ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Kaohsiung Port

1. Where is Kaohsiung Port?

Kaohsiung Port lies in the southwest of Taiwan Island, China. It is one of the biggest and busiest ports in this area.

Port Scale and Throughput

Kaohsiung Port has a huge scale. It comprises several berths, with different types designed to accommodate various vessel sizes, from small to large cargo ships and container vessels. In terms of throughput, it has been handling a significant volume of goods for many years. It is a major hub for containerized cargo, bulk cargo such as coal, iron ore, and grain, as well as liquid bulk like petroleum products. Every year, it handles millions of TEUs container transportations, putting it in one of the front ranks among container ports in the whole of the Asian continent.

Routes and Business

It has very extensive shipping route networks. The major destinations that have a direct connection from this city are major ports like those in East Asia-Shanghai, Tokyo, Busan, Southeast Asia-Singapore, Jakarta, Europe-Rotterdam, Hamburg, and the Americas-Los Angeles, New York. Business is focused basically on international trade. Its core activities in operation include import and export. It acts as a very important transshipment point for goods between Taiwan and the global market; this could be from several industries ranging from electronics, textiles, to machinery.

Port Management and Operation

Kaohsiung Port is managed by a professional port authority. It is supposed to perform the duty of responsibility for planning the port, developing infrastructure in it, and making smooth operations possible. They implement strict safety and environmental regulations. Operations at the port are highly efficient, with modern cargo handling systems and a well-trained work force. A variety of cargoes are handled by terminal operators who employ modern equipment like cranes, fork-lifts, and conveyor belts to ensure rapid loading and unloading of goods.

Facilities

The port is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. It comprises mega container terminals that are also equipped with high-capacity quay cranes to deal with the biggest container vessels. The bulk cargo terminals comprise storage areas and loading/unloading facilities for each type of bulk cargo, optimized for handling. Liquid bulk is catered for by sophisticated pipeline systems and storage tanks. Besides that, there are ship repair facilities including dry docks and maintenance workshops to service vessels.

Channels and Direct Navigation

The navigable channels in Kaohsiung Port are in good condition. It has a dredged main channel to ensure depth for large vessels. It is connected through direct shipping routes with most major international ports, hence promoting better regional trade connectivity. In addition, these direct routes save not only time but also cost in shipping and increase the competitiveness of this port in the global shipping market.

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

Meanwhile, this reflects that measurement about the current is quite vital during Kaohsiung port operational management.

Safety of Vessel Navigation

Accurate knowledge of ocean currents helps ensure vessel navigation safety. Currents can be a factor in the speed of a ship, its direction, and maneuverability. In strong currents-especially in narrow channels and entrances-situations of berthing and unberthing are challenging for the ships. The measurement of the currents enables a pilot to predict in an advanced manner the forces acting on the vessel and to correct the navigation in order to avoid collisions or grounding.

Cargo Handling Efficiency

Understanding ocean currents is very important because this will help optimize cargo handling operations. Currents can affect the stability of the ships during loading and unloading. If the current conditions are not well- known, there are chances that aligning the ship to the loading equipment will be difficult and thus causing delays. Real-time current data enables the port operators to plan better cargo handling operations thus improving efficiency in general.

Environmental Protection

Ocean currents are one of the causes for dispersion of pollutants. In a port environment, with its occasional spills of oil or other harmful substances, knowledge of current patterns is helpful in predicting the spread of pollutants. This will allow timely response measures to be initiated, such as deploying containment booms and clean-up teams in the right areas, thus minimizing environmental impact on the port and surrounding waters.

In contrast, ADCP current meter has become a more modern and easy way of measuring ocean currents in Kaohsiung Port. It provides high-frequency, accurate, and real-time data highly needed in the complicated works of a port.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

ADCP Measurement Principle

The ADCP or Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers work on the principle of the Doppler. An ADCP current profiler sends acoustic signals into the water column. When those acoustic signals strike moving particles in the water-that is, sediments or plankton in suspension the frequency of the reflected signals shifts. By the Doppler effect, if the particles are moving towards the ADCP the frequency of the reflected signal increases, and if away from the instrument, the frequency is lowered. By measuring this frequency shift, the ADCP flow meter can compute the velocity of the water in which the particles are suspended.

