OCEANCAY2 SERV INTERNAZ

On behalf of MSC Cruises and in collaboration with MarineLab, OGS has designed, built, and installed an innovative system for the real-time mapping of marine currents within the access channel and maneuvering basin in front of Ocean Cay (Bahamas).
The system, consisting of five measurement stations strategically distributed across the area of interest, provides cruise ship captains with up-to-date information on the distribution and intensity of the currents acting on their hulls. These data are essential for ensuring safe and precise maneuvers within the narrow confines of the island’s access channel.
A custom visualization software processes the data in real time, generating a graphical representation of the current field updated every ten minutes. The system can be accessed either through a web interface on PC or via a dedicated tablet application, providing a practical and immediate tool for the continuous monitoring of marine conditions in the port area of Ocean Cay.
Each station is equipped with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) installed on the seabed and oriented upwards, fixed to one of the piles marking the navigable area and separating it from the surrounding shallow waters. The ADCP is connected to an electronic control unit mounted at the top of the pile, powered by solar panels and equipped with radio telemetry for data transmission.
The five ADCP instruments continuously measure the direction and speed of the current throughout the entire water column, from the seabed to the surface. The collected data are sent to the control units, which then transmit them via radio to a receiving system on the island. From there, the information is relayed via Internet connection to an OGS server, where it is stored in a dedicated database .

The project is now in the renewable annual maintenance contract for the real-time marine current mapping system installed within the channel and turning basin in front of Ocean Cay (Bahamas).