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A review of literature is conducted in the field of cruise shipping, indicating a research gap in what concerns the regional analysis of the specific characteristics of cruise shipping in the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Passenger traffic in major cruise ports in this region and seasonality throughout the period of 2007–2016 is analyzed, including a comparison with the West Mediterranean. The number and market segment of cruise ships operating in this region is discussed and cruise terminal characteristics are compared. A database of cruise ships that compose the world fleet is presented and a number of its technical characteristics are discussed. This database is used to further characterize cruise shipping in selected Atlantic and Mediterranean ports of different sizes. The fleet composition in these ports is compared with the world fleet. The distribution of nautical distances between ports in the two areas is compared and its consequences for itinerary planning are discussed. Limitations in smaller ports in the Atlantic coast are identified. Conclusions are drawn regarding cruise shipping in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for delimiting the potential hinterland of container terminals that consists in calculating the minimum generalised costs from load centers to different container terminals, using one of a set of possible intermodal or unimodal transportation solutions. Generalised costs include transportation costs, handling costs and transit time costs. The models of the transportation infrastructure network (roads, railway lines, ports, intermodal terminals) and of transportation and handling costs are described, including the definition of nonlinear unitary transportation costs. The methodology and models are implemented in a computer code and applied in a case study focused on the characterization of container terminal potential hinterlands across the western Iberian Peninsula. The results allow the identification of the main hinterland of different terminals in a multi-port system and the analysis of the effects of intermodal terminals in promoting a regionalization process, enabling the characterization of 'island formations'. A hinterland contestability index is proposed and used to evaluate the degree of competition between container terminals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the selection of an optimal port for components storing and assembly of offshore wind components so as to reduce the total transportation cost, as the hub port is an important supply-chain issue that affects the installation of floating wind parks. An integrated multi-Criteria Decision method is presented for the port selection problem based on the Ranking Method and the Weighted Product Method. Twenty-one criteria have been identified based on available data and expert analysis. Floating wind experts evaluate installation port selection criteria and establish a ranking to determine the best solution. The methodology developed is applied to the Atlantic ports of the Iberian Peninsula, as a case study. The findings could interest port managers and marine transportation associations to improve the port facilities and regulations. • Optimal port selection for storing and assembly of offshore wind components. • Port selection is based on the Ranking Method and the Weighted Product Method. • Twenty-one criteria have been identified based on available data and expert analysis. • Floating wind experts participate in port selection criteria and solution determination. • The methodology developed is applied to the Atlantic ports of the Iberian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work describes the implementation of a methodology based on the optimal interpolation method for assimilating the altimeter data in a regional wave forecasting system. The main objective is to improve the wave predictions in the western Iberian coastal environment. The wave modelling system considered is based on WAM, for the wave generation, and on SWAN for the coastal transformation and delivers daily forecast products. An analysis scheme was first applied to the hindcast runs, when the observations and the simulations were blended within a time window of one day. The objective is to validate the methodology proposed and to evaluate the impact produced by this scheme on the accuracy of the wave predictions. Corrections are applied to the output of the SWAN model, and consequently, the data assimilation scheme is executed independently of the model simulations. As a second step, the data assimilation scheme is applied to operational runs, when the analysis fields are used as a first guess for the next simulations. The procedure considered uses the observations provided by the multi-satellite altimeter data. Both satellite data and in-situ observations are used for the quality assessment. The results show that the assimilation scheme works correctly and all the statistical parameters evaluated have better values in the case of the assimilated significant wave height scalar field. As expected, by increasing the amount of the data assimilated, the accuracy of the wave predictions is enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study describes the Hércules storm hindcast performed with the WAM model during one of the major cyclones that occurred in the North Atlantic in the last several years. A description of the development of a peculiar winter season in which a number of consecutive storms took place severely beating the west of Europe is provided. The performed hindcast was carefully conducted applying WAM model in combination with the reanalysis of NOAA/NCEP (CFSRv2). These results were validated against