AN IMPROVED INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR OPTIMIZING

SHIPPING CHANNEL CAPACITY FOR AUSTRALIAN PORTSTHOR UGELVIG PETERSEN

PHD, MSC

HEAD OF PORTS OF OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

DHI, DENMARK

Key port market trends

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The next 2-4 years will see a surge in vessel sizes

across the world fleet

A very large proportion of the worlds ports will have

to expand capacity accordingly

Port expansion projects often have to comply with

strict environmental legislations

Channel Capacity Optimization – Quick Overview

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• Incorporates assessment of manoeuvrability and

UKC, sometimes also sedimentation

• Most UKC methods relies on older 2D slender

body methods or empirical equations.

• Manoeuvrability is often assessed through full-

bridge simulators but usually using only a few

simulations

• Combined effects of channel hydrodynamics and

waves are often simplified

• The optimization potential and adopted level of

conservatism and risk is not always made clear

to Channel Operators

Nonlinear Channel Optimisation Simulator

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Hydrodynamic/Wave, Wind Modelling

(MIKE21)

Probabilistic Channel Capacity Assessment

(NCOS)

Optimized Channel Capacity Alternatives

Digital Vessel

Library

Navigation

Simulations

(SIMFLEX)

Integrated Channel Capacity Assessment

Environmental Forcing

Vessel Response

Measured Data

Flexible Mesh 2D/3D Hydrodynamic Model covering the

entire port

• Separate swell penetration and local wind

wave generation

• Detailed flow patterns at

berth scale

• Compatible with high-end

full bridge simulators

• Multi-year hindcasts in

days/weeks

• 7-day forecasts in hours

Environmental Forcing

Surface Gravity Waves

2D/3D CurrentsDisplacement (ship) Waves

6

Non-Linear Channel Operability Simulator (NCOS)

• 3D boundary element method (2nd Order) that implicitly accounts for the forward speed and water depth.

• Vessel UKC response comparable to high-end Full-Bridge Simulators.

• Deterministic treatment of long term varying tide, current, wind and wave fields.

• Probabilistic treatment of wave response allowance

• Integrated Risk Evaluation at Port Level

6

2

0

½( )

( ) 1 1

NZ

m zQ Z e

dSm d

n

n

0

)(

Z = SWD + Tide – (T + Tsquat + T(2)) - Z

𝑃𝑒𝑥𝑐 = 1 − 1 − 𝑄𝑡1 1 − 𝑄𝑡2 … 1 − 𝑄𝑡𝑁

N = t/Tz

2nd Order Set-down

Safety threshold

Vessel Response

7

Integrated Channel Capacity Assessment

30 ves 1 Year 5 years 10 years 20 years

zMin < 0. 5 m 2.5% 13% 32% 49%

Touch bottom nil 0.03 % 0.05% 0.15%

30 inbound 8500 TEU vessels per month

Integrated Channel Capacity Assessment

A full-scale UKC Monitoring Campaign

Significant wave height 10:30 am 6th June 2016 as predicted

by MIKE 21 SW

Example:

Inbound container vessel

Safmarine Makutu, 06 June 2016.

Case Study 1: Port of Brisbane

• 90 km long Navigational Channel

• Declared depth down to 14 m to 15 m LAT

• Need to accommodate 8500 TEU Containers

• Operability based on 36 months of detailed

hindcast

• More than 2.2 million unique NCOS vessel transits

• Full-bridge SIMFLEX used to optimize corners,

swing basin and quantify effect of improved Tug-

Boat operations

Outcome:

Subject to moderate optimization, the existing channel is

capable of accommodating 8500 TEUs up to 13.6 m draft

(subject to op. UKC windows)

Case Study 2: Port of Geelong

• 27 km Channel length with declared depth down to

12.3 m

• Safe Access required for 12 m draft Suezmax

Tankers

• The section “The Cut” provides significant capacity

challenge

• 30 days of environmental hydrodynamic hindcast

• 2,700 NCOS simulations undertaking

• SIMFLEX used to identify constraints due to bank

effects and high wind induced drift

Outcome:Subject to moderate revising speed profiles and

safety threshold it was deemed safe to

accommodate 12 m draft vessels in existing

channel

Approach Summary

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Highly accurate integrated assessment frame for

channel capacity optimization

Reduces unnecessary dredging costs and

environmental impacts

Provides a transparent risk profile

at both vessel and Port level

Identical Framework for strategic planning support

and operational forecasting

© DHI

Thor Ugelvig Petersen, Head of Department – Ports and Offshore Technology

DHI

tup@dhigroup.com

Thanks for your Attention