ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Ancona Port

1. Where is Ancona Port?

The Ancona Port is strategically positioned on the central Adriatic coast of Italy, exactly at the heart of the Adriatic Sea. It is very important in trade exchange between Italy and the Balkan Peninsula, as well as other regions within the Mediterranean. Due to its proximity to major shipping routes, facilitation of goods and passengers is at their best.

Port Scale and Throughput

Ancona Port is a medium-size port with very varied capabilities. It has a number of berths, which have different vessel handling capabilities. These include container ships, passenger ferries, and Ro-Ro vessels. The annual throughput is quite substantial, with very different types of cargo handled within the port. It is highly involved in the import and export of general cargo, including consumer goods, industrial machinery, and building material. Additionally, it is an important passenger port, offering multiple ferry links throughout the Adriatic and beyond.

Routes and Business

The port is connected by a great number of shipping routes. Directly connected with Greek ports, such as Patras and Igoumenitsa, it allows trade and passengers to move between Italy and Greece quite easily. There are also regular ferry services to Croatia, opening the way to the Croatian coasts and islands. Ancona Port plays a significant role in the development of regional tourism, seeing a lot of cruise ships visit the port. On the business side, these are general cargo handling, container trans-shipment, and passenger ferry operation.

Port Management and Operation

The port is operated by the Ancona Port Authority, whose activities are focused on safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Management is responsible for the maintenance of the entire port infrastructure, including berths, quays, and storage facilities. It will also be responsible for enforcing international shipping regulations, safety, and environmental protection. In this direction, the port authority cooperates closely with shipping companies, freight forwarders, and other parties involved, aiming at increasing operation efficiency to make the port more competitive.

Port Facilities

The Ancona Port is a well-equipped modern facility, handling various cargo and vessel types. It has container-handling cranes efficiently loading and unloading containers from ships. Besides this, it has ramps and handling areas for Ro-Ro vessels. Pre- and post-shipment storage areas include warehouses for general cargo and open-air yards for bulk commodities. It also has passenger terminals with embarkation and disembarkation facilities, since there is a huge number of passengers availing the ferry services.

Waterways and Direct Navigation

The access waterways to the Ancona Port are well looked after and kept dredged, meaning they are safe to travel. Inside the port, it has a well-marked channel, while buoys and lighthouses are some of the navigational features that may assist in the approach. It offers direct access to the Adriatic Sea, hence easy access to the global shipping network.

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

Navigation Safety

The accurate knowledge of the ocean currents at Ancona Port is very important for navigation safety. Currents in the Adriatic Sea are induced by tides, wind, and by the exchange of water masses with the Mediterranean Sea. These can be very important for the dynamics of vessels during berthing, unberthing, and restricted areas of maneuverability within the port channels. Measuring the ocean currents will provide ship captains with the necessary information to make informed decisions, alter their courses, and avoid potential collisions or groundings.

Optimization of Port Operations

Ocean currents come in handy in the optimization of port operations. The berthing vessels, which must be carried out with particular concern for the current's direction and strength, a strong current will impact on the berthing process by making it more difficult or time-consuming. With proper measurement of the current, the port operator is able to better plan the timing of vessel maneuvers, utilize resources effectively, and increase the overall efficiency of cargo-handling operations. Currents also impact the movement of port-related equipment, such as tugboats and floating cranes, and an understanding of these factors can enhance operational safety and productivity.

Environmental Protection

Measurement of ocean currents is indispensable in the protection of the environment within the port area, due to the great role that currents play in the dispersion of pollutants. In the case of an oil spill or any other kind of pollutant releases, knowledge of the current pattern may be used to predict the spread of pollutants. Thus, environmental managers are in a better place to employ timely prevention and cleaning measures that protect the sensitive marine ecosystem of the Adriatic Sea and surrounding coastal areas.

In this respect, Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) has emerged as a reliable and efficient tool in measuring the currents in the Ancona Port by providing very accurate and real-time data.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

Measurement Principle

The ADCPs work on the basis of the Doppler effect. When an ADCP current profiler sends a pulse of acoustic energy into the water column, the sound waves encounter suspended particles in the water, such as sediment or small organisms. Moving with the current, these particles cause the sound waves that "bounce" back to the instrument to have a different frequency from the original transmitted frequency. An ADCP determines this change in frequency, also called the Doppler shift. By using the Doppler equation, the instrument can determine the water current velocity at different depths in the water column.

Specific Methods in Port Current Measurement

• Ship-borne ADCP: A ship-borne ADCP is installed on a moving vessel. During the sailing of the ship through the water in Ancona Port, ADCP will measure the current velocity at several depths along the track of the ship. This is quite useful to obtain a broad-scale view of the current condition in the port, which is helpful for large-scale navigation planning.
• Fixed ADCP: Fixed ADCPs are installed at fixed points in the port, either on the seabed or on fixed structures like piers or buoys. The ADCPs installed this way can observe continuously the current conditions at a single point over an extended period of time and hence are able to provide data on long-term trends and local variations of the currents.

4. What is necessary for high-quality measurement of the currents of Ancona Port?

Reliability of Equipment

High-quality ADCP current meter equipment, for current measurement in Ancona Port, needs to be highly reliable. Given that the marine environment off the shores of the Adriatic Sea is highly saline, with unpredictable weather and the possibility of strong winds, it requires that the ADCP also be able to withstand such conditions with as little breakdown as possible. This is where consistent data comes in, which is very important for accurate analysis and decision-making.

Size, Weight, and Power Consumption

The ADCP flow meter should be compact in size and lightweight. This enhances installation, especially where good space is an issue, such as with smaller vessels of a local nature or in congested structures within ports. Low power consumption is another important factor, whereby long-term operation can be achieved, especially for fixed-installed ADCPs that may rely on battery-powered or solar-powered systems.

Cost-effectiveness

The ADCP meter should not be so expensive to make measurements on a large scale in the port area possible. A cheaper ADCP means that, if necessary, several of these units can be deployed to generate full current data from various parts of the port.

Selection of Materials

The ADCP profiler casing should be made of titanium alloy. This is because the titanium alloy allows excellent corrosion resistance, which the equipment would require during long use in the salty marine environment of the Adriatic Sea. Besides this, it is strong yet light; hence, it meets both the requirements of strength and ease of installation.

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

Based on Usage

• Ship-borne ADCP: A good match when one intends to carry out an extensive surveying of the area of the facility. Where quick estimations need to be taken over vast expanses and rapidity, one needs a ship-borne ADCP.
• Sit-on-bottom ADCP: A good bottom-moored ADCP for the cases of long-time monitoring of several places around ports, say entrance or places very close to a berth.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: Conducive for data at the surface of the water and for regions where fixed-bottom installation is not feasible.

Based on Frequency

• For water depths below 70m, an ADCP with a frequency of 600kHz will suffice.
• A 300kHz ADCP is recommended for water depths as high as 110m.
• When working on more extensive waterways, a 75kHz ADCP would be the correct choice.

Some of the famous brands of ADCP in the market include Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, those who want a cheap and high-quality option can consider the Chinese brand: China Sonar ​PandaADCP. It is all made of titanium alloy material to ensure excellent durability in the marine environment and with an incredible cost-performance ratio. You can visit their website at ​https://china-sonar.com/ for more information.

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