ADCP in Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port: Ocean Current Measurement

1. Where is Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port?

Overview of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, formerly known as the Kolkata Port, is located in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is a major port and has traditionally been involved with maritime trade for quite a long period. In fact, it is a large-scale port with a considerable throughput comprised of coal, jute, tea, iron ore, and containers.

It has shipping routes connecting it to other domestic and international ports. The port plays an essential role in providing a gateway in the eastern and northeastern parts of India for trade purposes. The management operates the port with efficiency at different departments. Vessel traffic management teams, cargo handling teams, customs performing teams are different in their roles. Advanced technologies such as automated cargo-tracking systems and digital communication platforms are employed to enhance efficiency in the port's operations.

Port Facilities

Berths: There is a total of several berth types within the port. Some of its berths can accommodate large cargo vessels and others have been earmarked for smaller ships. The berths are fitted with modern mooring and docking facilities to allow for the safe berthing and unberthing of ships.

Cargo-handling Equipment: Along the quay, a wide range of cargo-handling equipment is available. For bulk cargo like coal and iron ore, there are conveyor systems and grabs. For containers, gantry cranes are used to load and unload them. Forklifts and other transfer equipment are also present for handling general cargo.

Storage Facilities: Spacious storage facilities of various categories of cargo exist. There are warehouses for tea, jute, and other general cargo, and stockyards for bulk materials like coal and iron ore. Organized container storage facilities are also there.

Channel and Navigation Aids: The channel in the port is dredged to an adequate depth and width allowing vessels to enter and leave with safety. Dredging is performed regularly to maintain its navigability. There are navigation aids buoys, lighthouses, and radar systems to guide ships.

2. Why measure the ocean currents in Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port?

Significance for the Operation and Management of the Port

The measurement of ocean currents at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port is crucial for several reasons: for vessel navigation safety purposes, knowledge of current direction and speed is paramount when ship captains are approaching the berths or moving through the channel. A strong cross - current near a berth can make docking quite a difficult task. Current measurement accuracy enables the captains to adjust course and speed accordingly for a smooth, safe docking, and to avoid collisions.

It is important in optimizing port operations. Current data are of assistance in the efficient scheduling of ships' arrivals and departures. By understanding the tidal and other regular flow patterns, port authorities can better allocate berthing resources and plan loading and unloading activities. This leads to an improvement in the level of productivity as it enables the more effective coordination of cargo - handling operations.

Besides that, knowledge of ocean currents is important for making forecasts of the spreading of pollutants in case of an accidental spill from an environmental point of view. A number of cargoes, processed in the facility, together with possibly hazardous ones, enable timely response actions aimed at containing and mitigating environmental damage. Given the above considerations, a precise and handy measurement technique, such as ADCP, will be quite useful for measuring ocean currents in the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.

3. Measurement Principle of ADCPs using the Doppler Principle

Measurement Principle

ADCPs work on the Doppler principle. An acoustic signal transmitted from the ADCP profiler travels in the water, where it scatters by the moving particles in the water. Since the water particles are moving due to the ocean current, they shift the frequency of the reflected acoustic signal that is received back by the ADCP meter. The frequency shift, due to the Doppler effect, depends on the velocity of the water flow. Therefore, an analysis of the frequency shift permits the determination of the speed and direction of the flow from the ADCP flow meter. By broadcasting signals both in multiple directions, as well as from multiple depths, the ADCP current profiler is able to develop an ocean current profile of how the current changes with depth.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement Methods

Shipborne ADCP: Shipborne ADCP will be installed on ships operating in the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port area. The ship, while moving around the port, will have the ADCP current meter continuously broadcast acoustic signals into the water underneath it. Movement of the ship enables the ADCP flow meter  to survey a wide area, collecting current data from an extensive area. For instance, if there is a routine survey of the port by a research or inspection ship fitted with a shipborne ADCP, it can collect data on the current patterns in several parts of the port, thereby grasping the full water flow condition.

Fixed ADCP: Fixed ADCPs are deployed in the port at specific, fixed locations, typically on the seafloor around sensitive navigation areas inside the entrance/exit of the port. These ADCPs would continuously collect information on the ocean currents at their fixed locations over a long period of time. This data is used to analyze the regular patterns of current in certain port areas. For example, a bottom-mounted ADCP profiler at the entrance of the port could record series of incoming and outgoing currents to analyze the tides and all the prevalent flow features in that area.

4. What's required for fine-quality measurement of Syama Prasad Mookerjee port currents?

Instrumentation Requirements

In order to achieve high-quality measurements of currents around the Syama Prasad Mookerjee port, the following equipment features are necessary. First is material reliability. The equipment needs to withstand corrosiveness due to saltwater. Seawater shows salts and various other dissolved chemicals, which can cause degradation over time. The equipment also needs to withstand changes in pressure at varying depths of water, as well as mechanical forces due to waves and currents.

Secondly, it will be preferred to have a smaller size, lighter weight, and low power consumption. Compact in size, it is easy to install at numerous places within the port area, either on ships, on fixed structures like piers, or on the seabed. Lighter in weight, it is easier to install and transport. Lower power consumption means the equipment can operate for a very long period of time without frequent changes of batteries, which also provides several advantages in reducing excessive power supply, especially for long-term monitoring applications.

It is also a question of cost. The lower the cost, the more measuring devices can be deployed by the port for wider current monitoring over various areas of the port.

The Advantage of Using Titanium Alloy for ADCP Casing

The casing of ADCPs is preferably made of titanium alloy. The main reasons why the utilization of a titanium alloy is desired are: excellent corrosion resistance, maintaining integrity and functionality under seawater exposure for extended periods; high strength-to-weight ratio allows constructing a casing that could be both durable and relatively lightweight. In the deep sections with higher water pressures, for example, of the Syama Prasad Mookerjee port, an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) that has a casing made of titanium alloy will easily resist such pressures and remain operable with correct current measurements.

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

Selection Based on Usage

Shipborne ADCP: If wide-area surveys of the port waters are to be undertaken with the ship in operation, this is the suitable choice. It will be able to cover different sections of the port as the ship moves around, thereby gathering large quantities of data on the comprehensive overall current situation in the port. This is also good for mapping the general patterns of flow and variations within different areas of the port waters.

Sitting - bottom ADCP: For long - term and fixed - point monitoring of specific locations within the port, such as near important infrastructure or areas with complex current behaviors, sitting - bottom ADCPs are more appropriate. They can continuously record the current data at those fixed positions, providing valuable insights into the local current characteristics and any changes over time.

Buoy-mounted ADCP: These are used when it is not convenient to install fixed equipment on the seabed or on vessels. They are floats on the water surface and can measure the currents in the upper layers of the water column. The buoy-mounted ADCPs have the advantage that they can be easily deployed or relocated. They are relatively easy to deploy, hence they can be suitable for certain dynamic or hard-to-reach areas in the port.

Frequency Selection

ADCPs are chosen based on the frequency of the water depth in Syama Prasad Mookerjee port. The general rule of thumb for waters up to a depth of approximately 70 meters is to use a 600-kHz ADCP, given the acceptable current measurement accuracy over this depth range. When dealing with deeper waters, up to approximately 110 meters, an ADCP flow meter at 300 kHz is highly advisable. In cases of extremely deep sections of the port, with water reaching up to 1000 meters, an ADCP with 75 kHz is recommended to ensure reliable profiling of ocean currents at such large depth.

There are several well - known ADCP current meter 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.