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1 INTRODUCTION

A dynamic growth of demand for transport and

limited possibilities in the scope of continuous

increase of the capacity of the inland transport

infrastructure determine the need of providing an

alternative, which may be inland water transport.

Location the multimodal port in the region of

Bydgoszcz and Solec Kujawski ensure for using

various modes of transport, which will improve the

effectiveness of transshipment process from the area

of the Tricity ports. On the basis of the multimodal

port, it is planned to export cargo especially container

and non-standard load transport from the ports in

Gdansk and Gdynia [5]. For safe navigation on

restricted area which are rivers is to keep safety

distance to the river bottom and on the other hand, to

bridge structures. Therefor vertical and horizontal

parameters of water area determine safety navigation

in stretch Vistula's waterway [2]. In relation to

transport for multimodal platform location most

important parameters are vertical. Important from

one side is minimal safety depth and on the other

hand proper vertical clearance under navigational

obstructions - power transmissions lines and bridges.

Previous research of the Vistula River showed

irregularity of hydrological conditions, so ship

navigation in particularly large-scale loads transport

on long distance is a crucial problem. Bridges, natural

rapids and riffles between sandbars are the one of the

most important obstacles [3,8]. Navigation on the

Vistula River is possible only during strictly defined

hydrological conditions (above of average water level

in the riverbed). In the paper limitation for inland

ships in the area of planned multimodal port in Solec

Kujawski was presented. The analysis of navigation

conditions was carried out for typical characteristic

inland vessels, which could be operated in reviewed

stretch of Vistula River. Research results will be used

Limitation for Inland Ships in the Area of Planned

ultimodal Port on Vistula River

Schoeneich, M. Habel & D. Szatten

Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz,

Bydgoszcz, Poland

ABSTRACT: Location study for the investment project entitled Multimodal Platform considering the area of the

city of Bydgoszcz and commune of Solec Kujawski last year was published. The examples of existent

multimodal ports in Europe show a growing demand for goods transport by the inland waterways. On the

basis of the Multimodal Port, it is planned to export cargo from the ports in Gdansk and Gdynia. So, on the

Vistula's waterway between Gdansk and Bydgoszcz is the basic rule for navigators is to keep safety distance to

the river bottom and on the other hand, to bridge structures. The paper presents limitation for inland ships in

the area of planned multimodal port near Bydgoszcz. The analysis of navigation conditions was carried out

using probabilistic model of underkeel clearance to verify typical inland vessel traffic on planned port

approach. Results of this analysis can be used for further research connected with minimal safety depth

determination and risk analysis in study area.

http://www.transnav.eu

the

International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 14

Number 3

September 2020

DOI:

10.12716/1001.14.03.05

552

for further analysis underkeel and vertical clearance

in study area.

2 STUDY AREA

The importance of the Vistula River as a inland

waterway in goods transport is marginal. In the

distance Solec Kujawski - Gdańsk (approx. 180 km)

there are insufficient navigational conditions for IV

class international waterway (Figure 1 A). On the

research section Vistula River corresponds to two

classes of navigability: II (from km 718+000 to km

910+000) and III (from km 910+000 to estuary to the

Gdansk Gulf) [6]. Lower Vistula include approx. 350

km part of river from Narew river. The hydrological

regime of the lower Vistula is mostly defined by

water flows prevailing in the mid-section of the river

as well as the inflow of water from the Narew river.

High water levels tend to occur in March and April,

less frequently in summer. The former are related to

early-spring melt-water runoff, the latter – usually

short-term – result from summer rainfalls. In both

cases flood waves are formed with a relative height of

3–5 m, maximum of up to 7 m [3]. In this time inland

navigation is impossible. The lowest water levels on

the Lower Vistula are from August to November, the

second part of the navigation season. The annual

average water level (AWL) of the Vistula in the

Fordon (Bydgoszcz) gauging station for the years

1984–2015 amounts to 319 cm [7]. In this period water

levels below AWL was observed for less than 50

days in fourteen navigational seasons. Also in the

same period water levels below AWL was observed

for more than 120 days only in two years. So generally

the average amount of days favorable for navigation

in the navigational season is only 59 days. Currently

an additional problem is hydrological draught.

Drought is defined as a stage below-normal water

availability [9]. While this time there are channel

forms fragment featuring mid-channel, near-island

and lateral sandbars, which modify the depth

conditions in waterway, so navigation in this area is

very complicated [5, 8].

3 AIM AND METHODS

The location of the Multimodal Platform has

possibilities to be connected to the national road

(highway A1 Gdansk-Lodz; express way S5 Poznan-

Nowe Marzy and main road no. 10 Szczecin-

Warszawa) and rail main line network (no. 201 Nowa

Wies Wielka – Gdynia; no. 18 Kutno - Pila) so is

possibility to increase the importance of the Vistula

River Waterway in good transport [5].

