Saipan Current Monitoring & Sediment Study

Customer: U.S Navy PACDIV

Start Year: 2005 End Year: 2006

City/Town: Saipan, Other - Not U.S., U.S. Minor Outlying Islands

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) evaluated the feasibility of designating additional anchorages for priority use by the U.S. Navy (Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron) off the west coast of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The movement of the anchor chains reportedly resulted in the formation of a turbid plume that was then transported by the prevailing currents, with negative impacts on marine life and coral reefs. Sea Engineering undertook a comprehensive one-year long current and wave study using both in-situ and vessel mounted acoustic doppler current profilers to measure and characterize currents and waves at the anchorage site. The information obtained was utilized by SEI to model the current flow and turbidity plume transported in the existing and proposed anchorage areas. The data obtained could further be used to predict the movement of potential oil spills.