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

1. Where is Haven Kakumäe Port?

Overview of Haven Kakumäe Port

Haven Kakumäe port is a well-established maritime hub that is in a strategic coastal position. Speaking about its scale, it has an area of considerable size given to different types of port operations. The port's throughput is very impressive, with its cargo ranging from containers to bulk goods like coal and grains to liquid cargos of oil and chemicals. It has an encumbered network of shipping routes connecting it with several domestic and international ports. In fact, the same routes are highly important in importing and exporting goods that include industrial raw materials to consumer products, indispensable in regional and global trade.

All management and operation systems in the port are effective and well-organized. The respective teams are available to perform specific functions like vessel traffic management, handling of cargo with its storage, and custom clearance. The port has adopted advanced software and communication technologies to ensure these operations are well-coordinated. For instance, an automated vessel-tracking system makes scheduling of berthing times possible, besides optimizing the flow of vessels in and out of this facility.

Port Facilities

The port is equipped with a range of modern facilities. It has several berths, which differ in depth and length in order to receive ships of all sizes. Quay areas with modern cranes - both container-handling gantry cranes and heavy-lift cranes for bulk cargos. These include vast warehousing facilities comprising temperature-controlled warehouses for perishable goods and large-scale open-air storage yards for insensitive bulk materials. Besides that, refueling and maintenance of ships are provided for to ensure the vessels have acquired added value during their sojourn at the port.

Channel and Direct Shipping

The channel of this port is well maintained to a high standard. It is deep and wide enough for big draft vessels to safely enter and leave it. Regular dredging works take place in order to counteract the effects of sedimentation and provide the channel with a navigable state. Haven Kakumäe port enjoys direct shipping connections to a large number of major ports. These direct routes decrease transit times and costs, therefore being very attractive for shipping companies and businesses involved in international trade.

2. Why should we measure the ocean currents in the Haven Kakumäe port?

Importance for Port Operation and Management

Measurements of ocean currents in Haven Kakumäe port are of paramount importance for many reasons. To start with, safe navigation depends on a good understanding of the current patterns and velocities. Currents can affect both a ship's course and speed, and correct knowledge about them allows the ship's captain to make exact maneuvers while approaching berths or passing through narrow channels. For instance, a strong cross-current near a berth may make docking quite a difficult task. By having up - to - date current information, captains can adjust their approach angles and speeds to ensure a smooth and safe docking, minimizing the risk of collisions or other accidents.

It is, secondly, crucial for the port's operational efficiency. Current data optimizes ship arrival and departure scheduling. With information about tidal and other regular flow patterns, the port is able to better plan resource allocation: the assignment of berths and handling equipment. Productivity increases, as activities like loading or unloading can be scheduled during the most effective timing of the tides and currents.

Besides that, ocean current measurement is beneficial in terms of environmental protection. For instance, in the case of a spill of some pollutants or hazardous substances, one would easily predict the direction and speed of a current in order to know how such a spill would spread. This aids in fast response mechanisms for containing and limiting environmental damage. Considering these factors, an accurate and at the same convenient way of measurement method such as Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) will help to measure the ocean currents in Haven Kakumäe port.

3. How Do ADCPs Using the Doppler Principle Work?

Measurement Principle

ADCPs work on the principle of the Doppler principle. This means that when an ADCP current meter sends out an acoustic signal into the water, the acoustic signal interacts with the water particles that happen to move with the ocean current. By moving, the water particles create a frequency shift in the reflected acoustic signal received back by the ADCP meter. The frequency shift is proportional to the velocity of the moving water particles according to the Doppler effect. From this frequency shift analysis, the ADCP flow meter is able to find out the speed and the direction of the water flow. By emitting signals at multiple angles and at different depths, the ADCP profilercan create a profile of the ocean current, showing how the current varies with depth.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement Methods

Shipborne ADCP: A shipborne ADCP is installed on ships operating in the Haven Kakumäe port area. As the ship moves around the port, the ADCP current profiler continuously emits acoustic signals into the water below. The ship's movement allows the ADCP to cover a wide area and collect current data from different locations. For instance, in a normal survey of the port, a research or inspection ship with a shipborne ADCP can acquire current pattern data across different parts of the port area, thus fully understanding the flow condition of the waters.