Figure 1. The main study area. (green line) against the

background of a map of inland waterways in Poland (A), a

diagram of the dynamics of changes in the depth of the

riverbed and the location of the Vistula navigation route (B)

and depths on the Vistula navigation route from Solec

Kujawski to Gdańsk (C) (area for analysis of underkeel

clearance highlighted in red).

The aim of this work is assessment of limitation for

inland ships in the area of planned multimodal port

near Bydgoszcz. The analysis of navigation conditions

was carried out to verify typical inland vessel traffic

on the Vistula stretch from Gdansk to Bydgoszcz-

Solec Kujawski (Figure 1 A). On this stretch of

shipping lane is 9 bridge structures and 6 power

transmission lines located [10]. Height of power

transmission lines is more than 14 m, so they are

omitted in this research. Bridges are characterized by

highly diversified technical parameters, in particular

vertical clearance - from 5.28 to 12.5 m. On the other

hand hydrological condition in this place are very

specific. For example, average water levels drop

below mean low water stages 90 days a year - in dry

years, this occurs on 200 days per annum. The lowest

water levels are recorded in August, September and

November. In addition hydrological regime of the

lower Vistula is mostly defined by water flows

prevailing in the mid-section of the river as well as

the inflow of water from the Narew river. High water

levels tend to occur in March and April, less

frequently in the summer [3]. The Lower Vistula in

study area is characterized by high dynamics of

riverbed movement and channel depth changes,

which results from the transport of sandy material on

the bottom (Figure 1 B).

3.1 Underkeel clearance analysis assumptions

In research the own data from depth measurements

Vistula River in 36 cross-sections and in the

longitudinal profile of the shipping lane were used for

determination of mean actual depth in given sections

between km 766.0 and km 775.0 (fragment of a

waterway - representing small depths at average

Vistula’s water flow - Figure 1 C). Channel depth and

geodetic measurements were performed in June 2016

using a motorboat equipped with the following

devices: single-beam echo sounder (SBES) Teledyne

ODOM ECHOTRAC E2 and geodetic rover GPS

GNSS Trimble 5800. The morphological mapping

were conducted on a digital terrain model (DTM) of

the bathymetry based on the collected depth data and

geodetic surveys in the field. We used an open-source

Geographic Information System software QGIS 2.16.3.

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Example of selected cross section is presented on

Figure 2.

Figure 2. Fragment of the bathymetric map of the Vistula

section with marked cross sections and characteristic points

using for UKC analysis.

Because of the basic elements which decide of

navigation safety in restricted waters is under-keel

clearance [2], then next step the values for

characteristic vessels for shipping lane were

calculated. Next probabilistic model of under-keel

clearance (UKC) evaluation for ships was used for

safety navigation assessment and calculation

probability of grounding.

The application allows to determine of probability

of ship’s hull contact with the bottom. Also will be

helpful to assess whether inland vessels allowed to

enter to the port. The model is based on the Monte

Carlo method and takes into account depth

measurement uncertainty of draught determination,

error of squat determination, bottom irregularity, etc.

The main assumptions of model was presented in

research Gucma and Schoeneich [1]. The research was

carried out for two water stages values 275 cm

(represented average low water level) and 325 cm

(mean water level) on Vistula in Fordon (Bydgoszcz)

gauging station.

In navigation area technical – operative

parameters of inland vessels determinate class of

waterways, so in research typical characteristic inland

vessels, which could be operated in reviewed stretch

of Vistula River were used [2]. Basic data of the

vessels is presented in Table 1. Example of using

model for typical barge Zubr is presented on Figure 3.

Table 1. Characteristics of inland vessels using in the

research

_______________________________________________

Vessel Daniel Zubr Bizon BP500 BM500

_______________________________________________

L [m] 10,5 20,69 23,6 45,1 57

B[m] 4,5 5,82 8,28 8,98 7,53

T[m] 0,9 0,78 1,15 1,6 1,7

_______________________________________________

Notifications: L – length, B – beam, T – draught.

Figure 3. Example of data form and results probabilistic

model of UKC application for one of ships which entered

planned multimodal port near Bydgoszcz

3.2 Assumptions for analysis of bridge passages

Bridges are very important obstructions on inland

waterway because potential bridge collapse due to

vessel collision often leads to loss of life and

significant economic and social consequences.

Therefore load parameters in many risk and

magnitude analysis for bridges are often controlled.

Navigators used their knowledge during condition on

particular area and if it if possible they adjust vessel

draught [2,4]. In relation to crossing bridges, the

initial boundary parameters of the load and barge

draft depth - 1.0 m, loading height - 5.80 m (two

layers of containers) were assumed. The water level /

range of discharge values was determined to safely

defeat 9 bridge objects by a barge with a specified

load (Table. 2).

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Table 2. Bridges structures existing on the Vistula River

stretch from Gdansk to Bydgoszcz and determined of

vertical clearance and limit values for the high (HWL) and

low (LWL) water for safe navigation.

