Boosting maritime safety with real-time data of waves and currents

For the maritime authorities in the West African nation of Togo, keeping vessels safe is a top priority, as is safeguarding the marine environment and port infrastructure. Data of waves and currents is important, which is why coastal maritime stations, some equipped with AWAC wave and current profilers, have been installed over a 65 km stretch of the Togolese coast.

Situated on the coast of Togo, the Port Autonome de Lomé is arguably the most important commercial port on the West African coast. Reaching depths of almost 17 m and bound by two dikes to reduce silting, it is the only deep-water port on the coast able to accommodate ships with a strong draft. Once in the port, users can quickly transport their goods to other major West African cities such as Niamey in Niger and Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.

Collecting oceanographic data below the sea surface to improve safety near ports

To improve safety at sea and enhance environmental protection, the Lomé Maritime Office commissioned Adasa Systems, a Skion Water Company, to supply and install the three maritime stations along the coast.

Innova Oceanografia Litoral, an oceanographic consulting and service company, also played an important role in this project by lending a hand in the system integration necessary for the instrumentation and by providing real-time support during the deployment in the field.

Each station is fitted with a host of meteorological sensors such as rain gauges and wind and temperature sensors to collect atmospheric data. On two of the stations, Adasa Systems also fitted 1 MHz AWAC wave and current profilers to collect key oceanographic data.

Read the full story at Nortek.