Projects

Wave Climate and Ship Behaviour in the Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone (WAVE CLIMATE)

Duration: 01.01.1991-31.12.1994 (48 months)

Coordination: Instituto Superior Técnico

Partners: Instituto Hidrográfico and Instituto Nacional de Investigação das Pescas

Funding Entity: JNICT

This project addresses the calculation of the seakeeping and the wave-induced loads in ships that operate in the Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Calculations were perfomed for fishing vessels, patrol vessels and oceanographic research vessel although other ships that transit in the area can also be considered. The wave climate at Figueira da Foz, Sines and Faro was established from the analysis of measured data at coastal areas. These locations are considered as being representative of the different type of wave climate along the Portuguese coast. The wave climate in the Portuguese EEZ can be established from the predictions of hindcast models, which need to be calibrated beforehand in particular with measurements from the Portuguese coast. A wind model was developed to predict the vertical distribution of wind speeds from the sea surface up to the Eckman layer, where the geostrophic wind is obtained from the pressure distributions. The wind model predicts the wind speed at 10 m, which is the input of a wave model. Calibration was made with measured wave data in coastal locations and encouraging results were obtained [5]. A program that calculates the wave induced motions and loads on ships was further developed and improved. A series of calculations were performed for different coastal areas so as to obtain results about the operational periods of various ship types.

Project Team

Associated Publications