DESIGN OF WATER TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES

Introduction of Water Transportation

Water
transport
is
movement
by
means
of
a watercraftsuch
as
a barge, boat, ship or sailboatover a body of water, such as a sea
ocean, lake, canals or river.
The need for buoyancy is common to watercraft, making the hull a dominant
aspect of its construction, maintenance and appearance.
The Evolution of Water transportation
Water transportation has been a vital part of domestic and international
trade and human exploration for thousands of years. The advent of seaworthy
ships allowed people to circumnavigate the globe, expand their ranges, and take
advantage of unprecedented opportunities.
Societies are nearly always located near water, both for the resources it
provides and because water transport is easier than traveling over land. Shipping
vessels are still vitally important to this day for the affordable transport of goods
around the globe.
And in recent decades, especially, water transport has become an important
part of tourism and recreation, from ocean cruising, to river cruises that take
passengers down some of the planets most spectacular waterways.
Some of the significant achievements in water transportation history highlighted in
this infographic are:
1. The first sailing vessels, created more than 6,500 years ago.
2. The construction of dams in ancient Egypt
3. The advent of the first rudders in Asia
4. Nautical innovations by the Dutch
5. How steamboats changed transport in America
6. The creation of reliable submarines in the 19th century
7. The opening of the Chunnel between England and France in the early 1990s.
Exploring the fascinating history of water transportation is a key part of understanding
how societies have evolved over the millennia to accomplish some of humanitys
greatest feats.
KINDS
OF
WATER
TRANSPORTATION
A. INLAND WATER TRANSPORT
As shown in the chart, inland
water transport consists of
transport by rivers, canals and
lakes.
i.
Rivers
are
a
natural
waterway which can be used
as a means of transport.
ii.
Canals
are
artificial
waterways
made
for
the
purpose of irrigation or navigation or both.
iii.
Lakes - can be either natural like rivers or artificial like canals.

Advantages of Inland Water Transportation

1. Low Cost
Rivers are a natural highway which does not require any cost of
construction and maintenance. Even the cost of construction and maintenance
of canals is much less or they are used, not only for transport purposes but also
for irrigation, etc. Moreover, the cost of operation of the inland water transport
is very low. Thus, it is the cheapest mode of transport for carrying goods from
one place to another.
2. Larger Capacity
It can carry much larger quantities of heavy and bulky goods such as
coal, and, timber etc.
3. Flexible Service
It provides much more flexible service than railways and can be adjusted
to individual requirements.
4. Safety
The risks of accidents and breakdowns, in this form of transport, are
minimum as compared to any other form of transport.
Disadvantages of Inland Water Transportation
1. Slow
Speed of Inland water transport is very slow and therefore this mode of
transport is unsuitable where time is an important factor.
2. Limited Area of Operation
It can be used only in a limited area which is served by deep canals and
rivers.
3. Seasonal Character
Rivers and canals cannot be operated for transportation throughout the
year as water may freeze during winter or water level may go very much down
during summer.
4. Unreliable
The inland water transport by rivers is unreliable. Sometimes the river
changes its course which causes dislocation in the normal route of the trade.
5. Unsuitable for Small Business
Inland water transport by rivers and canals is not suitable for small
traders, as it takes normally a longer time to carry goods from one place to
another through this form of transport.

B. OCEAN TRANSPORT
Ocean transport is indispensable for foreign trade. It has brought the different
parts of the world closer and has knitted together all the nations of the world into
one big world market.
It operates on a natural track, the sea, and does not require any investment in the
construction and maintenance of its track. It is, obviously, the cheapest mode of
transport.

Ocean transport includes

1. Coastal Shipping
It is one of the most important means of transport for carrying goods from
one part to another in a country. It is a cheaper and quicker mode of transport and
is most suitable for carrying heavy, bulky and cheap traffic like coal, iron ore, etc.
to distant places.
But it can serve only limited areas. Earlier, coastal shipping in India was
mainly in the hands of foreign shipping companies. But now from 1951 onwards, it
is exclusively reserved for Indian ships.

2. Overseas Shipping
There are three types of vessels employed in the overseas shipping:
(i) Liners
Liners are the ships which have regular fixed routes, time and
charges. They are, usually, a collection of vessels under one ownership,
i.e., a fleet. They provide a uniform and regular service. Liners sail on
scheduled dates and time, whether full of cargo or not.
(ii) Tramps
Tramps are ships which have no fixed routes. They have no set
rules or rate schedule. Usually, they do not sail till they have full cargo.
They can be chartered by exporters and are ready to sail anywhere and
at any time. They are not as fast in speed as liners. Tramps are more
suitable to carry seasonal and bulky goods.
(iii) Tankers
Tankers are the vessels which are specially designed to carry oil,
petrol and such other liquids. They have a large capacity, 2 to 3 lakh tons
of oil, and very shortly, we may have super tankers with a capacity of
about 10 lakh tons of oil.

(lakh-unit in the Indian Numbering System equal to one hundred

thousand (100,000; Scientific notation: 105).

