Nusail Engineering Consultancy was contracted by Marine Technology to provide pre-Bathymetry Survey services for the dredging activity in Masira Port, Al-Wasta Governorate, Sultanate of Oman.

Scope of the Survey

The survey was undertaken to determine the seabed profile along the proposed dredging area in Masira Port, specifically on the seaward boundary of the plot.

Equipment Used

The following equipment was utilized:

• Odom Hydrotrac Echo Sounder
• Transducer
• Valeport Tide Gauge
• Sokkia RTK GPS
• Sokkia Total Station
• Bar Plate

Survey Procedure

Bathymetric data were collected at 20 m intervals along each line. All data from the equipment were logged into software, with time recorded in UTC. The survey utilized an Odom Echotrac MKIII Dual frequency Echo Sounder (210 kHz and 33 kHz) with digital outputs logged by the navigation computer. Bar checks were conducted before the start of each day’s survey. The Hemisphere DGPS navigation system, equipped with HydroPro software, received corrected GPS-derived latitude and longitude. The software converted the antenna position into local UTM projection coordinates (UTM Zone 40Q), using WGS84 as the coordinate reference and vertical datum based on Chart Datum (CD).

Results

The bathymetric survey, conducted on May 17th, 2015, resulted in a bathymetry chart prepared at a 1:2500 scale. The survey area was characterized by irregular seabed features, with relatively shallow conditions. Notable exposed rocks and a sand bar were observed in the near center of the survey area during low tide.