High-resolution depth data will reshape port operations, enabling more precise planning and more predictable performance. This article outlines five practical benefits ports can start testing today using S-102 bathymetry as part of the S-100 framework.
Charts based on the new standard is used to plan, simulate, and execute operations with better margins. With the S-100 framework and the S-102 product, ports can get a more detailed understanding of the seabed than traditional depth areas and depth contours alone can provide.
Experience from operational tests and demonstrations in Norway shows that the value often increases when the depth foundation is used together with visualisation and simulation tools, and when stakeholders like port, pilotage, VTS, data owners, and system suppliers align around the same situational picture.
By no means is every port covered in this new standard format yet, but the coverage is steadily expanding. Pro tip: More and more national hydrographic authorities are starting to map port areas in S-100/S-102, so it can be worth asking for availability and timelines, as user demand often helps accelerate prioritisation.
Once these new tools are in place, a wide range of opportunities opens up. As inspiration for what S-102 can enable - and why it’s worth asking for it - we’ve outlined five operational benefits ports can start testing, focusing on a more practical impact.
Anchoring is about more than depth at a single position. Seabed shape, slopes, and (when available) indications of seabed characteristics influence the risk of dragging and other unwanted events.
In operational tests, detailed depth data has been used to visualise the seabed and support the selection of preferred anchorage positions with greater confidence during planning.
For ports, this can mean fewer ad-hoc solutions when traffic is tight and better decision support when large vessels need to wait for berth.
More to read: How S-102 Bathymetric Data is Produced
In practice, it’s rarely the “average depth” that limits operations, but shallow patches along the quay face, within turning circles, or inside a confined basin.
With detailed depth data and vessel models, ports can test whether a berthing operation is actually feasible, even if certain areas are shallower, as demonstrated in operational work linked to quay operations in Oslo.
This is a benefit that often shows up quickly: better planning of which part of a quay is usable for a vessel with a given draught, and fewer surprises when the call takes place.
When quays are not deep enough, ports may use fenders or other floating solutions to “move” the berthing position outward into deeper water.
With high-resolution depth data and hull form information, it becomes possible to calculate and visualise how much offset is needed to achieve sufficient under-keel margin, before spending time and money on the wrong measures.
In the port of Stavanger, S-102 was used in simulations to assess approach and quay development for very large vessels, where margins and seabed measures were central.
When deepening or expanding port areas, ports typically need to answer two questions: How much must be removed? And where?
Detailed depth data can be used to estimate excavation volumes and visualise the scope of measures, providing a more precise foundation for planning and dialogue with contractors. Particularly when combined with other area information.
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This shifts the discussion from: “We think we need more depth” to “Here is the volume, here is the effect, and here is the safety margin.” |
Worth reading: The Pilot Service: S-102 Depth Data Benefits Navigation & Environment
One of the most practical port benefits is collaboration: bringing stakeholders into the same room (physically or digitally) and using a common dataset to discuss margins and measures.
An operational test on S-100 describes how historical AIS tracks were used to simulate previous transits into the port of Kristiansand to illustrate margins, assess measures, and create a shared understanding of consequences before a new transit.
When this approach is combined with additional S-100 layers containing information reflecting changes over a period (for example S-111 currents and S-104 water levels), ports can develop a more dynamic decision basis, not only “how deep is it at a certain point in time", but "how does the operational window change?”.
If your port isn’t yet mapped in the new S-102 standard, a practical first step is to request access and an indicative timeline. It also helps to engage the natural partners who would benefit from the same data—pilots, VTS, and key system providers.
Once these datasets are available in the tools you use, it marks the beginning of a new way to operate and develop the port.