Operational test

Test completed: 24.6.2021 at 09:30 -11 : 30

Participants in the test / review: The 

• Norwegian Coastal Administration: Odd Sveinung Hareide, Asle Njåstad, John Petter Strand and Modstein Hansen
• Stavanger Region Port: Merete Eik, Dag Matre, Arvid B. Nygaard, Tor Gunnar Rostad, Kathrine Hansen Johannessen, Krister Stabenfeldt, Hilde Frøyland , Fredrik Skarbøvik, Anders Bang Andersen, Bjørne Andre Stangeland and Ketil Ødegård
• Kongsberg Digital: Technical development team Thomas Hammer, Trygve Aasen and Terje Henriksen
• ECC: Project manager Kirsten Bøe, Project team Sølvi Tunge, Svein Roar Aas and Svein Skjæveland

Purpose of test

“What about the world’s largest cruise ship for the new Bjergsted quay?

Can we look at the entry and navigation room with new data types, preferably in combination with input to the National Transport Plan? ”

The project’s challenge from Maritime Chief Dag Matre, Port of Stavanger 

Background from the Stavanger Region Harbour

The Port of Stavanger, is one of the largest cruise ports in Norway. In recent years, the Port has received between 200 and 250 cruise calls per year (the 2020 and 2021 seasons have unfortunately been disrupted due to the corona situation)

As of today, vessels over 300 meters in size are entering Strandkaien quay. When the new Bjergsted quay is completed, it is expected that they will be able to receive two cruise vessels of over 300 meters at the same time. Due to the following decision by Stavanger Municipality from September 2020: “Cruise ships will be moved out of the inner harbour in Vågen and will no longer dock here. The presidency asks the Port of Stavanger IKS to prioritise this work, including a new quay in Bjergsted, and in the meantime look at the possibility of relocations so that the load on Strandkaien / Old Stavanger is as small as possible, in line with the adopted Action and Finance Plan 2020-2023.”  

For the national transport plan, the Norwegian Coastal Administration (with input from the Port of Stavanger) has recorded an application for excavation into the Port of Stavanger. Several grounds are planned and excavated to a depth of 12 meters / 14 meters. The Port of Stavanger is of the opinion that “Oasis” class of vessel should not enter the new Bjergsted quay before excavations are completed 

Purpose and desired outcomes

The Port of Stavanger wanted, along with the project, to visualize the approach to Stavanger, focusing on the pressures involved in maritime operations on margins. 

With the use of S-100 Demonstrator, and new functionality for the challenge, as well as detailed depth data, the focus was on:

S-100 Demonstrator project specifically

• Gain in-depth knowledge of ownership, availability, quality and challenges related to different data types that focus in the project
•  Increase knowledge related to value and how to put together different data layers as sketches from the Port of Stavanger
• Better understanding for users of the data presented
• Create good input to influence the preparation of the IHO S-100 standards
• Assisting that the best possible products become available and help develop existing products in the value chain from producer to end user
• Identify processes for data flow and distribution
• Show the value of developed functionality in S-100 Demonstrator with new users / areas of use

Port of Stavanger specifically

• Wants detailed input for the design of the planned quay (to be built for the future!)
• Identify whether it is possible to have two vessels in the area without making excavations as recorded in the national transport plan? 
• Showing value by using new data types for both plans of navigation in the area, can contribute to significant savings on the environment, financial gains, increased situational awareness and more.
• Could help input socioeconomic analysis
• Visualise existing sketches for better situation perception in interaction with multiple data types
• Visualise several large vessels in the harbour basin
• Identify how to create and exploit navigable potential better
• To generate a greater understanding and knowledge of maritime operations
• Request “Viewing tools” required in the future for plan, analysis and interaction

Data Used

In addition to country information and updated Electronic Charts (ENCs), the project also received approval for the use of detailed depth data (S-102) with the following coverage:

Preparation and Implementation

Prior to the review, several workshops were conducted to identify the need for the development of the S-100 Demonstrator and the plan for the test. Participants such as the pilots and traffic managers in the area, professionals in the Port of Stavanger, including input from RUTEK and the Captain of the world’s largest cruise ship, Johnny Fævelen, who attended the workshop provided valuable input.

