Enhancing economy and safety for boaters and commercial shippers
Officials from NOAA’s National Ocean Service and the South Carolina State Ports Authority will officially dedicate a new system to increase safety for ships in the harbor of Charleston, S.C. today.
The system, called Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS), provides real-time information that determines bridge clearance measurements from special air gap sensors, as well as water level and meteorological information from long-term tide stations, providing users with critical data when transiting the harbor. Charleston will become the 23rd U.S. harbor to use the system.
“By providing integrated real-time tide, weather and bridge clearance information, the Charleston PORTS will help reduce the chances for accidents,” said Richard Edwing, director of NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS). “For instance, the new sensors on the Don Holt Bridge in the harbor will provide crucial information for ships trying to pass under it. Also, enhanced marine information can increase the amount of cargo moved through a port and harbor by enabling mariners to safely use every inch of dredged channel depth and bridge clearance.”
Tailored to the specific requirements of each seaport, PORTS is a decision support tool that improves the safety and efficiency of maritime commerce and coastal resource management through the integration of real-time environmental observations, forecasts, and other geospatial information.
Knowledge of the currents, water levels, winds, and density of the water can increase the amount of cargo moved through a port and harbor by enabling mariners to safely utilize every inch of dredged channel depth. One additional foot of draft can increase profit per transit depending on the type of cargo transported.
Source: NOAA