Fixed ADCP: Fixed ADCPs are deployed at specific fixed positions within the port, such as on the seabed at areas of important navigation or at the entrance/exit. These continuously record ocean currents at a fixed position over a long period. These data are helpful in studying the pattern of regular currents at any particular area of the port. For example, the bottom-moored ADCP placed near the port entrance can measure the incoming and outgoing currents, indicating the tidal effects as well as other consistent flow features of that area.

4. What's needed for high - quality measurement of Haven Kakumäe port currents?

Equipment Requirements

To enable high - quality measurement of the currents in Haven Kakumäe port, the following equipment requirements are taken into consideration. Material reliability is the first priority. The equipment has to be resistant to aggressive marine media, including seawater-induced corrosion. Seawater contains a number of salts and other chemicals that may destroy material by corrosion after some time. The equipment also needs to bear the pressure differences at various water depths and mechanical forces due to waves and currents.

Smaller size, lightweight, and low power consumption are preferable. A compact size enables the installation in many different locations within the port, whether on ships, fixed structures like piers, or even on the seabed. A lighter weight can simplify both the installation and transportation of the equipment. The use of less power allows the equipment to operate for continuous long periods without frequent battery replacements or any extreme power supplies, especially in long-term monitoring applications.

Another critical factor is cost. Lower the cost will ensure that more measuring devices can be deployed by the port for monitoring the current for extended areas of the port.

The Advantage of Titanium Alloy for ADCP Casing

The casing for the ADCPs is preferably made from titanium alloy. The resistance to corrosion is good, which implies that the structural integrity and functionality of the alloy can be maintained even after long exposure to seawater. Its high strength-to-weight ratio is able to provide a durable yet relatively lightweight casing. The same goes with those places that have higher water pressures, deeper areas inside the Haven Kakumäe port; an ADCP comprised of a casing made from titanium alloy can bear such water pressures with no significant problem and deliver current measurement results with good accuracy.

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

Selection Based on Usage

Shipborne ADCP: Where the focus is on wide-area surveys of the port waters when the ship is in operational mode, then the shipborne ADCP should be one's option. While the ship navigates around, ADCP covers different parts of the port, collecting extensive data to provide a comprehensive picture of the general current situation in the port. This is applicable for mapping the general patterns of flow and variation in different areas of the port waters.

Sitting - bottom ADCP: they are suitable for the long-term or fixed-point monitoring of some particular places in the port, especially those near the main structure of infrastructure or with complex current behavior. They can record continuously at fixed positions, and then give some valuable insights into the local current characteristics and changes over time.

Buoy-mounted ADCP: The buoy-mounted ADCPs can be used when it is not convenient to install fixed equipment on the seabed or on ships. They float on the water surface and can measure the currents in the upper layers of the water column. Being relatively easy to deploy, they can be relocated if necessary. They are suitable for the monitoring of certain dynamic areas or those which are difficult to reach inside the port.

Selection Based on Frequency

There are several options of frequencies, from which to choose for ADCPs depending on the water depth at the bottom of Haven Kakumäe port. The ADCP of 600 kHz is usually used up to an area of 70 m water depth since it can usually provide reasonable current measurements in this relatively shallow depth range. When dealing with deeper waters up to around 110 meters, an ADCP with a frequency of 300 kHz is more advisable. And for extremely deep sections of the port with a water depth reaching up to 1000 meters, an ADCP with a frequency of 75 kHz is recommended to ensure reliable profiling of the ocean currents at such great depths.

There are several well - known ADCP brands in the market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, there is also an excellent Chinese ADCP brand - China Sonar PandaADCP. It is made entirely of titanium alloy material, which not only ensures its durability in the marine environment but also offers an excellent cost - performance ratio. For more information, you can visit its official website: (https://china-sonar.com/).

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