Advantages of Ocean Transport

1. It operates on a natural track as sea provides a readymade road bed for the
ships to sail. Hence, it does not require huge amount of capital investment in
the construction and maintenance of its track.
2. Due to the smooth surface of sea, comparatively less tractive power is required
for its operation which results in a lesser cost of operation. Thus, it is the
cheapest mode of transport.
3. It has the largest carrying capacity as compared to any other transport.
4. The risk of damage in transit of the goods is also less as compared to other
modes of transport. But the goods are exposed to the perils of sea.
5. It is the only suitable mode of transport for carrying heavy and bulky goods to
distant places.
6. It is indispensable to foreign trade.

HARBOUR DOCK ENGINEERING

The terms port, harbour and haven are more or less synonymous, but each of
them also has specific meanings. Harbors and Ports are often confused with
each other.
HARBOUR (HARBOR)
- A harbour is a place of security and comfort, a small bay or other sheltered
part of an area of water, usually well protected against high waves and
strong currents, and deep enough to provide safe anchorage for ships and
other craft.
- It is also a place where port facilities are provided, e.g. accommodation for
ships and cargo handling facilities.
A harbour may be natural or partly dug out, or even made with floating
materials. It doesn't have gates, but may have a narrow entrance.
Significance of Harbour
1. Sheltered Area
2. For Loading and Unloading of Cargo
3. Vessels are also built, repair and launch

DOCK
-

A dock is dug out and usually has gates so that the water level is kept up
even though the tide has gone out.
- It is an artificially enclosed basin into which vessels are brought for
inspection and repair.
- A dock is a place, usually man-made area of enclosed water, where ships are
loaded, unloaded or repaired. Originally, it denotes an area of water that can
accommodate a ship and can be closed off by locks to allow regulation of the
water level.
- It also means a space between two wharves or piers for the mooring of
ships, i.e. a dock basin. Often it can be interchanged with the terms wharf
or pier. In US it often indicates a small landing pier for accommodating boats
in a river or lake creek.
Dry Dock - is a type of dock consisting of a rectangular basin dug into the
shore of a body of water and provided with a removable enclosure wall or
gate on the side toward the water, used for major repairs and overhaul of
vessels.
When a ship is to be docked, the dry dock is flooded, and the gate removed.

PORT
-

The term port or seaport normally includes the harbour and the adjacent
town or city suitable for loading goods and embarking men. It is also a
facility for loading and unloading vessels.

A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or

more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from
land. They are usually located in harbors.
Port is a facility for receiving ships and transferring cargo. They are usually
situated at the edge of an ocean, sea, river, or lake.
Port Terminals - the word terminal refers to a complete port facility for
accommodating, loading/discharge of ships and for the storage, stacking and
handling of cargo on shore. (e.g. bulk cargo terminal, oil terminal, livestock
terminal, etc.).

Inland Ports are ports on a lake, river, or canal have access to a sea or
ocean.
Types of Ports
1. Fishing Port - is a type of port or harbor facility particularly suitable for
landing and distributing fish.
2. Dry Port - is a term sometimes used to describe a yard used to place
containers or conventional bulk cargo, usually connected to a seaport by rail
or road.
3. Warm Water Port - is a port where the water does not freeze in winter.
Because they are available year-round, warm water ports can be of great
geopolitical or economic interest, with the ports of Saint Petersburg and
Valdez being notable examples.
4. Port of Call - is an intermediate stop, for example to collect supplies or fuel.

PORT STRUCTURES
1. Wharfs or Quays
Wharf - is the oldest term in English referring to port structures. It
denotes any structure of timber, masonry, cement, or other material built
along or at an angle to the navigable waterway, with sufficient depth of
water to accommodate vessels and receive and discharge cargo or
passengers.
The term can be substituted for quay when applied to great solid
structures in large ports. The area between the quay wall (made of solid
masonry) and the nearby warehouse or storage facility is called the quay
apron.

2. Piers and Jetties

Pier - is a construction work extending into the harbour with sufficient

depth of water alongside to accommodate vessels, also used as a
promenade or landing place for passengers.
Jetty - is a small pier, usually made of timbers for boats, yachts or fishing
boats (fisherman jetty), but it also refers to large ships. (tanker jetty, Tjetty).

3. Moles or Breakwaters
Mole or Breakwater is a massive port structure made of masonry or
large stone blocks laid in the sea to protect the harbor from waves and
current. Sometimes, the terms jetty and pier are used to mean the
same.

Classification of Harbour
1. NATURAL HARBOUR
A natural harbor is surrounded on several sides by prominences of land.
Examples of natural harbors include Sydney Harbour, Australia and San
Francisco Bay, California.

2. SEMI NATURAL HARBOUR

Same as natural but harbour needs some
artificial and man made construction

3. ARTIFICIAL HARBOUR
An artificial harbor has deliberately
constructed breakwaters, sea walls,or
jettys, or otherwise, they could have been
constructed by dredging, and these
require maintenance by further periodic
dredging.
An harbour having no natural
protection but artificial arrangement are
made to protect the harbour from storm and wind.

