SHIP PASSING THROUGH STRAITS

Vytautas Paulauskas

doi:10.3846/transport.2010.42

Abstract

All ports and a number of waterways have straits to optimize investments in developing such systems reaching the maximum results with minimum expenditures. New high accuracy port navigational systems have a possibility of high precision ship positioning and any time should guarantee shipping safety in port waters which makes a good basis for the optimization of port development. A new type of ships with good steering equipment and ship steering knowledge and methods in combination with very high accuracy port navigational systems such as E‐Sea Fix and horizontal/vertical port channel bottom scanning possibilities guaranteeing real port water bottom conditions could stimulate dramatically increasing ship sizes at the port entrance in case of guaranteed shipping safety. With reference to straits, a theoretical study and experimental results received by simulators and real ships under much the same conditions have delivered a new knowledge of the limit of big ship sailing in straits and the possibilities of increasing ship size under similar sailing conditions. The Klaipeda strait is taken as the case study for practical testing. The paper presents the results, conclusions and recommendations of a theoretical and practical study for the ships of an increased size at strait ports.

Highlights

Port channels are a part of port infrastructure that must ensure safety for the biggest calculated ship
Ship bridge visual simulators along with experiments on real ships assist in checking the quality of theoretical studies and improvements in the bottlenecks of navigational channels
Where: P′ – probability coefficient for navigational purposes in case of probability not less than 95%, P′ can be accepted not less than 2.5; sy – the observation of ship position in case of using DGPS (Differential Global Position System), other navigation system (E-Sea Fix Navigation System 2003) or the aid of navigation, for example, headlines could be applied according to accuracy in a particular place under real conditions; ∆K – ship rolling angle around the ship course or planning trajectory; bn – additional navigation safety depends on the channel border or slop accuracy and counts about (0.5–1.0)B in typical ports

Summary

Introduction

Port channels are a part of port infrastructure that must ensure safety for the biggest calculated ship. Detailed studies on ships passing through straits are very important to maximize the use of channels optimizing channel development and improvement investments in case of ensuring navigational safety. Ship bridge visual simulators along with experiments on real ships assist in checking the quality of theoretical studies and improvements in the bottlenecks of navigational channels. Simulators simultaneously can be used for additional purposes such us investigations into navigational pass, ship mooring and unmooring limitations, ship clearance situation in particular channels, evaluation of accident probability on statistical basis etc. Studies on navigational ship pass and received limitations in case of incorrectly implemented internal and external conditions can be successfully used for increasing the competitiveness of ports and waterways and for ensuring navigational safety (Paulauskas et al 2009). Ship passing through straits can be used for navigational ship pass, the evaluation of mooring and unmooring limitation conditions and other studies

Mathematical Models for Studying Straits

Practical Calculations and Testing Navigational Pass of the Ship

Findings

Conclusions