Module-4(6014, TE)

HARBOUR ENGINEERING
1. Define and differentiate a dock and a harbour.
2. List the categories of dock and harbour based on their function.
3. Draw the typical layout of a harbour, mark the components and explain the
functions of each.
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WATER TRANSPORTATION

TYPES

 INLAND WATER TRANSPORTATION

 River or Canal

 OCEAN WATER TRANSPORTATION

 Adopted for trade and commerce
 75 % of Indian trade
 No limitations and high flexibility

ADVANTAGES

 Provides means of defence

 Cheapest mode
 Leads to overall development of commerce, industry and international trade.
 High load carrying capacity.
 Encourages consumption of foreign goods.
 Requires cheap motive power for its working.
 Brought countries separated by oceans very near.

DISADVANTAGES

 Slow in operation, consumes more time.

 Useful only when water is available as mode of transport.
 May lead to accident in case of frequent ocean storms;
 More chances of attack by other countries.
 The fluctuations in water level causes rubbing od ships against the berths.
 Mountainous rivers, waterfalls etc., hinder water transportation.

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DOCK

 A dock is dug out and usually has gates so that the water level is kept up even
though the tide has gone out.
 A dock is for mooring ships for cargo or passenger exchange, or sometimes
repairs
 The area of water taken by a vessel when tied to a man-made structure (pier,
wharf, float, etc.) or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or
ships, usually on or close to a shore, or the structures themselves.

HARBOUR

 A harbour is a partly enclosed water area which provides safe and accommodation for
vessels seeking refuge, supplies, refuelling, repairs or loading and unloading cargo.
 A harbour may be natural or partly dug out or even made with floating materials. It
doesn’t have gates, but may have a narrow entrance.
 Provides safe anchoring or mooring for ships

REQUIREMENTS OF A GOOD HARBOUR

1. The depth of a harbour should be sufficient for every type of visiting ships.
2. The bottom of harbour should provide secured anchorage to hold the ships against
high winds.
3. To prevent destructive wave action, break water are provided.
4. The entrance of a harbour should be wide enough to provide the easy passage of
ships.
5. Number of quay, piers and wharfs should be sufficient for loading and unloading
cargo.
6. It should have facilities like fuel, repair etc. for ships.
7. Harbour area should be sufficiently large.
8. It should have enough cold storage.

CLASSIFICATION OF HARBOURS

I. Classification based on the protection needed.

1. Natural Harbour
2. Semi- natural harbour
3. Artificial harbour

1. Natural Harbour
Harbour protected from storms and waves by natural land contours, rocky
outcrops or Island is called natural harbour.
Eg. Cochin port, Kandla port, & Mumbai harbour.

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2. Semi- natural harbour
Same as natural but harbour needs some artificial and man made
construction.
Eg. Visakhapatnam port.

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3. Artificial harbour
Harbours having no natural protection but artificial arrangement are made to
protect the harbour from storm and wind.
Eg. Chennai harbour.

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II. Functional classification / classification based on utility
1. Harbour of refuge.
2. Commercial harbour
3. Fishery harbour
4. Military harbour or Naval base.
5. Marina harbours

1. Harbour of refuge.
 The harbour used for ships in storms or emergency condition.
 Good anchorage and safe and easy access from the sea.

Eg.: Dover in England, Chennai & Visakhapatnam harbours.

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2. Commercial harbour

Facilities for loading and unloading of cargo are provided.

 Part of bigger complex harbour.

 Independent unit or single commodity harbour.
 Terminal as oil terminal, coal port
Eg. Chennai harbour.

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3. Fishery harbour
These harbours have facilities for departure and arrival of fishing ships. They
have also necessary arrangement to catch fish.
 Provided for fishing crafts and trawlers.

4. Military harbour.

 This harbour is meant for accommodating naval crafts and serves

as a supply deport.
 The layout of this type of harbour is greatly influenced by its
location.
Eg. Mumbai harbour & Cochin harbour.

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5. Marina harbours
Marina is a harbour providing facilities of fuel, food, showers,
telephones etc., for small boat owners having temporary or permanent berths.
Classification
a) Large marinas – have 200 or more berths.
b) Small marinas – have less than 100 berths.

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 III. Classification based on Location
 Ocean harbour
 River harbour
 Canal harbour
 Lake harbour

FEATURES OF A HARBOUR / COMPONENTS OF A HARBOUR

1. Entrance channel
2. Break water
3. Turning basin
4. Berthing basin
5. Shelter basin
6. Pier head
7. Wharf
8. Quay
9. Dry Dock
10. Wet Dock
11. Jetty

Figure: Layout of a Harbour

1. ENTRANCE CHANNEL
Water area from which ships enter in the harbour and it should have sufficient width,
100 m for small harbour, 100 m to 160 m for medium harbour and 160 m to 260 m for large
harbour.
 Depth and width are kept more at entrance.

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  Width depends upon density of traffic and number of entrances.

2. BREAK WATER
A protective barrier made up of Concrete or Course Rubble Masonry constructed from
shore towards the sea to enclose harbour.
 The structure constructed to protect harbour from storm waves.
 They are generally stone masonry.

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3. BERTHING AND TURNING BASINS
It is water area which is required for manoeuvring the ship after entering to the harbour
and it is large enough to permit free turning.
 Berthing basins are used for the parking of ships
 While turning for the turning of ships

4. SHELTER BASIN

It is area protected by shore and breakwater.

5. PIER HEAD
It is a solid platform at which berthing of ships on both the sides are possible.

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  The structure provided at the tip of break water. Such
as light house.

6. WHARF
It is a docking platform constructed parallel to shoreline providing berthing facility on one
side only.
 The structure constructed parallel to the shore or break water, having
wide plate form at the top.

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  Function is to permit berthing of vessel alongside for cargo working

7. QUAY
It is also dock parallel to the shore which is solid structure providing berthing on
one side and retaining the earth on the other.

8. DRY DOCK

It is a chamber provided for maintenance, repairs and construction of ships. It

includes walls, floor and gate.

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9. WET DOCK
Due to variation in tidal level, an enclosed basin is provided where in number of ships can
be berthed. It has an entrance which is controlled by a lock gate.

10. JETTY
It is a solid platform constructed perpendicular to the shoreline for berthing of ships.
 Same as wharves
 Used for loading and unloading of cargo
 Made usually from shore towards sea water to prevent silting and
dredging to allow free flow of tidal currents.

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 PORTS

A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbours where ships
can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land.

HARBOUR PORTS
Harbour can be a man-made or a natural feature Ports are commercial places along the coastline
connecting a piece of land with a large water that are used for import and export of goods and
body that is mainly used to provide shelter to cargo from one country to another.
ships and vessels in bad weather.
Harbours are used for safe anchorage of ships. Ports are mostly man made and are bigger and
Natural harbours are surrounded by land on most have many facilities
sides but have an entrance point to the sea.

A port is a harbour where marine terminal facilities are provided.

A port is a place which regularly provides accommodation for the transfer of cargo and
passengers to and from the ships.

Port = Harbour + Storage facility + Communication facility + other terminal facility.

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From above, it can be stated that a port includes a harbour. Ie., every port is a harbour.

CLASSIFICATION OF PORTS

1. Ocean port
This is a port intended for large ocean going ships.
2. River port
River port is located on the banks of the river inside the land.

3. Entry port
This is location where foreign citizens and goods are cleared through custom
house.
4. Free port
This is an isolated and enclosed area within which goods may be landed, stored,
mixed, repacked, manufactured and reshipped without payment of duties.

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