ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Madeira Port

1. Where is Madeira Port?

Madeira port, located on the Madeira Island, is a famous archipelago standing between the Atlantic Ocean; and it belongs to the Republic of Portugal. Generally, the port is one of the most important nodes to assure the island's transport structure given its landscapes and tourism developments. The scale of the port is quite significant considering the importance of trade and transportation in this island. The cargo handled varies, from food supplies to construction materials, down to goods involved in tourism, like hotel equipment. The throughput varies with seasons-higher in peak tourist seasons. It can also handle a variety of vessels, from small fishing boats to medium-sized cargo ships and cruise liners.

Routes and Business

Madeira Port is also well connected to the rest of the ports in its home country, apart from international shipping routes. Domestically, the port would serve as a crucial link for goods transportation inland from the mainland and vice versa. It traded internationally with several European and African countries. Main activities comprise loading and unloading cargo, warehousing, ship activities such as refueling, and water supply services. Large cruise vessel receptions with rendering services also comprise one of the major involvements at these facilities.

Management and Operation of the Port

This is managed by a locally working port authority who oversee smooth operation of the port. They oversee the handling of vessel traffic and ensure that the port area is safe and secure; and, last but not least, they maintain the port facilities. The management undertakes periodic maintenance and renovations at berths, warehouses, and other infrastructure to cope with the varied vessels and cargoes arriving at the ports. Other related activities would involve working with customs, immigration, and other such agencies with respect to cargo and passengers moving in and out of ports.

Port Facilities

Madeira Port has also been equipped with berths capable of handling ships of various sizes; warehouses, comprising perishable goods, are temperature-controlled. Such loading and unloading gear as cranes and forklifts are also there to assist in cargo transportation. Other facilities include refueling of ships, freshwater provisions, and ship repairs. Terminals, equipped with all comforts for the passengers, such as shops, restaurants, and public transport connections with the island, are at the cruise ships' disposal.

Channel and Direct Shipping

The port has a well-maintained channel through which vessels enter and leave safely. It is also deep enough and wide enough for ships frequenting it, including huge cruise ships. It enjoys direct shipping links to numerous vital ports, further facilitating the reasons of trade and tourism.

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

Navigation Safety

From the point of view of ships, it is very important to know the currents in Madeira Port to ensure safety. During berthing and departure, knowledge about the direction and speed of the current is vital to the captains and pilots. In a port with vessels of different types, knowledge of the real current can avoid accidents such as collision with the port structure or other vessels. Especially cruise ships and large cargo vessels have a smaller ability to manoeuvre.

Optimization of Port Operations

The ocean current information is of great value in optimizing port operations with regard to the time and efficiency in loading and unloading cargo. Such conditions of currents, for example, may raise some problems concerning safe handling of cargo and would definitely influence the positioning of a ship or the additional mooring equipment used for maintaining worker and cargo safety. This would help port operators with proper scheduling and managing these operations to minimize delays and improve the general productivity associated with them.

Planning of Port Infrastructure

In this respect, knowledge of marine currents is useful for planning long-term port development and expansion. These currents form hydrodynamic forces that may impact, over time, the structures within the port, berths, and piers, among others. Professionals use this information in studying, designing, and developing new infrastructure to be resilient to these forces. This goes further as it aids in positions where further developments or enhancements must be made in order not to disturb the water flow the most.

In principle, ADCP represents a more developed and convenient way of measuring currents compared to the traditional way. It can fast and accurately provide current detail information in different layers of depth, offering real-time data which is indispensable for the efficient operation and further development of Madeira Port.

3. How do ADCPs using the principle of the Doppler effect work?

Working of ADCPs is based on the principle of Doppler. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) emits acoustic signals into the water. These acoustic waves are scattered by the suspended particles or other objects in the water which are moving with the ocean current. When the waves reach back to the ADCP current profiler, the frequency of the reflected waves shifts due to the Doppler effect.

From this analysis of the Doppler shift, the ADCP calculates the velocity of the ocean current at different depths.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement: Shipborne ADCP

Shipborne ADCPs are installed on ships operating in and around Madeira Port. While the ship navigates around the port area, the ADCP continuously sends out acoustic signals in various directions. It is able to measure the ocean current at several points along its path and thus provide an overall view of the current distribution in the area covered by the ship's movement.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are usually deployed at one location within the port, for instance, on the seabed near important infrastructure or at a strategic point in the waterway. They continuously monitor the ocean current conditions at that particular location over a long period. This provides valuable data about the regular patterns of the current and its impact on the port facilities at that fixed point.

4. What is needed for high - quality measurement of Madeira port currents?

Material Reliability

Reliable materials are the ones needed to provide high-quality measurement of the ocean currents in Madeira Port. Being in a hostile marine environment, including saltwater corrosion, changes in water pressure at various levels of depth, and the constant force of waves, the materials used should be able to bear up under these stresses without in any way diminishing the performance of the measurement device. The casings of ADCPs can be fabricated from titanium alloy. It provides high strength that enables the material to resist the mechanical forces in the marine environment, and outstanding corrosion resistance for long life in seawater.

Size, Weight, and Power Consumption

The equipment should also be of a small size, lightweight, and low power consumption. A smaller size allows for easy installation in various areas of the port, whether on ships or fixed locations. Light weight ensures ease of handling and deployment, and low power consumption enables the equipment to operate without frequent battery replacement or excessive power supply.

Cost - Effectiveness

Cost-effectiveness is an issue of large-scale measurement. The price must be reasonable to allow for wide application at the port in question, in order to acquire thorough data on currents.

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

According to the Usage Purpose

• Shipborne ADCP: If the purpose is to make mobile measurements while the ship is navigating in the port area with the view of getting a general overview of the situation in different parts of the port as quickly as possible, then shipborne ADCP will be appropriate. It will manage to cover extensive areas while the ship is moving.
• Bottom - mounted ADCP: When there is a need for continuous and long - term monitoring of the ocean current at a specific fixed location in the port, such as near important facilities or areas where the impact of currents on structures needs to be closely observed, bottom - mounted ADCP is more appropriate. It provides stable and consistent data at a fixed position.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: The buoy-mounted ADCP could be useful where it's inconvenient or costly to install fixed equipment either in the seabed or any other structure. These kinds of buoy-mounted ADCP measure the current from the top layers and then radio this data in, if appropriate, for observation purposes.

According to Frequency Divisions

• Within 70m water depth, normally 600kHz ADCP should work quite well in Madeira Port and provide a good reading for the current in this water depth.
• In the area of 110m water depth, the 300kHz ADCP is more suitable to carry out the capturing of current characteristics.
• For deeper water areas with a water depth up to 1000m, 75kHz ADCP should be selected for its deeper penetration and reliable information of current.

There are well - known ADCP brands such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, a Chinese ADCP brand, China Sonar PandaADCP, is also worth considering. It is made of all - titanium alloy materials and offers an excellent cost - performance ratio. You can learn more about it at (https://china-sonar.com/).

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