ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Sual Port

1. Location and General Overview of Sual Port

Sual Port is located within the municipality of Sual in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. This strategic port benefits from its coastal position and proximity to important trade routes and economic centers.

Scale and Throughput of Port

The port has a significant scale and throughput. It is well - equipped to handle a variety of cargo, including large quantities of coal, which is a major import for the area. This is due to its role in supporting power generation and other energy - related industries. In addition to coal, it also manages other bulk cargo such as grains, ores, and construction materials.

The container handling facilities at the port have been on the increase, handling a high volume of containers of export and import consumer goods, industrial products, and agricultural produce. The annual throughput is in millions of tons and is therefore an important actor in the regional and national trade network.

Routes and Business

It connects Sual Port with several shipping routes, both domestically and internationally. On a domestic level, the port provides a very important linkage with other major ports of the Philippines for the spread of goods to the country at large. Internationally, the trading routes are associated with the Asian nations, especially with regard to the energy and raw material trade.

The major businesses involved in the port include shipping companies that deal in the movement of various cargo, stevedoring firms that undertake the loading and unloading work, and warehousing companies for storing goods. It also contributes much to the local economy in terms of jobs provided and boosting the allied industries like transport and logistics.

Management and Operation of the Port

A multi-managerial team of port authorities and other concerned bodies runs the port. For smooth traffic flow, ensuring adequate vessel traffic control. Also, berthing plans would be drawn up concerning any kind of vessel to get proper utilization of the berth at the port.

Handling operations strictly follow the requirements of safety and quality with views to prevent damage to goods and ensure the safety of the workers. The port management also focuses on the infrastructure development and maintenance in order to keep the port competitive and capable of handling increased volumes of trade.

Facilities at the Port

Sual Port is a modern and comprehensive facility with a number of deep-water berths, accommodating the largest vessels that range from bulk carriers and container ships to oil tankers. The port features a large-scale container terminal equipped with advanced handling equipment, including gantry cranes and reach stackers.

The storage facilities are enormous, with open-air yards for bulk cargo and covered warehouses for containerized and other sensitive cargo. The port has also installed specialized facilities to handle hazardous cargo, including coal and chemicals, safely by means of storage and transshipment. Other facilities or services provided by the port include bunkering, or the provision of fuel; fresh water supply; and ship repair and maintenance facilities.

Channel and Direct Navigation

The port has a well-maintained and well-marked channel, allowing the safe navigation of ships. The depth of the channel is regularly dredged in order to maintain the required draft for large-capacity vessels. It is well-equipped with a comprehensive set of navigational aids, including buoys, beacons, and radar systems.

These aids enable mariners to navigate correctly through the channel in bad weather and tidal conditions to directly serve all the terminals and berths of the port.

2. Significance of Ocean Current Measurements in Sual Port

Optimal Operations of Vessel

It is necessary to measure ocean currents at Sual Port to improve vessel operations. Understanding the current direction and speed will give a very accurate berthing and mooring. Understanding the currents will enable the port operator to better position the vessels while docking, reducing any form of collision that might result in the loss of both the vessels and the port infrastructure. The ships can also avail of favorable currents during entry and exit at the port, which would have the added advantage of considerable saving of fuel and time for transit. This is quite pertinent in view of the port being large-scale and highly trafficked.

Trade and Logistics Support

Current measurements are important for efficient trade and logistics. Currents can affect shipping schedules. Shipping companies can use current data to better plan their arrivals and departures, thus assuring on-time delivery and minimizing demurrage costs. This optimization of schedules is particularly essential in a port handling diversified time-sensitive cargo like perishable goods and industrial supplies, and is an imperative part of the smooth flow of goods and economic efficiency in the supply chain.

Infrastructure Maintenance and Planning

As a point related to infrastructure, present measurement does provide a number with value for further planning as well as the maintenance at this port. Current-induced hydrodynamical forces acting against piers and other quay facilities, and might have caused more instability, long-duration losses in their durability.

Accurate current data will, on the other hand, enable the port authorities to design more resilient infrastructure, besides scheduling preventive maintenance activities that could extend the lifespan of the structures and ensure continuous operation and safety.

Environmental Considerations

Environmental protection also involves the measurement of ocean currents. The currents in the ocean support the dispersal of pollutants in port waters. For example, in the case of oil spills or discharge of any kind of contaminant, prior knowledge of current patterns provides necessary aid for the realization of efficient containment and cleanup operations. It also assists in monitoring the impact of port activities on the surrounding marine ecosystem and in formulating sustainable development plans that minimize negative environmental impacts.

