ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in the Port of Eilat

1. Where is the Port of Eilat?

The Port of Eilat is situated at the southernmost tip of Israel, on the Red Sea. It is a strategic port, linking Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Port Scale and Throughput

It is of a relatively smaller scale compared to some of the major Mediterranean ports of Israel but is nonetheless important. A wide variety of cargo is handled in the port, including containers, bulk cargo like minerals and agricultural products, and tourist-related shipments. Throughput is influenced by its role as a transshipment point and gateway for goods coming from and going to countries in the Red Sea region and beyond.

Routes and Business

Eilat Port is connected by shipping routes spanning across the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is connected to the ports in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern and African countries. The lines of business mainly involve various types of goods trading, such as electronics, textiles, and food products. It is also an important center for the import and export of phosphate and other minerals mined in the region. The port also caters to the needs of the tourism industry, with facilities for cruise ships and yachts.

Port Management and Operation

The port is managed by a team of professionals who oversee all aspects of its day-to-day operations. The work includes berthing arrangements for vessels of different types, facilitating coordination in the loading and unloading of cargo, and ensuring the security and safety of the port area. The management also closely works with customs and other regulatory authorities to ensure a smooth flow of goods and to comply with the set international trade regulations.

Port Facilities

It is well-furnished with facilities such as berths suitable for all sizes of ships from small fishing boats to medium-sized cargo vessels and cruise ships; cargo-handling equipment to facilitate the transfer of goods, including cranes and forklifts. Storage areas for various types of cargo and a fueling station for ships complete the package. Additionally, there are facilities for the maintenance and repair of vessels.

Channel and Direct Navigation

The port has a well-maintained channel through which ships can enter and leave safely. The channel is periodically dredged to maintain the depth required for vessels with different drafts. Navigation aids such as buoys and lighthouses are in place to guide ships during their approach and departure, allowing direct navigation for ships from different directions in the Red Sea.

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

Navigation Safety

Measuring ocean currents in the Port of Eilat is indispensable for the safety of ships. The Red Sea has its unique current patterns, and knowledge of these patterns helps ships navigate safely. Strong or unpredictable currents can pose a risk to vessels, especially those with limited maneuverability or those unfamiliar with the area. By having accurate current data, ships can adjust their speed and course to avoid collisions or running aground.

Efficiency of the port operations

It will contribute to the effective running of the port. By having ocean currents, it enables more reasonable booklets of ship arrivals and departures. With proper ocean currents, the boats can use them while entering and leaving the ports because they will consume less fuel. This can ensure resources at the port are engaged better and the waiting lines in ships as well.

Environmental Protection

From an environmental point of view, current measurements are meaningful. Currents may lead to the dispersion of pollutants like oil spills or wastewater discharges. In the event of any accident, the known patterns of currents will definitely be helpful in taking efficient containment and clean-up operations. This reduces the effects of pollutants on the marine environment and the coastal areas surrounding the port.

Infrastructure Maintenance

Current data is essential for the long-term planning and maintenance of port infrastructures like breakwaters and quay walls. In due course of time, these structures are susceptible to damage due to forces of ocean currents. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) offers a more advanced and convenient measurement of ocean currents compared to traditional methods. It gives highly detailed and real-time information on current profiles at different depths.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

ADCPs work on the basis of the Doppler principle. They emit acoustic signals into the water. As soon as these acoustic waves run into moving particles in the water-as for example sediment particles, plankton, or other small organisms which are conveyed by the ocean current-the frequency of the reflected waves is changed. This shift in frequency, commonly referred to as the Doppler shift, is directly related to the velocity of the moving particles and therefore the velocity of the ocean current.

Generally, ADCPs have multiple transducers to emit and receive these acoustic signals in different directions. By measuring the Doppler shift from multiple directions-most often in a three - dimensional or two - dimensional configuration-the ADCP can compute an estimate of the speed and direction of the ocean current at different depths.

4. ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement

Shipborne ADCP

Shipborne ADCPs are mounted on vessels. The ADCP current meter sends acoustic signals continuously downwards and around while the ship moves through the water. The current velocity is measured as the ship travels across different parts of the port. Its advantages are in its mobility: it allows for measurement over a wide range of locations within the waters of the port. However, the actual ship motion should be taken into consideration for an accurate reading. The methods of calibration and compensation will be used to rectify the errors due to ship movement.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are installed in fixed locations in the port, either on the seabed or on fixed structures such as piers or buoys. They monitor the ocean current continuously at that fixed point for an extended period of time. This would be useful in giving information about the normal patterns of flow within a certain part of the port in the long run. The drawback is that the data only includes information surrounding their place of installation but they are really useful as a means to provide the reference current data for general regions within the port.

5. What's needed for high-quality measurement of Eilat Port currents?

Reliable Equipment Materials

The materials used for this equipment have to be reliable, considering high-quality measurement is required for ocean currents in the Port of Eilat. Seawater is corrosive, and floating debris may also impact it. It needs a durable material that can withstand the harsh marine environment of the Red Sea and continue with its work for a long time.

Compact and Lightweight Design

This means the equipment must be of smaller size, easy to install, and more so where space is minimal, for instance on small buoys and areas with intricate underwater structures. The unit must be light to ease these installation processes besides making maintenance access easy.

Low Power Consumption

Low power consumption is the pre-requisite, especially in the case of long-term monitoring. Equipment with high power consumption faces difficulties in continuous operation due to a limited power supply option in the port area or requires frequent battery replacement.

Cost-Effectiveness

Cost-effectiveness is also an added advantage. For proper current measurement currently in the port, the relatively inexpensive equipment can be deployed in more numbers to allow a deeper understanding of the current situation throughout the waters of the port area.

Therefore, ADCPs are preferably casings in titanium alloy. Titanium alloy is highly resistant to seawater corrosion and thus promises a long life for this equipment. Besides, this alloy is fairly strong for light applications and, therefore, useful for high pressure at a greater depth without adding bulk and weight to the device. Moreover, its biocompatibility means that it is less likely to cause adverse effects on the marine environment or interfere with the acoustic signals used by the ADCP profiler.

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

Based on Usage Purpose

• Shipborne ADCP: If the intent is to obtain current data over a wide area of the port while the vessel is in operation, say, during regular port surveys or when collecting data for the update of navigational charts, shipborne ADCPs could be a good option. As the ship moves around in different parts of the port.
• Bottom-mounted (Sitting) ADCP: In cases where long-term and fixed-point monitoring of specific locations within the port is needed, such as near critical infrastructure like breakwaters or at the entrance of the port channel, bottom-mounted ADCPs are suitable. They provide stable and continuous data for understanding the local current characteristics.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: Where the installation of fixed equipment on the seabed or on structures is not convenient, or when a floating monitoring point is needed to capture surface and near-surface current conditions, buoy-mounted ADCPs are the way to go.

Based on Different Frequencies

For water depths within 70m, a 600kHz ADCP is often a good option. It would be able to provide relatively high-resolution current profiles in rather shallow water and thus can be appropriate for large parts of the port where the water depth is not too extreme, like near the quay walls or inner harbor.

• For water depths up to 110m, a 300kHz ADCP would be more appropriate. This frequency can effectively penetrate the water column at these depths and accurately measure the current velocities.
• In areas much deeper, like the approach channel of the port, where the water depth can be over 1000 m, a 75 kHz. ADCP is suggested since its lower frequency will have greater depth and will obtain useful current information.

Some well-known brands in the ADCP market are Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, if there is a need to cut costs but still have excellent quality, then the China Sonar PandaADCP will do. It is made of all-titanium alloy material, which combines durability and good performance. With an incredible cost-performance ratio, it provides a great choice for ocean current measurement in the Port of Eilat. You can learn more about it on its official website: https://china-sonar.com/.

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