Application of ADCP to Ocean Current Measurement in Lamao Port

1. Where is Lamao Port?

Lamao Port is in the province of Bataan in the Philippines. The port possesses a very strategic importance for the regional maritime activities.

Port Scale and Throughput

This port is of a considerable scale and handles significant volumes of cargo. The mentioned facility is a very important hub in the process of importation and exportation of varied cargo, like petroleum products, industrial raw materials, and manufactured goods. Its throughput has been rising these past years as this facility continues to play its role in facilitating trade, both internally and internationally.

Routes and Business

Lamao Port has links to many domestic and international routes. In the country, it has connections to all major ports around the Philippines, ensuring easy transport of goods to the various economic hubs. At the international level, it has trading partners from the neighboring and other far-flung countries that have fostered the export and import of a wide range of goods. The major activities and businesses within the port include container shipping, bulk cargo handling, warehousing, and distribution services.

Management and Operation of the Port

The port is managed by professional port authorities who see to it that the facility operates efficiently and safely. They are responsible for the management of vessel traffic, berthing arrangements, cargo handling procedures, and security matters concerning the port. The port authorities work in close liaison with relevant government agencies, shipping companies, and other operators in tackling operational challenges in a way that secures further enhancement of the services of the port.

Port Facilities

It has modern facilities. There are several berths, which can receive large vessels, including oil tankers, container ships, and bulk carriers. There is an extensive storage area comprising container yards and warehouses for different types of cargo. Specialized facilities for handling hazardous materials safely are also available. There are cranes and conveyor belts to load and unload the goods from the ships to the onshore storage.

Channel and Direct Navigation

The channel at Lamao Port is well-marked and well-maintained, allowing the safe navigation of ships. It is dredged regularly to maintain the required depth, considering the draft of various vessels. Advanced navigational aids such as buoys, beacons, and radar systems are available to assist mariners in direct navigation for smooth entry and exit of ships even in challenging weather and tidal conditions.

2. Why do we need to measure the ocean currents in the Lamao port?

Optimizing Vessel Operations

Ocean current measurements in Lamao Port will be important in optimizing vessel operations. Knowledge of the direction and speed of flow aids in precise berthing and mooring. It thus, while understanding the currents, the port operators are able to better guide the ships to their correct berthing positions to avoid any kind of collisions with other vessels and ensure that not only the vessels but the facilities at the ports are not damaged. It also helps in taking advantage of favorable currents for entry or exit of vessels, saving fuel and time.

Supporting Trade and Logistics

For the effective functioning of trade and logistics, current measurements are important. Currents can impact the scheduling of ship arrivals and departures. Shipping companies can plan their voyages better by considering the current conditions, ensuring timely deliveries and reducing demurrage costs. Furthermore, knowing the currents allows for any possible delays or disruptions in the transport of goods to be estimated in advance, which is important for supply chain management.

Protection of the Marine Environment

From an environmental point of view, the measurement of ocean currents is equally important. Currents can provide clues regarding the pattern of dispersion of pollutants within the port waters. In case of accidental spilling or discharge of wastes, the pattern of current would help in timely and effective containment and cleanup. It aids in monitoring the impact that the activities of the port are having on the marine ecosystem and undertaking appropriate conservation actions.

Infrastructure Maintenance and Planning

It goes without saying that ocean current data is very useful in the maintenance and future planning of port structures. These hydrodynamic forces of the currents often directly affect the stability and durability of quay walls, piers, and other facilities over time. Using correct current measurements, the port authorities are able to design more robust infrastructure and also to plan preventive maintenance activities with the aim of extending the lifetime of the structures.

The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is far more advanced and convenient compared to the traditional methods in measuring ocean currents. It also can provide real-time information in detail about the profile of the current, by which the monitoring of ocean currents in the port area will be more accurate and efficient.

