ADCP's Application to Ocean Current Measurement in Vinaròs Port

1. Where is Vinaròs Port?

Vinaròs Port is located on the eastern coastline of Spain in the province of Castellón, and this port holds great strategic importance regarding the local and regional maritime economic landscape.

Port Scale and Throughput

It has a medium size. It is a port that is facilitated by several berths, which are combined in length to form a good extent to accommodate all kinds of ships. In its throughput, it facilitates all manners of goods, predominantly. It handles all forms of bulk cargo, which range from minerals and grain cereals. From year to year, this port has shown gradual growth due to its increasing infrastructure and a geographical site of location.

Routes and Business

Vinaròs Port is an important hub that links the local region with many other places, both nationally and internationally. It has established shipping lines to and from the main European ports, making the movement of goods easier. The port is commercially active in shipping and mainly focuses on the needs of the local industries. It also serves the fishing industry as a major landing site for local fishing fleets, thereby allowing the distribution of fresh seafood to the local and regional markets.

Port Management and Operations

The port is managed by a professional Port Authority; the authority is responsible for the overall operation, from vessel traffic policing and control to maintaining this port's infrastructure. They ensure application and adherence to safety and environmental legislation. The management coordinates with different stakeholders like shipping companies, fishermen, and local businesses to further enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the port.

Port Facilities

This port is fitted with modern installations. Cargo handling areas are well demarcated, having modern cranes and conveyor systems for quick loading and unloading of goods. Storage facilities are comprised of warehouses and open air storage yards to hold various types of cargo. In addition, the vessel repair and maintenance facilities, fueling stations, and crew amenities will be provided.

Channels and Direct Navigation

The channels to Vinaròs Port are in good condition. The depth of the channels is regularly monitored to ensure that vessels of varying drafts can have safe passage. Along the channels, buoys and lighthouses are provided for navigation purposes. From the open sea, ships can directly go to the port by simply following the shipping lanes. Since the port is very popular, strict systems of traffic management are in place to manage the smooth flow of operations in a safe way.

2. Why would we want to measure the ocean currents in Vinaròs Port?

The measurement of ocean currents in Vinaròs Port, with respect to several aspects related to the operations and management of this port, is really very important.

Navigation Safety

Ocean currents, in some instances, may highly influence the navigation of vessels. In Vinaròs Port, where many ships come and go continuously, knowing the modes of currents is of the essence. Currents can affect a ship's speed, course, and stopping distance. Besides, strong cross-currents can easily sweep a ship off course during berthing and increase the possibility of its collision with other boats or port structures. By measuring currents with good accuracy, captains on board may make decisions, and alter navigation systems to keep their vessel and crew safe.

Optimization of Port Operations

Understanding ocean currents becomes quite necessary for the purpose of smooth port operations. In all the berthing and un-berthing processes, the direction and strength of the current also play a major role. While a favorable current can aid vessels in easy maneuvers, delays occur due to unfavorable or high velocities of flow. Moreover, in respect of the loading and unloading process, the stability of the ship depends upon the current. Real-time current data allow port operators to carry out these operations much more efficiently and reduce the periods of inactivity, resulting in higher overall productivity.

Environmental Protection

Ocean current measurement is indispensable during any environmental disaster related to oil spill or any type of pollutants. Currents give the direction and speed that the pollutants will spread. If port authorities are familiar with the existing pattern, it would be rather easy to predict the probable track the pollutants would travel and thus act swiftly to contain and clean up the spill. This will go a long way in saving the local marine ecosystem on which the fishing industry and ecological balance in the area depend.

Among the different techniques of ocean current measurement, the ADCP current meter represents one of the most sophisticated and handy ones. It provides real-time continuous measurements over a wide range of depths, thus allowing for an accurate understanding of the current structure in the port area.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

ADCP Measurement Principle

The ADCPs are based on the Doppler effect. The ADCP current profiler transmits an acoustic signal through the water column. That acoustic signal is then scattered by the small particles, or even sediment, bubbles, plankton, and others within the water. Those small particles, moving because of the current, shift the frequency of the acoustic signal back to the instrument in ways unlike that at the time the acoustic pulse was sent out. This frequency shift, commonly referred to as the Doppler shift, is proportional to the speed of the particles-and hence the water current. Using precise measurement of this Doppler shift, the ADCP flow meter can determine the speed and direction of the current at a number of points throughout the water column.

