Provision of Fairway Buoys and Marine Lanterns to Khor Abdullah Channel

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Background

Umm Qasr Port stands as Iraq’s primary seaport with 21 berths measuring 5,000 meters. Divided into two different distinct zones – Umm Qasr South Port and North Port, it serves as the nation’s main cargo hub handling the majority of the country’s export trade. The port is visited by approximately 90 vessels and handles 50,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of container traffic monthly.

Catering to a diverse range of cargo including liquid, dry bulk, containerized, and general cargo, the port features additional facilities such as a bank and a logistics depot.

The Challenge

Umm Qasr Port is situated on the Khor Abdullah Channel, which is a key commercial waterway and is Iraq’s only entrance to the Gulf. All cargo traffic enters through the channel, however, the channel is split down the middle, sharing a maritime border with both Kuwait and Iraq.

The distance from Iraq’s shoreline to the maritime border is 5km and gets narrower passing Warbah Island. It further decreases in size as shipping vessels arrive at the Um Qasr Port posing significant navigation hazards. The existing unlit steel navigation buoys along the channel required urgent modernization to ensure safe passage for mariners.

The General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) is responsible for managing and operating the ports in the country. They identified the need to update the channel buoys and provide a clearly lit passage while meeting requirements, local conditions, and budget.

Solution

To address the navigation safety concerns, the GCPI collaborated with United Technical Marine to procure a polyethylene (PE) buoy, a strategic upgrade to the existing steel fairway buoy. United Technical Marine deployed the SL-B3000C Safe Water Buoy from Sealite, one of the marine brands under SPX Aids to Navigation, as the initial marker upon entering the channel from open waters.

Sealite’s Safe Water Buoy boasts high visibility due to its rotationally-molded construction paired with the distinct fairway markings of red and white vertical striping. Their UV-stabilized virgin polyethylene construction ensures the buoys will remain highly visible throughout its lifetime, exposed to open water and high temperatures. Additionally, the lightweight nature of PE buoys facilitates easy deployment while maintaining robust durability.

The new fairway buoy was also equipped with SPX’s solar marine lantern to improve visibility for safe operations in both day and night navigation. This enhancement ensures the buoy’s visibility when passing the AtoNs at night and in foul weather, providing clear routes for vessels traversing the narrow channel.

Outcome

The implementation of SPX Aids to Navigation’s fairway buoy and solar marine lanterns significantly improved the safety along the Khor Abdullah Channel. The new AtoN solution facilitates smoother navigation for vessels travelling between Iraq’s Gulf and the Um Qasr Port. With the addition of the new AtoNs, mariners can safely navigate in both day and night conditions.

“The successful integration of the SL-B3000C Safe Water Buoy as a pilot PE buoy demonstrates its performance and durability in the Arabian Gulf region. This sets the path for future upgradation of steel buoys and marine lanterns, as well as the implementation of cutting-edge monitoring systems to improve marine safety”

Talha Masood,
Business Development Manager,
SPX Aids to Navigation