ADCP in Port Current Measurement-Particular Methods

Ship-borne ADCP

Shipborne ADCPs are mounted on the hull of a moving ship. While the ship cruises through the water, an ADCP measures the current velocity at different levels beneath the vessel along its track in a continuous profile. The technique is used to map the larger-scale patterns of current in the area of the port, including the main channels and approach areas.

Fixed ADCP

The fixed ADCPs are deployed at some specific locations in the port, near the berths or in narrow channels. These are usually attached with some fixed structure, a piling, or a buoy. They give continuous current velocity and direction at a point as a function of time and provide long-term high-resolution data. This gives an indication of the local current characteristics relevant for the port operations, for instance, those that affect berthing and unberthing processes.

4. What is required to obtain a high-quality measurement of Kaohsiung Port currents?

Equipment Reliability

Reliability of the equipment is the first criterion for high-quality measurement of currents in Kaohsiung Port. The ADCP should be able to resist very aggressive marine media, including saltwater, strong winds, and waves. Its construction should be made of reliable materials for long-time operation without breakdowns.

Small Size, Light Weight, and Low Power Consumption

The ADCP should be of small and lightweight design for easy installation whether on a ship or fixed installation. A compact design makes deployment easier whether installed on a ship or any fixed structure, while light weight devices reduce impacts on the stability of installation platforms. It is quite important that low power consumptions are operated, especially for fixed-deployment ADCPs with battery power or limited power source. This enables them to operate continuously for long periods without the need to replace batteries or frequent power cuts.

Low Cost

The ADCP meter equipment should be low-cost to enable large-scale deployment in the port for current measurement. A low-cost ADCP allows multiple units to be installed at different locations that can cover a larger area of the port and provide more detailed current information.

Titanium Alloy Casing

The housing of the ADCP shall be made of a titanium alloy. A titanium alloy is advantageous in that it offers a very good resistance to corrosion, which is critical for its use over a prolonged period in salty water, like in the case of a port; relatively lightweight, hence making the whole ADCP light in weight; and it possesses a very high strength that would withstand tough situations.

5. How to Choose Appropriate Equipment for Current Measurement?

Depending on Usage

Ship-borne ADCP

If the purpose is to map the current pattern in large scale in the port area during the ship voyage, the ship-borne ADCP is adequate type of equipment. It can easily be erected on the hull of the ship and has given data all along the route followed by the ship.

Bottom-mounted (Sit-on-bottom) ADCP

An ADCP profiler mounted on the seabed is proper for the measurement of mean current characteristics over a longer period at one location near the seabed, for instance in areas with sediment transport, or for studies of how the topography of the seabed affects the current. It can record continuously, then, at that location

Buoy-mounted ADCP

When the emphasis is on the measurement of current profiles at various depths in a fairly mobile way, one can make use of a buoy-mounted ADCP. It is attached to a buoy that may drift with the currents while delivering data on the moving current field.

Based on Frequency

The ADCP frequency selection is based on the water depth: for water depths within 70m, the frequency should be an ADCP of 600kHz; provides high-resolution data for shallow waters. In depths up to 110m, it is better to use a 300kHz ADCP. For water depths of up to 1000m, a 75 kHz ADCP is optimal.

Well, some popular brands include Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. At a very cheap and economical cost with topmost quality, there comes an ADCP made in China named Sonar PandaADCP of the company China Sonar. Material-used all titanium alloy keeps excellent corrosion resistance and makes this very durable. With its incredible cost-performance ratio, it is an ideal choice for ocean current measurement in Kaohsiung Port. 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.