Sketches from RUTEK

Sketches prepared to show excavations, new quays and turning locations were shared by the Port of Stavanger with permission from RUTEK for implementation in S-100 Demonstrator:

Desired vessel model and facts on “Oasis class” 

Input to test from Royal Caribbean Cruises

Initially in the review, a film from the Captain of Oasis of the Seas, Johnny Fævelen, was shown – here he explains what needs a vessel of this class has when sailing to a port like Stavanger – and options for navigating in and out of port to avoid turning in the port basin.

Entry Routes to the Port of Stavanger with a cruise ship

The pilotage service was asked to comment on sailing routes (before and after planned excavation) to the Port of Stavanger with larger cruise vessels, see document below for their feedback and comments.

Development of the S-100 Demonstrator

In order to perform the test as planned, and to show the challenges, the Port of Stavanger wanted to illustrate that the following items were prioritised and developed by Kongsberg Digital in the S-100 Demonstrator:

• Displaying support of sketches (turn location, excavation, new quays)
• Support for historic AIS track -Kystdatahuset
• RTZ support
• Simulation of sailing, also with several vessels
• Support for film
• Support for port data

Test description and films

Scenarios prepared with the Port of Stavanger and associated S-100 Demonstrator simulation.

Arrival and departure in Bjergsted with and without turning locations was simulated with “Oasis of The Seas” (OOTS) as in the table below, the following assumptions were based on;

• “Queen Mary 2” moored along Strandkaien port side to quay on the outside of barges
• “AidaSol” is moored along the new Skansekai starboard side to quay
• “OOTS” will be the only vessel in motion.  

Review

In the meeting, entry was visualized by Thomas Hammer with input from Ottar Eide, pilot at Tananger pilot station;

Safety Depth of 12 meters was set for the vessel model.

The data layers used were “Norway in pictures”, the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s reference routes for the area and pilot routes created for the area for the Oasis class. The new quay at Bjergsted was shown as well as the excavations.

Simulation was done with the current pilot route, without additional data layers, where the pilot pointed out problematic areas, furthermore all scenarios from the table were simulated and discussed.

Input from participants after review

Conclusion 

We have spent time working on this test to understand, learn and share information. Some development was also necessary for us to enable implementation. The time spent has been useful in several ways, after each planning meeting, workshop etc. we have learnt something new, that we have then taken with us further into the process, relationships are established and knowledge is shared. The work began when the idea was put first on the table, and many processes and trains of thought have been carried out along the way. Some ideas have been rejected, others have been sharpened, all the time with focus on making the visualization the best possible for others “outside the group”. Especially the decision-makers, politicians, other users of the information that we have gathered – and which in such a compilation could contribute to creating new images for the perception of the situation in the waters.

We hope that the results can create further debate and, as it was pointed out in the meeting, even those without a maritime background can now more clearly understand the needs for; 

• The Port of Stavanger need to ensure a safe and efficient port for the future
• The safety of those involved from the Norwegian Coastal Administration 
• As well as a safe environment and surroundings for everyone involved 

Of note, the Port of Stavanger is not unique, the same challenges are faced in several ports in Norway. With this in mind, the project therefore wants to open the eyes of more people, with a goal that in the future we can together create tools and put in place data that allows others to perform similar analyzes.

“The golden years return to Stavanger” has recently been quoted, but we can also ensure that gold is actually found on the seabed – not in the form of content in a treasure chest – but in the form of detailed information, tools and data sharing streamlines, securing and enabling the adaptation and development of the fairways, planning and not least the implementation of maritime operations for the future.