New phase in port design research

The wash from passing ships can cause those moored to come loose; it also affects the safe loading and unloading of vessels, leading to potentially dangerous situations especially when hazardous materials is involved.

“In recent years, the size, speed and power of ships have increased dramatically, increasing the size of their wash. The impact of the wash is a serious concern which can result in safety issues, environmental damage and financial loss,” said Marco Pluijm, Bechtel’s senior ports specialist and chair of ROPES.

“Until now, little research has been done on this subject. Our research is identifying the full-effect of a passing ship’s wash and what can be done in terms of port design to mitigate that”, he added.