The Hindu Business Line : Now, real-time data to make vessel movement easier, safer

Hyderabad, Sept. 9 Movement of ships, barges and vessels is set to become safer and easier near ports, thanks to the availability of continuous, real-time data on sea surface waves with coastal Maritime Boards.

Oil majors, shipping companies and even fishermen have evinced interest for this information, which has the potential to boost their business.

The crucial data are being provided by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service (INCOIS), Hyderabad. Already, the Maritime boards of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, have benefited from using the wave height data by regulating vessel navigation in about 80 minor port harbours along the coastline.

Benefit to fishermen

Similarly fishermen also can also benefit from the data. At present they get information on the likely locations of fish schools in the sea through data processed from satellite imagery by the INCOIS on a regular basis.

Once, they get access to the wave height data, the fisher folk can use that ensure that their journey to these locations is smoother and even more safe.

INCOIS has been working with the maritime boards to use the information for demarcating the Inland Vessel Limits (IVL) to improve the safety of vessels and onboard personnel, said Dr S.S.C. Shenoi, Director, INCOIS.

IVL can be defined as the navigational demarcation line which divides the high seas from tidal rivers/estuaries/ports. The demarcation is done on the basis of Significant Wave Heights (SWH). The categorization of regions according to the SWH is less than 0.6 metres; between 0.6 and 1.2 m and between 1.2 and 2 m, he explained to Business Line.

Because of problems of silting and the increasing size of ships, knowledge about the wave movements has become very important in the safe passage of ships.

Maritime Boards

“With the availability of wave data it has been possible to extend the IVL up to ports, which means bigger ships can be brought in,” according to Capt. Mathur, Chief Nautical Adviser, Gujarat Maritime Board.

Earlier, bigger ships had to be anchored at a distance and cargo brought in through barges, tugs and smaller vessels. There was a danger of these hitting big ships as well as finding the going tough during monsoon. “The INCOIS data which are made available on my mobile or email every three hours helps in taking an informed decision on the movements,” Capt. Mathur added.

The big benefits are that more ships can go in with increased cargo. Simultaneously safety is improved and operations during monsoon season (June-August) can be extended. All this definitely increase efficiency and revenues, he said.

The Gujarat Maritime Board paid Rs 30 lakh to INCOIS for the one year pilot, which was completed in July. Data on the significant wave heights along the Gujarat coast were studied and the real-time information prepared by INCOIS, he said.

INCOIS, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is using sophisticated ocean models, supported by in situ and spatial data. It has set up a wave rider buoy network with the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa for real-time monitoring of wave/swell conditions.

The real-time information on sea surface wave and swell (remotely generated high energy wave) conditions is obtained through ocean modelling and observations.

According to the wave and swell height, the maritime authorities will regulate the movement of vessels depending upon their size and displacement.

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