Wave climate & terminal operability for Tarawa

Aktis Hydraulics has carried out a detailed wave and wind climate assessment and wave penetration study for upgrading the main terminal of Tarawa in order to accommodate larger tender ships calling at the island. The terminal is located inside a semi-close Atoll Lagoon with waves entering the Lagoon from West, but also with waves diffracting around tow main head lands.

The wave propagation study considered the varous swells systems of the Pacific, the neighbouring Atolls affecting waves arriving at Tarawa and the local seabed, including the main diffracting obstacles.

Subsequently, a terminal mooring layout optimisation has been undertaken making use of Dynamic Mooring Analysis to evaluate the operability and critical conditions for mooring the desired larger vessels at the existing terminal arrangement. Following our analysis, additional moorings have been installed.

The ocean swells arriving at the site are in particular important as they have a big impact on large vessels impeding safe and efficient operations. Swells at the berth are the main factor of operational down-time. It’s therefore crucial to accurately address the ocean swells diffracting and propagating into the bay and onto the moored ship.