Through water and wind: what happens if a storm hits the port?
Is a storm coming? At such times, port firms implement a range of measures to ensure workplace safety. Even in these modern times of radar, GPS, and formidable shipbuilders, shipping remains at the mercy of weather and wind. An overview of measures designed to make ship movements and the loading and unloading of goods as safe as possible during severe weather.
Monitoring weather for shipping
The Coastal Division of the Maritime and Coastal Services Agency (MDK), in close cooperation with the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium (KMI), provides weather forecasts for the North Sea and its navigation channels. It issues a highly detailed weather forecast four times a day. Based on weather forecasts and local observations, the Common Nautical Management (GNA) and port traffic control in Antwerp (ACC) and Zeebrugge (ZCC) adjust shipping traffic accordingly. To this end, the Common Nautical Management also consults the Flemish and Dutch Pilots’ Organisation to determine the most effective safety measures.
At times, rough seas prevent the shipping traffic control pilot from safely boarding the ship to guide the captain or from returning safely to the pilot vessel after the voyage. In that case, the shipping traffic control pilot will sometimes guide the ship remotely. This occurs only for incoming ships and is affected by factors such as ship size and draught. Unfortunately, this is not feasible for every ship.
Large ships are significantly affected by wind. If strong winds come from a certain direction, traffic control may, together with the shipping agent, temporarily move the vessel to another mooring. For instance, to the other side of the dock so the wind pushes the ship toward the dock instead of away from it.
In dense fog, strong winds, high waves, or other severe weather, safe navigation may be compromised. Shipping traffic is suspended by the Common Nautical Management only in extreme cases as a precaution.
No matter how closely we monitor the weather, it can still be unpredictable at times. Very localised thunderstorms in summer, for example, are notoriously difficult to predict.
Common Nautical Management (GNA)
The Common Nautical Management (GNA) is a collaboration between the Flemish and Dutch governments. Its mission is to maintain safe and efficient shipping traffic throughout the Scheldt region, even across borders.
Additional line checks on moored vessels
Upon docking, sailors and boatmen fasten the ship tightly to the quay. It is the captain’s responsibility to ensure that the ship remains securely alongside the shore. However, during stormy weather, Port Authority Field Officers perform extra line checks to confirm that ships are securely moored. When a ship is moored correctly, all the ropes are evenly tightened. When a mooring line is slack, the Port Authority Field Officer informs the ship’s crew, while boatmen on shore help secure it.
Ships are moored differently by the boatmen, depending on the circumstances. This can be achieved by doubling the number of mooring lines, for example. They sometimes add extra lines, and depending on the wind direction, they may also use additional breast lines across the quay. That way, the lines have more pulling power. Sometimes, they place mobile winches on the quay to secure the ship even better with additional ropes. Mobile winches are hydraulic pistons that are automatically kept under tension from the shore at all times.
Storm hooks on bridges
During strong winds, bridges in the port are additionally fastened with storm hooks to keep them firmly in place. A single storm hook weighs up to 1.3 tonnes. This allows road traffic to continue to pass safely over the bridge.
Flashing lights alert employees working on the quays
The wind may be strong in one place, while there is a lot less wind less than a kilometre away. Terminals therefore use their own central wind measurement system, or wind measurement systems mounted on the loading and unloading cranes. In both cases, a flashing light warns nearby workers if the wind becomes too strong.
The colour of the flashing light indicates what actions the dock workers should take. Measures range from avoiding the area beneath the cranes to securing the container cranes in place. A white flashing light, for example, signals extremely strong winds of around 11 on the Beaufort scale. All operations for loading and unloading are halted.
Each terminal operates with different types of machinery and handles different kinds of goods. Therefore, terminals may have different regulations and agreements for dock workers during stormy weather.
Containers
An empty container standing on two stacked layers is highly exposed to the wind. To prevent them from blowing over, container terminals arrange empty containers in blocks or in a particular formation.
Tankers stop loading and unloading
Tankers carrying chemical products or LNG stop loading and unloading at the first sign of lightning. The danger is apparent: a lightning strike could lead to an explosion.
What about after the storm?
Shipping traffic may slowly resume once weather conditions improve. Outbound ships are the first to leave the port. This clears the moorings for ships arriving at the port. Port traffic control, guided by the Common Nautical Management, works to solve this puzzle. Post-storm periods are always more hectic than the storm itself, due to the increased number of ships to serve.
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