographical boundary. It has several deep-water berths that are adequate to accommodate the world's largest container ships and bulk carriers.

Throughput: It has handled an astonishing volume of throughput each year. It handled enormous container load volumes and was considered the key factor in making it such a pivotal node in global container shipping. Besides the containers, in bulk lots, it handles massive volumes of loads like iron ore, coal, and grains, as also liquid chemicals and oil. The port has been demonstrating a steady increase in its throughput volume over these years, thereby cementing its position as a strong player in global trade.

Routes and Business

Routes: The Ningbo - Zhoushan Port has an extensively interlaced web of shipping routes to almost each and every corner of the world. Regular liner services are being operated for major ports in Asia, Europe, America, Africa, and Oceania. It is the key transit for goods which are moving inter-continents. Business: The port is involved in various business activities. This is from the import and export of consumable foodstuffs, electronics, machinery, automobiles, and other consumer durable goods down to carrying raw materials intended for the industries that produce steel, generate energy, and process food.

Management and Operation of the Port

Management operates from a very integrated and efficiently managed system. Since the port authority manages a number of terminals, therefore, it regulates entry and exit of ships. Advanced technologies in use, such as automated container handling systems, intelligent shipping software for scheduling, and real-time tracking systems, are put into application for optimization of operations.

Safety and Security: Safety comes first. Strict safety regulations are put in place to cater for the safety of the workers and the protection of cargo and ships. Environmental protection mechanisms also feature in the management boards as a way of ensuring that the activities of the ports have minimal impact on the surrounding marine environment.

Port Facilities

Container terminals: The container terminals are installed with modern quay cranes and gantry cranes with large lifting capacities and efficient working speeds to facilitate fast loading and unloading of containers. The terminal further installs a modern container yard system supported by automated stacking cranes for efficient storage and retrieval of containers.

Bulk cargo terminals: These are those terminals that can handle bulk cargo and are fitted with conveyor belts, hoppers, and silos. Such terminals have been designed to handle various kinds of bulk materials efficiently with less spilling.

Liquid Cargo Terminals: The liquid cargo terminals have a network of pipelines, storage tanks, and loading arms for handling oil and chemicals. The safety features include spill containment systems and fire protection systems.

Channel and Direct Shipping

The port has well-maintained channels with good depth, capable of allowing in the largest ships. Dredging on a routine basis helps to maintain the depth level in the channels at its required mark. Where direct shipping services to major international ports like Rotterdam in Europe and Los Angeles in the United States have considerably cut down the time taken for transportation along with cutting costs, this increases its competitive edge in global trade.

2. Why must we measure currents in Ningbo - Zhoushan Port?

Influence on Ship Navigation

Ocean currents are a significant factor concerning the navigation of ships around the Ningbo - Zhoushan Port. In fact, this is a busy hub, since thousands of ships enter and leave it daily. Currents affect speed and course. By monitoring ocean currents correctly, ship captains can route with more precision and make relevant adjustments in their speeds to navigate safely and efficiently. For example, in narrow port areas, with knowledge of current direction and speed, ships can avoid collisions and conduct precise maneuvers when docking.

Effect of Ocean Currents on Cargo Handling

Ocean currents can also be responsible for affecting the mode of cargo handling. Strong or unpredictable currents can make the operation of cranes or other equipment used for loading and unloading difficult. If the current is too strong, it will cause the ship to move during loading and unloading. Thus, it would be hard to position the cranes with accuracy. By measuring the currents, the port can plan more efficient cargo handling operations by considering the current conditions, thus minimizing the wait for ships and enhancing the overall efficiency of the work.

