1st April 2012 - Northport

Northport has ordered a 2nd Wave Rider Buoy (WRB) from Axys Technologies in Canada. After several months of planning and analysis, the green light was given to the operation in late 2011 from the board of Directors, for a purchase to be made in the New Year.

The WRB plays a critical role in the ports Dynamic Under Keel Clearance system (DUKC). This system is used to determine if a ship can safely transit the harbour or not. The new buoy will be working alongside the current buoy to double the data gathered, whilst providing redundancy and the ability to cross check data for accuracy.

The new buoy will deployed alongside the current WRB 300m NW of the Fairway Buoy, at the start of the commercial channel into Marsden Point.

The WRB records sea and swell height, direction, periods and energy continuously and then transmits this data back to Northport every 30 minutes. The data is then processed and used alongside other metrological and ship specific data, where software then determines whether the ship is safe to transit the Harbour at that time.

The installation of the buoy will be in late June 2012 and the addition of a special mark to the site is most likely, though the specifics of this will not confirmed until consultation with the Harbourmaster and the Harbour Safety Management group are undertaken.

Northport will inform the installation with a Notice to Mariners.

To find out more:

http://subseaworldnews.com/2012/04/04/new-zealand-northport-dukc-system-relies-on-triaxys-wave-data/

http://www.axystechnologies.com/Home.aspx