ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Genoa Port

1. Where is Genoa Port?

Genoa Port is located in the city of Genoa, in the Liguria region of Italy. It is an important maritime hub in the Mediterranean Sea.

Port Scale and Throughput

Genoa Port is one of the largest and busiest ports in Italy. It has a large port area with an extended length of quay, thus enabling it to receive a big number of vessels. The annual throughput is very high, and there is a great variety in the type of cargo transported, such as containers, bulk cargo like grains and ores, and all kinds of general cargo. The container traffic is one of the major portions of its activities, with a considerable number of TEUs being handled. This will enable it to function as a nodal point in the Mediterranean, catering to the trade of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It has very good connectivity with the Italian hinterland through an extended road and rail network.

Routes and Business

The port is connected with almost all international shipping routes. It is one of the most important players in the Mediterranean shipping scene, while a great number and variety of shipping lines use it either as a regular call port or as an agent. The businesses that are operated include the transportation of goods but also value-added services like warehousing, distribution, and container repair.

Various fields of trade in which the port of Genoa is involved: The port of Genoa has developed as one of the chief ports in car, electronics, and consumer goods import and export. Besides, there are facilities for chemical and other industrial products handling.

Port Management and Operation

Everything is in operation, with the management of the ports being done by both public and private entities. The infrastructural development and maintenance are taken care of by the Port Authority of Genoa. It coordinates with terminal operators, shipping companies, and other service providers for efficient port operations.

This encompasses vessel traffic management, cargo handling, and customs procedures. Advanced technologies are installed that help the process of streamlining goods and vessels to raise overall productivity and safety at the ports.

Port Facilities

Modern facilities characterize Genoa Port. It has modern container terminals that are well-developed and also characterized by high-capacity cranes capable of handling big container ships, while there are specialized terminals in handling different types of bulk cargo, with storage silos and tanks.

The port offers a range of logistics services, including warehousing, cold storage for perishable goods, and container refurbishment. Besides this, the port has dangerous goods handling facilities with strict safety protocols.

Channels and Direct Navigation

The channels of this port are well-maintained and dredged up to the depths necessary for big vessels to pass through. Directly opening into the Mediterranean Sea, ships can be connected to other major ports within the region. Its location enables good access to other Italian ports for easy navigation along the coast.

2. Why is it necessary to measure the ocean currents in the port of Genoa?

Safety of Navigation

Current measurements in the ocean are of utmost importance at Genoa Port for the safe conduct of vessels. The Mediterranean waters surrounding this port may show a quite complicated pattern of currents due to tide and wind conditions and the shape of the seabed topography. Current velocities and directions should be known for ship captains to better plan their approach and departure from the port.

Currents can affect the vessel's manoeuvrability, particularly in critical operations like berthing and un-berthing. This is important information to avoid collisions and other accidents at a busy port such as Genoa.

Port Operations and Efficiency

It is hence very important to understand the existing patterns for the smooth functioning of the port. Currents can, therefore, affect the berthing and unberthing of ships. If the current is not put into proper consideration, it may further lead to difficulty in aligning the ship with the berth and may delay cargo handling.

Currents in general will also affect tugs and other support vessels inside the port area. By the measurement of currents, port authorities could optimize the scheduling of such operations to enhance overall port productivity. The current measurement through ADCP is more sophisticated and more convenient than traditional methods as it provides real-time data for better decision-making in port operations.

3. How does the ADCPs applying the Doppler Principle Work?

The ADCPs depend on the Doppler principle, in that they shoot acoustic pulses through the water column. Whenever these pulses happen to interact with the particles or objects that might be moving along with the current of water, a change in frequency of reflected sound waves would be obtained.

Ship-borne ADCP

A ship-borne ADCP is generally mounted on the hull of a ship. It continuously measures the relative velocity of the current with respect to the ship's motion while the ship is in movement through the water. The device continuously records the Doppler-shifted frequencies of the reflected acoustic signals. With the use of advanced signal-processing algorithms, the relative velocity of the current is calculated. By adding the ship's own velocity (which can be derived from other navigation systems), the absolute current velocity at that location may be calculated.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are mounted in fixed positions in the port, for example on the seabed or on a pier. These ADCPs continuously send acoustic pulses into the water and measure the frequency shift of the reflected signals.

They provide a stationary view of the current velocity at one point. This information is useful for long-term monitoring of current patterns, for example, in order to understand how the currents vary with tidal cycles or seasons.

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

Equipment Characteristics

The equipment to measure the current with high quality in the Port of Genoa needs to be done using good material. Considering its use in marine environments, the equipment should be corrosion-resistant in salt water and extreme conditions. It has a preference for reduced size and weight since this can facilitate its installation and maintenance processes, especially at installation sites like buoys and on ships where space is limited.

Low power consumption, as the deployment could be for a longer period where access to power sources can be minimal. It has to be cost-effective since this will enable higher numbers of such equipment to be deployed for holistic current measurement across the port.

The Advantage of Titanium Alloy Casing

The casing of ADCP is preferably made of titanium alloy. Excellent corrosion properties are also provided with this alloy, making it very important in a port like Genoa. A simple example could be the exposure of this port to seawater at high salinity along with other corrosive agents, which would promptly degrade equipment of less resistant materials. This ensures that equipment made from such a titanium alloy is strong, durable, and able to resist water pressure and possible mechanical impacts.

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

Based on Installation

Type - Ship-borne ADCP: This type is appropriate for vessels that need to measure currents during their transit in and around the port. It provides a mobile way of obtaining current data and is useful for ships such as container vessels and tankers that are always on the move.

Sitting - bottom ADCP: Suitable for fixed-point monitoring of the current at a certain place, like at the entrance of a channel or near a berth. It provides a stable and continuous measurement of the current at that particular point.

Buoy-type ADCP: For regions where a floating platform is more suitable, like open water areas within the port or where the boundaries are not so well defined. Buoy-type ADCPs have the capability of serving a larger area and thus could be of much value when looking at general current patterns within the port.

Frequency-Based

For water to 70m depth, an ADCP with a frequency of 600kHz could normally suffice. Such a high frequency offers higher resolution for water current measurement over relatively shallow water.

For about 110m, the best choice will be an ADCP with 300kHz. It tries to reach a balance between depth penetration and resolution.

In much deeper waters up to 1000m, the 75kHz ADCP is recommended because the lower frequency can travel deeper into the water column for the measurement of currents at greater depths.

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

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