ADCP in Tanjung Perak Port: Ocean Current Measurement

1. Where is Tanjung Perak port?

Tanjung Perak port is in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. It is one of the most important ports in Indonesia and a significant hub for maritime trade in Southeast Asia.

Port Scale and Throughput

The port of Tanjung Perak has a large scale with a high throughput. This is a multi-purpose port, serving an assortment of cargo like containers, bulk cargo of coal, grains, ores, liquid cargo of petroleum and chemical, and general cargo. Container traffic, which was big yearly, maintains an increase due to strategic location and a good system of trade ties with countries trading with Peru. It can berth several large vessels, including container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers.

Routes and Business

It is connected to an enormous shipping route network. The nationally-based distribution of various merchandise to other Indonesian ports, as well as inland regions. It also has strong linkages with various Asian, European, Australian, and Americas based-ports. On domestic business activities, the machinery import, electronic import, consumptive goods import is wide, while export, being a variety of Indonesian produce, among others, feature.

Port Management and Operation

The port management is effective, with an emphasis on facilitating smooth and safe operations. The port authority manages many functions, including vessel traffic management, cargo handling, and storage. Advanced technologies are also used to manage the flow of ships and goods. Safety and security are paramount; there are tight security arrangements to protect the port against piracy, smuggling, and terrorism.

Port Facilities

Tanjung Perak Port is a facility that is fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. It has a number of deep-water berths with different characteristics to accommodate various vessel sizes and types. There are modern cranes and other cargo-handling equipment capable of handling high-volume and heavy-load operations. The storage facilities are extensive, comprising container yards, warehouses for different types of goods, and specialized storage for hazardous materials and perishable items. In addition, there are comprehensive ship-repair and maintenance facilities.

Channels and Direct Routes

Channels within Tanjung Perak port are well-maintained, with regular dredging, thus ensuring the safe passage of ships. The port has direct shipping routes to key ports around the world. In addition, these channels are the very important facilitators for enabling the movement of ships and cargo efficiently, therefore enabling the high-volume trade activities that the port is known for.

2. Why do we have to measure the ocean currents in the Tanjung Perak port?

The measurement of the ocean currents in the Tanjung Perak port is highly important. Firstly, for the safety of the ships. With high volumes of shipping traffic, correct knowledge of the current patterns becomes quite indispensable for safe navigation. Currents can affect a ship's maneuverability during docking and undocking, and strong or unpredictable currents may lead to collisions or damage to vessels and port infrastructure. By measuring the currents, port authorities can provide real-time information to ship captains, enabling them to make precise maneuvers.

It is also of importance for the good functioning of the port: The comprehension of the recent patterns contributes to the optimally efficient usage of the facilities. For example, it will help identify the most ideal places to handle and store cargo according to the currents' direction and strength, which leads to more effective loading and unloading, reducing queues of vessels and general operating costs.

Furthermore, from an environmental point of view, the present measurements are highly useful. They can also give insight into the dispersion of pollutants and sediments in the port area. This is very important for a good marine environment and also for dredging and other coastal engineering planning. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) offers a more advanced and convenient way to measure these currents compared to traditional methods.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

Principles

ADCPs are based on the Doppler effect. The ADCPs transmit acoustic signals into the water. As it does so, the acoustic signal encounters particles in the moving water. Due to the up and down movement of particles, the frequency of the reflected signal changes because of a phenomenon known as the Doppler effect.

Ship-borne ADCP

If a ship-borne ADCP is applied in Tanjung Perak, it would be installed onto a vessel. The ADCP current meter produces acoustic pulses either in a downward -looking or side-looking direction as the ship moves through the water. The signals reflected from the water column are picked up and analyzed. The Doppler shift in these signals is used to calculate the velocity of the water current at different depths. This allows for profiling of the current structure while the ship travels through an area.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs can be mounted on structures such as piers or buoys. They continuously emit acoustic signals in a downward - looking direction. The reflected signals are then analyzed for the Doppler shift. By continuously monitoring the current in a specific location, fixed ADCPs can provide a long - term record of the current velocity and direction, which is useful for understanding the current behavior near the port entrance or other critical areas.

4. What is required for high-quality measurement of currents in Tanjung Perak port?

For high-quality current measurement in the Tanjung Perak port, the equipment should be made of reliable materials. Small-sized and lightweight designs are useful, particularly for ship-borne ADCPs. This will enable easy installation and transportation.

It is very important, especially for fixed ADCPs that are supposed to work all the time. Cost-effectiveness allows deploying as many devices as necessary for proper current measurement.

The casing of ADCP flow meter is preferably made of titanium alloy. Titanium alloy has excellent corrosion resistance, which is very important in the marine environment of the port. Seawater in Tanjung Perak is salty, which corrodes ordinary metals. Thus, for the purpose of maintaining the long-term durability of equipment, it would be important to make the equipment resistant to seawater corrosion by using titanium alloy. It is also tough and has a high strength-to-weight ratio that would be helpful for keeping the weight of the overall device as low as possible without affecting the structural integrity of the device.

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

Based on Usage

Ship-borne ADCP: This is suitable for the measurement of currents during vessel movement. In the Tanjung Perak port, it can be deployed on ships to measure the current that the ship will go through, thus helping in navigation and operational decisions.

Sit-on-bottom ADCP: Ideal for long - term and fixed - point monitoring of currents near the seabed. In the port, it can be used to monitor the current behavior at specific locations such as near the berths or around underwater structures.

Buoy-based ADCP: This is used when the purpose is to monitor currents in a general area for an extended period with some flexibility in location. In Tanjung Perak port, this could be placed in places that might not have frequent passage of ships but are important from the perspective of overall current patterns.

Based on Frequency

An ADCP profiler with 600kHz is usually quite appropriate for waters up to 70m deep, while a frequency of 300kHz will be more suitable at depths around 110m. For very deep waters reaching up to 1000m, the 75kHz ADCP will be an option.

There are well-known ADCP brands such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, a recommended Chinese brand is China Sonar PandaADCP. It is made of all-titanium alloy material, providing excellent durability. It also offers an incredible cost-performance ratio. You can find more information about this brand on its website: (https://china-sonar.com/).

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