REQUIREMENTS OF A GOOD HARBOR

1. The depth of a harbor should be sufficient for every type of visiting ships.
2. The bottom of harbor should provide secured anchorage to hold the ships
against high winds.
3. To prevent destructive wave action, break water are provided.
4. The entrance of a harbor should be wide enough to provide the easy passage of
ships.
DEFECTS IN HARBOR
1. Depth of water is found insufficient for different ships.
2. The size of harbor is found insufficient to accommodate the increased traffic.
3. Obstruction
4. These defects can easily be avoided at the time of planning and designing.
SIZE OF A HARBOUR
Size depends upon:
a) number of ships
b) length: 275m-300m
c) width: 30m

HARBOUR PLANNING
1. It should be carried out after collecting necessary information of the existing
features at the proposed site.
2. Following important facts should be studied.
3. A thorough survey of the neighborhood including the foreshore & depths of
water is necessary
4. Nature of a harbor wether sheltered or not, be studied
5. The existance of sea insects & various animals residing at site.
6. Natural phenomenas concerning planning of a harbour are:
a) Storms

b)
c)
d)
e)

Rainfall
Range of tides
Maximum & minimum temperatures
Direction & intensity of wind etc

SITE SELECTION
Following factors play a great role in the choice of site of a harbour.
1. Availability of cheap land & contruction material.
2. Natural protection from waves & winds
3. Transport and communication facilities
4. Industrial development of the locality
5. Sea bed,sub soil and foundation conditions
6. Avaibility of electrical energy
7. Defence and strategic aspects
8. Trafic potentiality of harbour

PORTS AND HARBOURS CONDUCT FOUR IMPORTANT/MAJOR FUNCTIONS:

1. Administrative - ensuring that the legal, socio-political and economic
interests of the state and international maritime authorities are protected.
2. Development - ports are major promoters and instigators of a countrys or
wider regional economy.
3. Industrial - major industries process the goods imported or exported in a port.
4. Commercial - ports are international trade junction points where various
modes of transport interchange, loading, discharging, transit of goods.

FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF HARBOUR

1. HARBOR OF REFUGE
The harbor used for ships in storms or emergency condition.
Good anchorage and safe and easy access from the sea.
2. COMMERCIAL HARBOR
Facilities for loading and unloading of cargo are provided.
These may be:
1. Part of bigger complex harbor
2. Independent unit or single commodity harbor.
3. Terminal as oil terminal, coal port.
3. FISHERY HARBOR
Provided for fishing crafts and trawlers.
4. MILITARY HARBOR OR NAVAL BASE
This
harbor
is
meant
for
accommodating naval crafts and
serves as a supply deport.
The layout of this type of harbor is
greatly influenced by its location.

FEATURES OF A HARBOR

1. Entrance Channels
a) Depth and width are kept more
at entrance
b) Width depends upon density of
traffic and number of entrances

2. Berthing Basin and Turning Basin

Berth - any place where a ship can
safely lie alongside a quay, pier or dock,
at anchor or a buoy, and where it can
carry out loading/discharge operations or
embark and disembark passengers.
a) Berthing basins are used for the
parking of ships
b) While turning for the turning of ships

3. Break Water
a) The structure
constructed to protect
harbor from storm waves
b) They are generally stone
masonry

4. Pier Head
a) The structure provided at the tip of
break water
b) Such as light house

5. Wharves
a) The structure constructed parallel to the shore or
break water, having wide
plate form at the top
b) Function is to permit berthing of vessel along
side for cargo working

6. Jetties
a) Same as wharves
b) Used for loading and unloading of cargo
c) Made usually from shore towards sea
water to prevent silting and dredging to
allow free flow of tidal currents

MACHINES USED FOR TRANSPORT ON THE OCEAN AND WATERWAYS

1. Ships - including cruise ships and
steamships. Steamships began to
take over from sailing ships in the
1850s.
They are used to transport
passengers and freight across the
seas and waterways.

2. Paddle-steamers
These were mainly used to transport
inland rivers. River transport declined
1880s but is still used in some areas

3. Ferries - including passenger ferries and car ferries.

4. Cargo ships - including container

vessels, tankers and bulk carriers.
These allow large amounts of freight
to be transported across the ocean.
The containers are large metal
waterproof boxes which can be
carried by train or semitrailer to the
port.
Oil and other liquids can be
transported by ships called tankers.

5. Naval ships: are used to defend countries and in war.

products along
from the
today.

6. Hydrofoils - hovercrafts and catamarans: mainly

used to transport people.

7. Speed boats and other pleasure craft are used for water-skiing and fishing and so
on.

8. Houseboats - a boat that is or can be

moored for use as a dwelling.
It is a boat that has been designed or
modified to be used primarily as a
home.

9. Submarines - mainly used in the

10.
Boat-cars - such as the
Aquada:
A recent invention in 2003 that
drives on both land and water.

navy.