the network wave buoys of the Port of Authorities (Puertos del Estado) of Spain around the North Atlantic Spanish and Portuguese continental shelf showing a high correlation during the 2 months of the simulation period (1 December 2013 up to 5 February 2014). The study also determined the Benjamin-Feir index and showed that close to the Iberian Peninsula there was a high probability of occurrence of abnormal waves generated in this storm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A statistical analysis of significant wave height (Hs) in a location offshore Portugal continental coast, Leixões, is performed. The spectral and parametric information of sea states at this point used in this analysis was obtained from a 21-year hindcast simulation using the spectral wave model simulating wave nearshore (SWAN) forced by wind fields produced by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model forced by the ERA-Interim reanalysis. The modeling of the climatic variability of directional spectra provides information of the shape of the expected directional spectra in the various sea states at these locations, i.e., how the spectral parameters and their probability of occurrence change in the regions studied. The occurrences of spectral classes are estimated, and for each class, the variability of the spectral parameters is described by means of joint distributions. The classification of the different sea states provides important information about the wave conditions present in the target areas. A relation between the sea states and the Lamb weather types (WTs) as well as a methodology for classifying atmospheric circulation patterns is presented in this study. The results of this study provide a description of the wave climate through demonstration of the interaction between sea states and weather patterns and relating different circulation patterns to different sea states. This study provides useful information on the wave conditions that can be utilized in the design of ocean engineering structures as well as in the assessment of the operability and safety of shipping and renewable energy devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment of wave power resource for Portugal continental coast is presented, using thirty three years (1979–2012) of wave hindcast. The hindcast system is based in two spectral wave models, WWIII (WAVEWATCHIII) for the wave generation and SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) for wave transformation in coastal areas. To improve the SWAN model performance, six high resolution areas (Aguçadoura, Figueira da Foz, São Pedro de Moel, Peniche, Cascais and Sines) were nested into one large area (Iberian coast). The assessment of wave power potential was done by studying the spatial and temporal behaviour using average for different time scales (monthly, seasonal, inter-annual and total time). Moreover, the wave climate variability was determined through the calculation of the coefficient of variation, seasonal variability index and monthly variability index. The results have shown that in Portugal the wave energy is higher in the northwest, that the wave climate variability has more impact in the south and that the month with the highest energy is January. A bivariate distribution of significant wave height and energy period was also determined, showing that the sea states where more wave power can be extracted are different than the ones that occur more frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the development of a wave prediction system for the west Iberian coast. The implemented wave prediction system is based on two state-of-the-art spectral wave models, WAM for the ocean area and SWAN for the nearshore. However, because of its extended geographical space the SWAN model will include some generation effects in the coarse SWAN simulations, complemented by wave transformation effects near the coast. The system was validated by means of extended hindcast runs in various regions belonging to the continental Portuguese coastal environment, which were compared with buoy data, focusing on the extreme energetic events and both direct comparisons and statistical results are presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The results of a numerical assessment of the wave energy in the Iberian North and West coast are presented. The implemented system uses the WAVEWATCH III model for wave generation and swell propagation, covering the entire North Atlantic basin, and the SWAN model for wave generation and propagation in the coastal areas. WAVEWATCH III provides the wave boundary conditions for the areas simulated by SWAN, which in turn provides the boundary conditions for the high resolution areas. Although there are results available for the Portuguese west coast and Spanish northwestern coast, they use different approaches and wind forcing data, and the present paper presents a consistent approach to identify differences among the various areas, by modelling them with the same models and using the same wind forcing and parameterizations of the SWAN model. The wind fields used in both models are from Era-Interim, a global atmospheric reanalysis data set produced by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the bathymetry used in high resolution areas are from the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans. The model results are validated with various buoy's significant wave height, mean wave period and mean wave direction. Results are presented of the average wave power spatial distribution in the coarse SWAN domain for each month of the three years, and for the high resolution areas the spatial distribution wave energy is provided for winter and summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]