澳门玄机图

On 1st June 2018, 81 containers were lost overboard from container ship YM Efficiency, 30聽km east southeast of Newcastle, Australia, when it rolled heavily during strong gale force winds and very rough seas. Shipping containers can create a dangerous maritime hazard in coastal waters, and can also be a major pollution risk.

To support the , Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) activated 澳门玄机图 through its 24/7 emergency response聽service contract requesting drift modelling to help locate and recover the containers where possible, and determine the search areas for the underwater side-scan and Remote Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROUV) surveys.

澳门玄机图鈥� predictions were delivered within 2 hours of the initial request, as per the callout procedures. The results assisted AMSA to locate many of the containers, and were also consistent with debris that ultimately washed up along the nearby shorelines.

Timely response is critical

As a timely response is vital during an incident, when AMSA undertook coordination of the underwater search for the missing containers, the most important question was raised: where are the containers and where do we start looking? The potential safety and environmental risks are high and acting early is critical.

This is where 澳门玄机图鈥� expertise in rapidly predicting the drift of objects in the chaotic ocean comes to the fore. Ocean currents, wind, tide and water depth are all factors, along with object drift characteristics and degree of submergence. 澳门玄机图 maintains models, data and personnel at all times ready to respond to these incidents quickly and reliably.

The drift modelling was carried out using our leading search and rescue/recovery drift model SARMAP for the 40 ft containers. The modelling was based on containers both fully and partially submerged, since winds and currents affect the drift characteristics in different ways. The tides, winds and currents were drawn from high resolution forecast predictions considered accurate for the location.

Running a variety of cases, reflecting the diversity of the local conditions and the disposition of the containers, allowed 澳门玄机图 to provide clear advice on initial drift character and search areas, and to evolve this over the following week. As with all modelling of this type, results are only half the task. 澳门玄机图 to be able validate and evolve the work as containers were located.

Accurate predictions

Our predictions indicated that the containers would likely drift north to north-northeast along the coast towards Nelson Bay, consistent with real time data obtained from a surface buoy deployed during the incident. Sightings of 4 containers the day after the incident confirmed this drift, with the locations consistent with predictions made assuming fully submerged containers.

During the following months our SARMAP drift predictions, guided bathymetric and sonar surveys which successfully located and confirmed many submerged container and debris locations. Debris from other containers found washed ashore also agreed with initial predictions, further reinforcing the reliability and accuracy of our drift predictions.

Preventing container loss, AMSA

According to AMSA, around 1,500 shipping containers are lost at sea around the world every year. They can be lost for a number of reasons, but what's important is implementing strategies to prevent, or at least minimise, this potential. And when accidents do occur, act fast to minimise environmental pollution and safety risk.聽

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