Role in Environmental Monitoring

It is important to measure ocean currents with regard to environmental monitoring in the area of the port. In the case of an oil spill or any other pollutants entering the water, with the help of the present data, one can always predict the direction and speed of pollutant spread. The information shall enable the port authorities to adopt timely preventive and remedial measures to safeguard the marine environment. Compared with the traditional method, ADCP current meter has a more advanced and convenient way of measuring ocean currents. Therefore, ADCPs are an indispensable tool in efficiently operating and protecting the environment at Ningbo - Zhoushan Port.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

Measurement Principle

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) work on the basis of the Doppler principle. When an ADCP doppler sends an acoustic signal into the water, the signal is scattered by the particles and other contents within the water. The signal that returns to the ADCP current profiler will have a different frequency from what was transmitted because the water particles are in motion due to the ocean current-a consequence of the Doppler effect. This Doppler shift can then be measured to calculate the velocity of the water particles and hence the velocity of the ocean current.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement: Shipborne ADCP

Shipborne ADCPs are mounted on ships. During the movement of the ship along the area around Ningbo - Zhoushan Port, the ADCP flow meter will send and receive acoustic signals continuously. Therefore, it can measure the ocean currents at each depth by tracing the pathway of the ship. The data collected can be used to analyze current conditions at the areas where the ships are sailing and therefore provide valuable data for them for their navigation and operations.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs would generally be installed in location-fixed positions of the Ningbo - Zhoushan Port, such as on piers or buoys; these ADCP meter would keep in position and continuously monitor the surrounding ocean currents. Long-term and stable current data can be provided, which is useful to understand the overall current patterns and changes in the port area over time.

4. What does it take to achieve high-quality measurements of currents at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port?

Equipment Requirements

Material Reliability: Materials to be applied in the equipment should be of high reliability. In nature, seawater and the marine environment are corrosive; hence, such materials should possess excellent corrosion resistance properties to ensure stability in the measurement and its accuracy for a long time. 

Small Size,Light Weight, Low Power Consumption An ADCP profiler of small size and lightweight is good for installation and operation, especially shipborne ADCPs. Low power consumption means that equipment can operate for long periods of time without frequent battery replacement and without a high-power supply, which becomes very important for both fixed and shipborne ADCPs.

Low-cost for Mass Measurement: The equipment cost should be relatively low to allow large-scale measurement in such a huge Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to be deployable at several locations inside the port for more comprehensive current data.

The Advantage of Using Titanium Alloy for ADCP Casing

Titanium alloy is an excellent choice to be used for casing the acoustic doppler flow meter. It has several prominent advantages, including the following: first, it possesses excellent corrosion resistance; second, it can resist seawater corrosion very effectively to ensure that equipment performs with stability and reliability for a very long time. The strength-to-weight ratio is high, which means that while maintaining enough strength, it could keep the weight relatively low, meeting the demands for small size and light weight. Thirdly, the thermal stability of the titanium alloy is good, in conduction with ensuring the normal function of equipment within a large range of temperature in the port area.

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

According to the Use Purpose

Shipborne ADCP: In case most of the measurements are done on ships, this will be appropriate. It can move along with the ship and measure currents in various areas of the port while navigating. 

Sitting-Bottom ADCP: It can perform long-term and fixed-point monitoring of currents at any point in Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. Generally speaking, the acoustic doppler velocity meter can be installed on the seabed to provide continuous monitoring of the currents around it. 

Buoy -Type ADCP: The buoy -type ADCP is deployed when real - time monitoring of the currents in a certain area of the port is necessary. These buoys can float on the water surface and the ADCP on board can measure the currents around it.

Selection Based on Different Frequencies

Different frequencies of ADCPs are fit for different water depth. For example, the 600 kHz ADCP is suitable for water depths within 70 m. It shall develop more detailed current data in the water with relatively shallow areas. 300 kHz ADCP is suitable for water depths up to 110 m while 75 kHz ADCP for much deeper water levels up to 1000 m. Therefore, the currents can be measured accurately at any depth with regard to the actual water depth conditions of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

There are several well - known ADCP brands such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, for those looking for cost - effective options, the Chinese brand China Sonar PandaADCP is highly recommended. It is made of all - titanium alloy material and has an incredible cost - performance ratio. You can visit its website https://china-sonar.com/ for more information.

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