_______________________________________________

Bridge location*

_______________________________________________

code KM town/city name Vertical High Low

clearance water water

in meters* level level

(HWL) (LWL)

_______________________________________________

m1 929.951 Kiezmark 6.79 1.23 -0.80

m2 908.544 Tczew 7.50 6.42 1.75

m3 908.505 Tczew 7.16 6.08 2.73

m4 903.857 Knybawa 9.70 8.62 2.73

m5 868.252 Korzeniewo 12.50 20.21 10.30

m6 834.038 Grudziądz 5.28 18.79 16.43

m7 827.859 A1 Nowe Marzy 7.20 20.71 16.43

m8 807.588 Chełmno 7.80 26.46 21.30

m9 774.809 Fordon 5.55 29.79 27.00

(Bydgoszcz)

_______________________________________________

Taking into account the dimensions of the load,

limit values for the high (HWL) and low (LWL) water

conditions were determined for 9 bridge objects.

Thus, the range of Vistula water levels was

determined at which it would be possible to cross the

bridge.

4 RESULTS

Most important task is to find maximum safe draught

of a particular type of ship for port entrance channel.

During analysis probability of ship’s hull contact with

the bottom P(UKC<0), mean squat, UKC on 95% and

5% level of confidence of characteristic inland vessels

operated in Vistula stretch were determinate. The

research was carried out for five different speed

vessel (Table 3). The red color indicates probability of

ships grounding accident during the port approach.

Table 3. Results of analysis under-keel clearance for chosen

inland vessels at water level (275cm) in Bydgoszcz Fordon

_______________________________________________

Vessel Daniel Zubr Bizon BP500 BM500

_______________________________________________

Mean squat [m]

at 2knots 0,02 0,02 0,02 0,02 0,02

at 3 knots 0,05 0,03 0,05 0,03 0,03

at 4 knots 0,07 0,05 0,08 0,06 0,05

at 5 knots 0,12 0,08 0,13 0,09 0,08

at 6 knots 0,18 0,12 0,19 0,13 0,12

P(UKC<0)

at 2knots 0 0 0,006 0,045 0,058

at 3 knots 0,001 0 0,018 0,055 0,061

at 4 knots 0,001 0 0,022 0,053 0,07

at 5 knots 0,008 0 0,021 0,06 0,065

at 6 knots 0,013 0,003 0,023 0,05 0,087

_______________________________________________

Next probability of grounding in two water stages

of Vistula River for real depth on August 20th 2015

was determined. Results of analysis of mean

underkeel clearance for typical characteristic inland

vessels are presented in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Mean UKC of selected vessels on planned area

depending on speed in two water stages: A - mean, 325 cm

and B – low 275 cm water level).

Further analysis was carried out for the biggest

vessels BM500 and BP500 because estimated

probability of grounding was too big and non-

acceptable for safety navigation. Example results of

analysis for one of the biggest ship which can

operate in the study area are presented in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Results of analysis for barge BP500 at different

water level and designed and real depth.

Refer to bridges for the period 1984 - 2015 the

probability related to the occurrence of problems with

crossing a section of the river for each bridge and the

number of days allowing navigation was calculated.

The research shows that the greatest probability of

occurrence of bad conditions values for bridging the

winter season occur on the section of the river

between Grudziądz (834 km) and Fordon (775 km)

(Fig. 6). On the basis of the calculated limits for the

high (HWL) and low (LWL) water level, objects were

selected for a detailed analysis of the probability of

occurrence of bad conditions. The greater the layer

thickness between HWL and LWL, the better the

conditions for navigation with high load (layers of

containers or non-standard loads).

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Figure 6. Assessment of navigational conditions on the

Lower Vistula in the section from Gdansk to Solec Kujawski

for vessels with load

In the tested section of the river there are 9

navigational obstructions (bridges). The biggest

difficulties associated with overcoming bridges

during non-standard load transport are the Vistula

section in Grudziądz (m6) and Fordon (m9) (Fig. 6). In

the years 1961 - 2016 for the object m6 on average for

99 days, the water level was too low and for 15 days

too high. For the same period, in the winter season

(September-April), for 27 days too low and for 11

days too high.

5 CONCLUSIONS

The paper presents assessment of limitation for inland

ships in the area of planned multimodal port near

Bydgoszcz in relation to vertical parameters.

On the basis of results using of probabilistic model

for under-keel clearance evaluation probability of

grounding typical inland vessel was determined.

For large inland vessel safety level in analyzed

condition was insufficient.

A general analysis of hydrological data has shown

that, the biggest difficulties associated with

overcoming bridges during non-standard load

transport are the Vistula section in Grudziądz, Fordon

and Toruń. The probability of inconvenience is over

15% there.

Results of this analysis will be used for further

research connected with minimal safety depth

determination and risk analysis in reviewed area.

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Underkeel Clearance in Decision Making Process of Port

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