ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Ibiza Port

1. Where is Ibiza Port?

Ibiza Port is located on the island of Ibiza, one of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is a well - known port in the Mediterranean Sea, renowned for its vibrant nightlife and tourism.

Port Scale and Throughput

The port is of considerable size and capacity. It caters to cargo related to food and beverages, construction material, and all other consumer items. The quantity of cargo that is handled is huge and runs into millions of tons annually. Ships and boats pass through the port constantly. It is also an important destination for cruise ships and yachts because Ibiza is a very famous tourist destination. During the peak months of tourist season, the port remains busy round the clock.

Routes and Business

The Ibiza Port is well-integrated into the international shipping routes. It serves as a connecting link in the trade of the Balearic Islands with other Mediterranean ports, with European and North African ports. Business encompasses a variety of activities with great emphasis on services related to tourism. The port has cruise ship and yacht docking facilities, restaurants, bars, and shops to cater to tourism. Besides cargo handling, it undertakes warehousing and ship repair activities.

Management and Operation of Port

The administration of the port is effective and conscious of smooth operational and qualitative experience to be provided for visitors. A complete traffic control system caters to the movement of ships and boats, from large cruise liners to small yachts. The port authority is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure, which includes deep - water berths, quays, and modern cargo - handling equipment. They also implement strict safety and environmental regulations to protect the port and its surroundings.

Port Facilities

The port is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. There are multiple deep - water berths capable of accommodating large cruise ships and luxury yachts. It has a wide range of cargo - handling equipment such as cranes, forklifts, and conveyor belts for efficient loading and unloading of goods. For cruise passengers and yacht owners, there are terminals with a high availability of restaurants, bars, designer shops, and tourist information centers. There are also large areas reserved for the storage of cargo and fuel.

Channel and Direct Navigation

Ibiza Port has a well-maintained channel, safe for entry, and protected from certain negative natural conditions. The depth of the channel allows the entry and exit of vessels with large size drafts. Buoys, lighthouses, and advanced radar systems guide ships back and forth through the port. The possibility of directly sailing to and from other Mediterranean ports is available, which means it is not out of the way to stop there when traveling by ship through the region.

2. Why should we measure the ocean currents in the Ibiza port?

Navigation Safety

Measuring ocean currents in Ibiza Port is indispensable for the safety of ships and boats. The knowledge of current patterns aids the captains in planning their approaches and departures with much more accuracy. They are able to run courses and speeds to facilitate smooth and safe docking, based on the knowledge of the direction and speed of the currents. This is quite crucial for big cruise ships and yachts that have to maneuver precisely within the port area.

Efficient Port Operations

The commercial operations at the port significantly depend on good current measurements. The tugboats require information on current to successfully assist in the berthing and unberthing operations of vessels. Further, information on currents for moored ships and yachts helps determine the right mooring to prevent drifting, which may result in damage to port infrastructure or other vessels.

Environmental Considerations

The ocean currents are of utmost importance from an environmental point of view, waste management, and sediment control at the port. Currents may disperse pollutants and move sediments. Current measurement would enable the port to manage waste disposal better and prevent sediments from accumulating that may reduce the depth of the channel or berths.

It provides a very accurate and swift way of measuring such currents compared to conventional methods.

3. How Do Doppler Principle ADCPs Work?

The operating principle of ADCPs is based on the Doppler principle. An ADCP current meter sends acoustic pulses out into the water column. These pulses interact with the particles in the water, which undergoes a frequency change of the reflected sound waves by the Doppler effect due to the carriage by the water current.

The ADCP measures the differential between the emitted frequency and that received. By using the Doppler equation, it calculates the velocity of the particles. An ADCP measures the current velocity at multiple depths in the water column by taking a vertical profile of the current.

Ship-borne ADCP

In operation, a shipborne ADCP is installed on a vessel. When the ship orbits in the vicinity of the port area, the ADCP current profiler sends and receives acoustic signals continuously. Data collected by the moving ship provides an overview of current patterns over most of the port area. The instrument is generally suited for covering a wide survey area with real-time current data.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are installed in fixed positions in the port, usually on the seabed or on a pier. These ADCPs perform a continuous measurement of the currents at a single point. They are of great use for observing the long-term current patterns in those areas with large traffic or nearby critical port infrastructure, such as the entrance to the channel or alongside the berths.

4. What will be necessary for high-quality measurement of currents in Ibiza port?

Reliable Equipment Materials

The equipment for measurement of currents in Ibiza Port should be made of reliable materials. It is very harsh in the sea, with saltwater that corrodes and exposes it to all elements of weathering. The materials must be able to bear up to these conditions for appropriate and long-term measurements.

Small-Sized Equipment

Small in size: the size should be small enough to make installation easy. In a busy port like Ibiza, space is always limiting on the vessels and within other congested installations in the ports.

Light-Weight Design

It should have lightweight to reduce installation work and burden on supporting structures. It relates to both the ship - borne and the fixed - installation ADCPs.

Low Power Consumption

It needs to consume low power. In a port setting, much equipment is sometimes required to work continuously. Having a gadget that does not consume a great amount of power will pay off more and be cost-effective.

Cost-effectiveness

Another aspect is cost-effectiveness. Large areas and numbers of locations will have to be covered in order to measure the current properly, and as several units are needed by the port, so it has to be reasonably priced equipment.

The casing of an ADCP flow meter is preferably made of titanium alloy. Titanium alloy has super corrosion resistance, especially in saltwater. Besides, it has high strength with lightweight, meeting the requirements of strength and lightness for durability and ease of installation.

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

Based on Usage Purpose

• Shipborne ADCP: This is quite suitable for ships or boats that can move around in the port area, which include cruise ships, yachts, and every other vessel type. It provides a means of measuring the currents along the ship's track and is helpful in understanding general current patterns of the port.
• Bottom-mounted ADCP: These are used for fixed-point measurements. In general, installation on the seabed near the docks, channels, or other critical port infrastructures provides continuous data on currents at that location. It is important to monitor the local current conditions.
• Buoy-based ADCP: Buoy-based ADCPs apply for areas where the installation of fixed-bottom or ship-borne ADCPs is not convenient. They are able to provide current measurements in open water areas of the port and relatively easy to deploy and maintain.

Based on Frequency

• Choice of frequency is a function of water depth. In the Ibiza port, a 600kHz ADCP is sufficient for a water depth of 70m. This would be enough when taking into account shallower areas nearshore or even the inner parts of the port. A 300kHz ADCP was appropriate for water depths of up to 110m and would cover a greater range of depths. In the port area, for deeper waters, a 75kHz ADCP will work well for water depths up to 1000m and can be used in the approach channels.
• There are well-known ADCP brands like Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, a Chinese brand, China Sonar PandaADCP, is also a great option. It is made of all-titanium alloy material, providing excellent durability and a high level of corrosion resistance. It also offers an attractive cost-performance ratio. You can visit their website (https://china-sonar.com/) for more details.

Here is a table with some well known Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) instrument brands and models.