3. How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

The working principle behind an ADCP current meter is the Doppler effect. Acoustic signals are sent into the water by them. The reflected waves change their frequency when these acoustic waves interact with the moving particles in the water due to the Doppler effect.

The shift in frequency of these reflected signals is measured by the ADCP meter. Using specific algorithms along with calibration, it measures the velocity of those moving particles. Most of the times, their movements take place due to ocean current. The ADCP current profiler could, hence, calculate the velocity of the current.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement

Shipborne ADCP

Ship borne ADCPs are the ones that are installed over the vessel running under the port area. The ADCP profiler continuously sends acoustic pulses in different directions, usually downwards and sideways, while the ship is in motion. It measures the current velocities along the track of the ship at different depths. This data acquired during the movement of the ship can be used to map the current field in the port area, thus giving a comprehensive understanding of the current patterns during the voyage of the ship.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are installed in fixed positions at locations on the seabed or other fixed structures in the port, such as piers and breakwaters. These instruments continuously measure ocean currents, taken over an extended period for a particular location. Data from fixed ADCPs is essential to long-term and permanent current conditions at key points in the port. This information can thus be used as a base for port operations, studies, and infrastructure planning.

4. What is required for good quality measurement of Lamao port currents?

Equipment Material and Design Requirements

It needs equipment that would precisely be for the measurement of high-quality ocean currents in Lamao Port. First, it should have reliable materials that can resist or tolerate the harsh marine environment - the corrosive effect of sea water, high pressures in different water depths, and probable impacts from floating debris are to be endured by the equipment.

Its other advantage is its small and lightweight size. It is quite easy to install in vessels or fixed structures in the port, especially with regard to space limitation. Low power consumption allows operation without frequent replacement of batteries or an excessive energy supply, which may be important for fixed ADCPs that may not have easy access to a continuous power source.

Advantage of Titanium Alloy Casing

The casing of the ADCP is very much recommended to be of titanium alloy. Several outstanding advantages of the former are as follows. The corrosion resistance is excellent and thus enables the ADCP flow meter to resist the corrosive nature of seawater for a long period, with which it comes into contact, maintaining its performance and accuracy over that period. Good strength-to-weight ratio allows the realization of durability yet lightweight. Besides, it can bear high pressures at larger depths, and therefore, it can be used in various water depth conditions of the port area.

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

Based on Usage

Shipborne ADCP: It is very helpful to obtain a general overview for the current patterns over different parts of the port during any vessel movement. Shipborne ADCP can cover practically all locations as the ship navigates around the port, which will be very useful data to analyze the overall current situation.

Bottom-mounted (Sitting on the seabed) ADCP: Bottom-mounted ADCPs are more suitable for long-term and continuous monitoring of the current condition at specific fixed locations such as near important port structures or in areas where consistent current data is needed either for research or operational reference. They can give stable and reliable data over an extended period.

Buoy-mounted ADCP: When there is a need to measure currents in areas that are hard to reach either by fixed installations or by ship operations, buoy-mounted ADCPs come into play. They can drift with the currents themselves partially while measuring the data, hence showing the variations in the current in those areas.

Based on Frequency

The water depth up to 70 meters would normally be quite well covered with 600 kHz frequency, which would allow the attainment of quite accurate and detailed current measurements in rather shallow areas of the port. In cases of water depth up to 110 meters, the use of an ADCP at a frequency of 300 kHz would be more suitable since such an instrument could effectively penetrate the water column and yield reliable current data for those depths.

For deeper areas where the water depth reaches 1000 meters, it is recommended to use an ADCP with a frequency of 75 kHz since it can cover such large depth ranges and still measure ocean currents with acceptable accuracy.

There are several well-known ADCP brands in the market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, the paper wants to highlight an economical Chinese ADCP brand that is China Sonar PandaADCP. It is manufactured from all-titanium alloy material and has an extreme price-performance ratio. If you want more detailed information, you can check its website: https://china-sonar.com.

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