DYNAMIC UNDER KEEL CLEARANCE

DYNAMIC UNDER KEEL CLEARANCE

 Dynamic Under Keel Clearance (DUKC) integrates real
time measurement of tides and waves to maximise
passage safety and port efficiency.
 By monitoring individual vessel characteristics and sea
conditions, vessel drafts and tidal windows for harbour
transits can be maximised.
 In order to achieve this, the DUKC system determines the
Net Under Keel Clearance and maneuverability
requirements for vessels undergoing transits through
shallow water.
 The factors considered by the system in performing the
real time analysis are vessel motion, tidal rise and fall,
including meteorological effect, vessel squat and heel.
 Fixed allowances for siltation, survey and draft
tolerances are also catered for.
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 A chart datum is the level of water that charted depths
displayed on a nautical chart are measured from.
 A chart datum is generally a tidal datum; that is, a datum
derived from some phase of the tide.
 Common chart datums are lowest astronomical tide and
mean lower low water.
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 Lowest astronomical tide;
 Many national charting agencies, including the United
Kingdom Hydrographic Office and the Australian
Hydrographic Service, use the Lowest Astronomical Tide
(LAT) - the height of the water at the lowest possible
theoretical tide - to define chart datums. LAT is the
lowest levels which can be predicted to occur under
average meteorological conditions.
 One advantage of using LAT is that all predicted tidal
heights must then be positive (or zero) avoiding possible
ambiguity and the need to explicitly state sign.
 Calculation of the LAT only allows for gravitational
effects so lower tides may occur in practice due to other
factors (e.g. meteorological effects such as high pressure
systems).
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 Mean lower low water;
 The United States' National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration uses mean lower
low water (MLLW), which is the average height of
the lowest tide recorded at a tide station each
day during the recording period.
 MLLW is only a mean, so some tidal levels may
be negative relative to MLLW, see also Mean low
water spring.
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 Charts and tables;
 Charted depths and drying heights on nautical charts are given
relative to chart datum.
 Some height values on charts, such as vertical clearances under
bridges or overhead wires, may be referenced to a different vertical
datum, such as Mean High Water Spring or Highest Astronomical
Tide (HAT).
 Tide tables give the height of the tide above a chart datum. This
makes it possible to calculate the depth of water at a given point and
a given time by adding the charted depth to the height of the tide. To
calculate whether an area that dries is under water, subtract the
drying height from the height of the tide.
 Using charts and tables that are not based on the same datum can
result in incorrect calculation of water depths and should be
avoided.
 Users should check that they are compatible before use.
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 Under Keel Clearance Theory
 The Gross Under Keel Clearance is found by subtracting
the vessel draft from the amount of water available (depth
+ tide).
 Water Depth + Tide – Draught = Static UKC
 Bottom Clearance (BC) describes the clearance left from
the Gross Under Keel Clearance after subtracting ship
motion caused by swell, squat and heel together with
safety allowances for siltation, survey tolerances and
draft.
DYNAMIC UNDER KEEL CLEARANCE
 DYNAMIC UNDER KEEL CLEARANCE
 Under Keel Clearance Theory
 Ship maneuverability is related to the ability of a ship to
perform intended maneuvers without the assistance of
tugs.
 The ability to manoeuvre will decrease and it is unsafe
when the actual clearance is reduced below a critical
value. This is called the Manoeverability Margin (MM) .
 The MM is not strongly influenced by vertical ship
motions caused by swell, therefore the Wave Response
Allowance is not a factor in the MM. The factors
determining BC and MM are illustrated in figure 1 above.
 In the context of the DUKC system, BC and MM are
related by
 MM = BC + Swell Allowance
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 Under Keel Clearance Theory
 The key variables relevant to Under Keel Clearance
(UKC) are:
 1. Water Depth (+)
 2. Tide (+)
 3. Draught (-)
 4. Vessel Motions (caused by swell) (-)=Waveheight/2
 5. Squat (-)
 6. Heel or list (-)=(Breadth/2)XTg ɵ
 7. ZOC (-)
 8. Siltation (-)
 9. Company Clearance (-)