10th June, 2010, Baja, Hungary

Szilárd SÁRKÖZIexpert on meteorology

Solutions forsupplying meteorological information

to inland waterways

– based on experiences from accident

investigations

210th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

Whether the present-dayradar equipped and highly powered

ships are affected bythe weather on inland waterways

– calmer than seas –,and whether the skippers

require such information at all?

If accident investigations state thatit can be a factor in casualties

– no matter in what relationand in how many cases –

the answer should be:yes!

3

TSB No. 2006-043-67:25, 21st November, 2006, Budapest, 1643 rkm

towboat collided to a city bridge-pier, foundered

sinking avoided by manoeuvreing onto the riverbankhttp://www.kbsz.hu/images/Vizi_zarojelentesek/2006-043-6.pdf

Experiences fromaccident investigations

on the Danube by the TSB of Hungary

10th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

TSB No. 2007-005-610:20, 1st January, 2007, Vác, 1679 rkm tugboat with two barges collided to a ferry, one barge’s skin ripped sinking avoided as ripped over the water-line

TSB No. 2007-069-67:45, 9th December, 2007, Dunaföldvár, 1561 rkm

pushboat with eight barges collided to bridge-pier, one barge foundered

sinking could be avoided by pumpinghttp://www.kbsz.hu/images/Vizi_zarojelentesek/2007-069-6.pdf

Casualties can happen with radar equipped vessels too,while switching over visual navigation to radar

and approaching an obstacle at the same time.

… withFOG PATCHES:

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(continued) Experiences fromaccident investigations

on the Danube by the TSB of Hungary

… with WIND-channels:TSB No. 2010-001-69:4x, 2nd January, 2010, Dunaföldvár, 1561 rkm 3-by-3 formation of barges collided to bridge-pier, formation scattered out blocking of fairway luckily avoided(in progress) TSB No. 2010-026-6

8:55, 17th May, 2010, Tass, 1586 rkm barge pontoon of a formation

sunk(!) in the middle of the int’l fairway blocking of fairway avoided only by high-water

(in progress)

Affect unloaded vessels (or) with big lateral surface,and/or where violent wind blows

and a reach of the lowland meanders falls parallel with the windit can intensify the current line,

results in an effect, not necessarily from the direction of the wind.

510th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

Σ:

1. Fog patches and wind-channels seem to be the typical weather factors affecting inland waterways

2. One casualty per year respectively and repeatedly relating to these two weather phenomena

X. Consequences can be

– long-period blocking of international waterway due to turning sideways or sinking – endangering water supplies of big cities by the river in case of leaking dangerous materials into water,

and mostly avoided by chance...

(summarising) Experiences fromaccident investigations

on the Danube by the TSB of Hungary

– can be moved by light winds – can be moved by light winds

610th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

Shallowand occasionally moving

FOG PATCHES

– having distinct edges while the ambient visibility is still perfect

the so called calm, slowly changing elementhas actually a sudden and sly feature !

710th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

low-level WIND-CHANNELSof relief origin

and related currents

Local amplification of a bigger scale low-level air-streamdue to

– small, kilometre-size, some 10-metre-high horsebacks( being more of them by the lowland reaches as well

between 1590 and 1450 rkm )

– lateral cuts in a long riverside feature( horseback or forest )

– the river’s surface itself among its bordering features

A complex examplein the ”Danube Triangle”:in case of strongnorth-westerly winds

1. westerly componentscross the riverside horsebackonly laterally, beyond the bridge,

2. northern componentsintensify the current lineheading to the right bank

so thus both results inan anticlockwise turning force

right under the bridge.

810th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

(The initial problem) Weather datarepresentative to waterways

– from the NMS

– only three stations right at the Danube’s bank

– with not a satisfactory spatial distribution...

– and only basic automats not reporting visibility

neither the forecasts can focuson rivers’ local weather characteristics...

Todayvisibility is measured

on two Mx bridgesand currently planning

to install onto all of them

Todayvisibility is measured

on two Mx bridgesand currently planning

to install onto all of them

– they are on-line at thecompetent road engineerings,so can relay to any database.

– they are on-line at thecompetent road engineerings,so can relay to any database.

910th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

(Solution 1) Weather datarepresentative to waterways

– from the road meteo’

Involving other bridgesfor subsequent installations

would result a distribution

Involving other bridgesfor subsequent installations

would result a distribution

– in every 40 rkms on average– not having a gap longer than 60

– satisfactory resolution ofe.g. foggy areas.

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(Solution 2) Wind measurementsrepresentative to waterways

10th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

Another feature of low-level wind-channelsthat gusts arising on the surface in the morningcan be measured at 100 m height hours before

therefore, measuring winds at that heighthas a preventive value.

Another feature of low-level wind-channelsthat gusts arising on the surface in the morningcan be measured at 100 m height hours before

therefore, measuring winds at that heighthas a preventive value.

having a similarspatial distribution

by the riveras bridges.

having a similarspatial distribution

by the riveras bridges.

– onto high-voltage line spans– onto high-voltage line spans

1110th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

(Solution 3) Weather datarepresentative to waterways

– new installations

... should be considered too,since locations mentioned above

do not necessarily followthe distribution of weather phenomena.

The costs of oneeasily fits in the budget of

e.g. a RIS radio relay transmitter.

For surveying these featurespreliminary mobile monitoring measurements

should be carrying out on vesselssailing the same longer passage regularly.

1210th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

(Solution 4) Sharing observationson a common interest base

– via RIS services

– skippers would readily share their own observations on hazardous weather

in order to receive other vessels’ ones

– dispatchers would happy as well to handle in order to be able answering meteo’ questions coming on air

– skippers would readily share their own observations on hazardous weather

in order to receive other vessels’ ones

– dispatchers would happy as well to handle in order to be able answering meteo’ questions coming on air

Involving e.g.– ferry-men,– river-police, etc.into such a movementwould broadly enrich datae.g. on the existence fog.

Involving e.g.– ferry-men,– river-police, etc.into such a movementwould broadly enrich datae.g. on the existence fog.

1310th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

For establishing such a system,the following steps should be worked out:

– a simplified observation scheme of weather phenomena hazarduos to inland waterways, which can be carried out easily by any skipper

– how such data to be broadcasted among skippers via RIS, in order to avoid engaging marine radio channels and to be able to relay automatic real-time measurements as well

– a skipper friendly visualisation of such data.

(continued) Sharing observationson a common interest base

– via RIS services

Remarks:

1. such an operative system works in the field of aviation where weather phenomena hazardous to flights are obligatory to report in states involved in int’l aviation

2. there are working examples among amateur meteorologists on a voluntary base as well.

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1. According to accident investigationsweather can be a factor in casualties on inland waterways as well.

2. Since general meteorological networkscannot supply representative data and productsinitiative solutions may come from– other branches of state-owned transportation and industry by bilateral cooperation;– and/or voluntary activity of marine partners themselves on a common interest base.

3. To induce such collaborationswe suggest to establish meteorological task forces,both on regional and European levels at competent organisations– for surveying local potentials– and to set international guidelines and standards on the interchange and presentation of river related weather data.

4. For future improvement investments should be done as wellinto sample systems and surveying measurements,preferably by RIS providers from development funds.

10th June, 2010Baja, Hungary

CONCLUSIONS