ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Port of Alushta

1. Where is the Port of Alushta?

Port of Alushta is located in the city of Alushta on the Crimean Peninsula and enjoys a fine position facing the Black Sea.

Port Scale and Throughput

This is a medium-sized facility with a reasonable number of berths, all designed to deal with various categories of vessels. It undertakes both local and regional trades, moving various commodities to include fishing products due to the area being set up for these activities. In addition, there is tourist-related traffic that includes small cruise liners and yachts during the height of the tourist season.

Routes and Business The port is predominantly involved in local and short haul trade routes. This is mainly a connecting dot for fishing boats to bring their catch into the local markets and local processing facilities. In terms of tourism, it provides docking facilities for pleasure crafts bringing tourists to come and enjoy the coastal beauty and local attractions.

Port Management and Operation

The port is managed to keep its usability for both commercial and recreational purposes. The management team oversees the operation that includes berthing of fishing vessels and small tourist ships, ensuring smooth loading and unloading of cargo and passengers. Safety and security measures are in place to protect the vessels and people in the port area.

Port Facilities It has basic port facilities. There are quay walls for the docking of various vessels. For fishing purposes, it has handling and storage facilities for fish, inclusive of cold-storage units. Tourist ships also have areas to dock with access to local facilities, such as restaurants and souvenir shops. There are also some maintenance and repair facilities to perform small-scale vessel upkeep.

Channel and Direct Shipping

The channels in this port are developed for the crafts that normally operate within it, mainly fishing boats and smaller cruise ships. The depth and width of the channels are maintained to accommodate such vessels safely. It has direct connections to all nearby coastal ports and fishing harbors for trade and transportation of goods and people.

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

Measuring ocean currents is very relevant to the Port of Alushta for several reasons. Firstly, it has great relevance for the safety of fishing vessels. Ocean currents can significantly influence the navigation of fishing boats. In case of knowledge about the current patterns, the fishermen can plan their trips much safer and try not to get taken away by strong currents. The precise current information contributes to more precise docking during the return to the port, which reduces the risks of collisions either with other vessels or with the quay walls.

Second, for the tourism industry: knowing the current will definitely help small cruise ships and yachts to move efficiently and smoothly. The passengers of such vessels would appreciate a steady and comfortable ride. In return, measuring the currents enables the port to provide more effective guidance to the ships so that they will be able to berth and unberth easily without any hassle caused by unexpected surges in current.

Moreover, it assists in the management of the port over a long period. Currents can bring about changes in the sedimentation processes around the port. The port authorities will, through this information, prepare in advance and do any dredging that may be required to maintain the vessels' area at the right depth. The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) method is more modern and has much more convenience compared to other current measuring techniques.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

ADCPs work on the principle of the Doppler effect: they send acoustic signals into the water. When these acoustic waves meet moving particles in the water-like suspended sediments or small organisms-their frequency changes according to the Doppler effect.

Ship-borne ADCP

Within the Port of Alushta area, a ship-borne ADCP can be installed on fishing vessels or small cruise ships. While the ship is in motion through the water, the ADCP sends out acoustic pulses both downward and sideways. In turn, the frequency shifts of the reflected pulses at different depths are measured. These frequency shifts are analyzed to calculate the velocity of the ocean current at different depths. Real - time navigation data can be obtained from these data, or it can be stored for further analysis.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs can be installed on the seabed, on the side of piers, or other fixed structures. These ADCPs continuously emit and receive acoustic signals. They provide a long - term record of the current velocities and directions at a specific location. This data is useful for understanding the local current patterns and any changes that occur over time.

4. What is needed for high-quality measurements of the currents of the Port of Alushta?

Measuring high-quality current in the Port of Alushta, the equipment should be characterized by specific features. First, the materials of the equipment should be reliable. In ADCPs, for example, the casing can be made from titanium alloy. The reason is that the alloy of titanium is highly resistant to corrosion, especially in seawater. Seawater has a corrosive effect, and such resistance will keep the equipment stable for a long period.

Equipment size should be small and lightweight. A small, lightweight ADCP will be easier to install either on a ship or on a fixed location. It also reduces the load and space requirement, thus it's more convenient for use.

Another important factor is the power consumption, which should be low. As it has to operate continuously in the port environment, low power consumption equipment can operate for a long time without frequent battery replacements or excessive energy supply. The cost of the equipment also needs to be reasonable to allow large-scale deployment for comprehensive current measurement.

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

The choice of appropriate equipment for current measurement in the Port of Alushta will depend on specific usage.

Based on Installation Type

• Ship - borne ADCP: If the goal is to measure the current during the movement of ships or to carry out surveys across different areas of the port, then ship - borne ADCP is quite applicable.
• Bottom - mounted ADCP: For long - term and fixed - point monitoring of current conditions, especially near critical port structures such as channels and berths, bottom - mounted ADCP is the better option.
• Buoy - mounted ADCP: When the focus is on the surface and upper - layer current patterns in the open water area of the port, buoy - mounted ADCP can be considered.

Based on Frequency

The choice of frequency depends on the water depth. An ADCP with 600 kHz can work up to a depth of about 70 m and could be applied in more shallow parts of the port, whereas a 300 kHz ADCP will work for up to about 110 m depth and will thus be adequate over much larger depth variation within the main part of the port. The ADCP of 75 kHz is for much deeper waters, like up to 1000m, and could be deployed at the places where there is a huge depth of water, like near the entrance of the port.

There are well - known ADCP brands like Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, a Chinese brand, China Sonar PandaADCP, is also worth noting. It is made of all - titanium alloy material and offers an excellent cost - performance ratio. You can find more information on its website: (https://china-sonar.com/).

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