ADCP in Port Current Measurement-Specific Means

• Shipborne ADCP: A shipborne ADCP is mounted on a moving ship. This ADCP measurement was done uninterruptedly on the current with the movement of the ship traveling through the port area, which gives an opportunity to quickly create large areas of the port for a general impression of the characteristics of the current flow. However, the movement itself of the ship has to be compensated within the data processing with much care, in order to derive the current velocities of water.
• Fixed ADCP: A fixed ADCP is mounted at a location in the port, including on a pier or a submerged platform. These configurations provide continuous, long-term monitoring at a single-point location. It is usually used for applications that study the long-term trends and variations in the current and for providing current real-time data for port operations in the vicinity of the installation.

4. What is necessary for high-quality measurement of currents in the Vinaròs Port?

Equipment Reliability

To achieve high-quality current measurements in Vinaròs Port, the ADCP profiler equipment should be highly reliable. It will be highly dependent on the materials used in its construction. The casing of the ADCP should be made from a material that will be able to bear the harsh marine environment concerning saltwater, temperature fluctuations, and mechanical stress.

Size, Weight, and Power Consumption

The ADCP shall be compact in size for easy installation at any location within the port, either onboard a ship or a fixed platform. A light-weight design is preferred, especially for ship-borne applications, to avoid affecting the stability of the ship. Low power consumption is also called for, especially for fixed-mounted ADCPs, which may rely on a battery or solar-powered systems for long-term operation.

Cost-effectiveness

The ADCP needs to have a reasonable cost to make its cost-effective, so that more and more current measurements can be enabled in large scales in the port. A reasonably priced unit enables multiple deployments at different points of the port and facilitates proper documentation of currents' patterns in a given place.

Titanium Alloy for ADCP Casing

The ADCP meter casing shall be fabricated with a titanium alloy that has several key advantages. For example, it resists corrosion rather well in seawater conditions, ensuring long-time stability for an ADCP operating in it. In comparison with other active materials with substantial corrosion resistance-like stainless steel, the density of the former is relatively low. Additionally, the mechanical properties of titanium alloy are quite satisfactory to resist pressure and mechanical force during ocean current measurements in the port.

5. How to Choose the Right Equipment for Current Measurement?

Based on Usage

• Ship-borne ADCP: This will be suitable to get a general view of the current pattern in the port in a quicker way. It is ideal for initial surveys or to have a broad-scale assessment of the current conditions across the port area.
• Sit-on-bottom ADCP: This type is well-suited for long-term, fixed-point monitoring of currents. It can provide continuous data over an extended period, which is useful for studying the long-term trends in the port's current conditions.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: Buoy-mounted ADCPs help in the measurement of currents where the installation of fixed-point or ship-borne systems presents a problem. They may be deployed at points in water having a high flow of water or in open-water regions near the port.

Based on Frequency

• A 600kHz ADCP is used for water up to 70m. In areas of Vinaròs Port, where some regions may be quite shallow, this frequency could be applied for detailed measurement in those parts.
• A 300kHz ADCP can be used in water depths of about 110 meters. This would be effective for slightly deeper water areas of the port or even in approaches toward the port.
• A 75kHz ADCP is designed for much deeper waters, up to 1000m. Although Vinaròs Port may not have such extreme depths, in some cases, if there is a need to measure currents in the adjacent offshore areas, this frequency can be considered.

There are several well-known ADCP brands in the market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, for those seeking cost-effective and high-quality solutions, the Chinese brand China Sonar PandaADCP is highly recommended. It is made of all-titanium alloy, ensuring excellent durability in the marine environment. With its incredible cost-performance ratio, it offers a great option for current measurement in Vinaròs Port. You can find more information on their website: (https://china-sonar.com/).

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