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

1. Where is the Port of Haifa?

The Port of Haifa is located in the city of Haifa, Israel. It is one of the most important seaports in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Port Scale and Throughput

Large-scale and one of the busiest in the region. It has a high throughput, handling a wide variety of cargo, which includes containers, bulk cargo such as grains and minerals, and liquid cargo like oil and chemicals. It serves as a very important link in the international trade of Israel, with connections to Europe, Asia, and Africa. The infrastructure of the port is built in a manner that it is capable of efficiently dealing with big container ships and other commercial vessels.

Routes and Business

Haifa Port is linked to several international shipping lines. The shipping lines include regular sailings with the ports in Europe: Italy, Greece, and France, among others. In Asia, it connects with ports in Turkey and the Arabian Peninsula. The company undertakes container handling, one of the most important activities in its business operations. The importation and exportation of industrial products, agricultural products, and energy resources are also among the business activities undertaken. The port plays a major role in the regional economy by providing a way of trade and supporting other industries.

Port Management and Operation

The port is managed by a professional team that oversees all aspects of its operation. This includes berthing arrangements for different types of ships, coordinating the loading and unloading of cargo, and ensuring the security and safety of the port area. The operation requires close cooperation among stevedoring companies, customs officials, and other port - related services. The management also focuses on maintaining and upgrading the port's infrastructure to meet the demands of the growing shipping industry.

Port Facilities

It is equipped with state - of - the - art facilities. There are multiple deep - water berths to accommodate large container ships and other vessels. The port has advanced cargo - handling equipment such as large cranes for container lifting and conveyor systems for bulk cargo. There are extensive warehousing facilities for storing different types of cargo. Additionally, it has facilities for ship repair and maintenance, as well as a terminal for handling liquid cargo with proper storage and transfer systems.

Channel and Direct Navigation

The port is served by a well-maintained channel that accommodates safe intake and discharge of ships. Continual dredging maintains its depth to the correct mark for most large vessels. It features modern navigation installations such as buoys, lighthouses, and radar installation to guide vessels on approach or departure, allowing direct passage for ships from various routes in the Mediterranean Sea.

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

Safety of Navigation

The measurement of ocean currents in the Port of Haifa is very important from the viewpoint of vessel safety. The knowledge of current patterns helps ships to navigate safely in and out of the port. In the busy shipping lanes of the Mediterranean, strong or unpredictable currents can pose a significant risk to vessels, especially large container ships and tankers. By having accurate current data, ships can adjust their speed and course to avoid collisions and groundings.

Efficient Port Operations

It is also advantageous in the efficient running of the port. The knowledge about the ocean currents helps in efficient scheduling of the ships arriving and departing. For instance, during docking and undocking, ships can make use of favorable currents to reduce fuel consumption. This can reduce cost and efficient utilization of resources at the port, thereby reducing the waiting time for the berths.

Environmental Protection

From an environmental point of view, current measurements are important. Currents can disperse pollutants such as oil spills or wastewater discharges. In the event of an accident, knowledge of the current patterns enables effective containment and clean - up operations. This limits the impact of pollutants on the marine environment and the coastal areas around the port.

Infrastructure Maintenance

Current data is an important input for long-term planning and maintenance of port infrastructures, such as breakwaters and quay walls, since these structures are susceptible to the forces exerted by ocean currents over time. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) provides a more advanced and convenient measurement of ocean currents than traditional methods, with detailed and real-time information on current profiles at different depths.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

ADCPs operate based on the Doppler principle. They send acoustic signals into the water. When these acoustic waves encounter moving particles in the water, such as sediment particles, plankton, or other small organisms carried by the ocean current, the frequency of the reflected waves changes. This change in frequency, known as the Doppler shift, is directly related to the velocity of the moving particles and thus the velocity of the ocean current.

They are generally equipped with multiple transducers emitting and receiving these acoustic signals in various directions. By measuring the Doppler shift from various directions-usually in three- or two-dimensional configuration-the ADCP calculates the speed and direction of the ocean current at different depths.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement: Shipborne ADCP

Shipborne ADCPs are installed on vessels. The ADCP current meter continuously emits acoustic signals downward and around as the ship moves along in the water. With the ship traversing over areas of the port, it continuously monitors the current velocity. With this approach, its main advantage is its mobility over a large number of locations inside the port waters. Its drawback, however, will be in accounting for its own motion to give appropriate results. These methods include calibration and compensation to provide the actual result that may be caused by the movement of the ship.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are deployed at fixed locations in the port, either on the seabed or on fixed structures such as piers or buoys. They continuously monitor the ocean current at that fixed point over an extended period. This provides long-term and consistent data for understanding the regular current patterns in a specific area of the port. The disadvantage is that they only cover a limited area around their installation location, but they are very useful in establishing reference current data for particular regions within the port.

4. What's needed for high-quality measurement of Haifa Port currents?

Reliable Equipment Materials

For high - quality measurement of ocean currents in the Port of Haifa, the equipment materials must be reliable. Given the corrosive nature of seawater and potential impacts from floating debris, a durable material is essential. The equipment should be able to withstand the harsh Mediterranean marine environment and maintain its performance over time.

Compact and Lightweight Design

Equipment size should be small for easy installation, especially in places with limited space, like on small buoys or areas with a complex underwater structure. The lightweight design is advantageous for easy installation and maintenance access.

Low Power Consumption

Low power consumption is very important, especially for long-term monitoring. Equipment that requires high power may hardly keep continuous operation because of the limited options of power supply in the port area or frequent replacement of batteries.

Cost-Effectiveness

Cost-effectiveness is also one of the reasons. Within the port, more widespread deployment due to the availability of equipment at affordable cost enables a far better understanding of current conditions throughout the port waters for comprehensive current measurement.

The casing of an ADCP current profiler is preferably made from a titanium alloy. Titanium alloy has excellent corrosion resistance in seawater, which ensures the longevity of the equipment. It is also relatively strong and lightweight, capable of withstanding high pressures at greater depths without adding excessive 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.

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

Based on Usage Purpose

• Shipborne ADCP: If the intention is to obtain current data over a wide area of the port while the ship is in operation, for example, during regular port surveys or when collecting data for navigational chart updates, shipborne ADCPs are a good choice. They can cover different parts of the port as the ship moves around.
• Bottom-mounted (Sitting) ADCP: When long-term and fixed-point monitoring of specific locations within the port is required, 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: In cases where fixed equipment installation 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 provides relatively high-resolution current profiles in shallower areas and hence is suitable for many parts of the port where the water depth is not extremely deep, such as near the quay walls or in the inner harbor.

• ADCP at 300kHz should be used for water depth of up to 110m. It will help to properly penetrate the water column in these waters and measure the currents more accurately.
• For far deeper areas, such as in the approach channel of the port where the water depth could be more than 1000m, a 75kHz ADCP is recommended. The lower frequency will be able to reach greater depths and still obtain useful current information.

There are renowned ADCP brands such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, for those looking for a cost-effective option with excellent quality, the China Sonar PandaADCP is worth considering. It is made of all-titanium alloy material, which combines durability and good performance. With its incredible cost-performance ratio, it provides a great choice for ocean current measurement in the Port of Haifa. 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.