The ADCP, or Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, is an advanced and more convenient means of measuring ocean currents as compared to traditional techniques. It can provide real-time and detailed information on the current profile, hence allowing for more accurate and efficient monitoring of the ocean currents in the port area.

3. Working Principle of ADCPs Using the Doppler Principle

ADCPs work on the principle of the Doppler effect. They send out an acoustic signal into the water. These acoustic waves scatter off the moving particles in the water, such as suspended sediments or small organisms. When these acoustic waves hit the moving particles, due to the Doppler effect, the frequency of the reflected waves changes.

This frequency shift of the reflected signals is measured by the ADCP profiler. Using some particular algorithms and calibration, it calculates the velocity of the moving particles. Because the movement of these particles is principally caused by the ocean current, the ADCP current meter can measure the velocity of the current.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement

Shipborne ADCP

Shipborne ADCPs are installed on vessels operating in the port area. When in motion, the ADCP current profiler constantly sends acoustic pulses in several different directions; usually sideways and downwards. It also gauges current velocities along its path at different depths of every movement of the ship. In that way, the data gained during the movement can map out the field of current with detail in the port area for a precise understanding of current patterns at the voyage of the ship.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are deployed at fixed locations in the port, such as on the seafloor or attached to fixed structures like piers or breakwaters. These ADCPs continuously monitor the ocean currents at that particular location over time. The data obtained from fixed ADCPs is quite useful for understanding the long-term and consistent current conditions at key points in the port. The data obtained can then be used as a reference for the operations in ports, studies, and infrastructural plans.

4. Requirements for High-Quality Measurement of Sual Port Currents

Equipment Requirements

The equipment to be used for the high-quality measurement of the ocean currents in Sual Port should be made of reliable materials. It must be able to withstand the harsh marine environment, including the corrosive effects of seawater, high pressures at different water depths, and potential impacts from floating debris.

Other considerations involve the size and weight of the equipment since a smaller size and lower weight are preferable in regard to installation on vessels and on fixed structures that usually have limited space. Therefore, the equipment has greater freedom regarding its location.

The other important factor is the power consumption. A low-power-consuming device would be appropriate as it will have longer hours of work without needing frequent battery changes or too much energy provision. This is because a fixed ADCP may not be as accessible to constant power supplies.

Advantage of Titanium Alloy Casing

ADCPs whose casing is made from the titanium alloy are unrivaled. The corrosion resistance of the titanium alloy is excellent, which enables it to withstand the corrosive effects of seawater for a long period. This contributes to maintaining the integrity and performance of the ADCP flow meter. It also has a high strength-to-weight ratio, enabling a durable yet lightweight design-a factor that is beneficial for both installation and operation. In addition, it can bear very high pressures at deeper levels, thus it has been widely applied in conditions of different water depth levels in the port area.

5. Choosing the Right Equipment for the Measurement of Current

Based on Usage

Shipborne ADCP: This would be considered if the aim is basically to get an overview of the current patterns in the port during the movement of vessels. By sailing the ship through different areas in the port, it can view the whole area over it.

Bottom-mounted (Sitting on the seabed) ADCP: For long-term and continuous monitoring of the current conditions at specific fixed locations, such as near important port structures or in areas where the current characteristics are of particular interest for research or operational reference, bottom-mounted ADCPs are more appropriate. They can provide stable and consistent data over an extended period.

Buoy-mounted ADCP: In cases where measurements of currents are not feasible in certain areas, due to lack of access for fixed installations or because such operations cannot be carried out from ships, buoy-mounted ADCPs are used. These could drift with the currents to limited extents while recording the data and thereby convey the changes in current in those regions.

Based on Frequency

The ADCP of frequency 600 kHz would normally be a good option for water depths within 70 meters; it will give fairly adequate and accurate current measurements in the relatively shallow areas of the port.

In water to a depth of 110 meters, an ADCP of 300 kHz will be more appropriate, considering the ability of penetration in the water column for reliable current data at those depths.

A deeper area, reaching 1000 meters of water depth, is best observed at a 75 kHz frequency ADCP. It could handle such large depth ranges and still measure the ocean currents with acceptable accuracy.

There are several well-known ADCP brands in the market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, it's worth mentioning a cost-effective Chinese ADCP brand-China Sonar PandaADCP. It is made of all-titanium alloy material and offers an impressive price-performance ratio. You can visit its website at (https://china-sonar.com/) for more information.

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