NORTH PORT ENVIRONMENTAL FORCING
North Port is located within the tropics experiencing two seasons within the year, the northeast (November to March) and the southeast monsoons (April to October). Heavy rainfall, annual flooding and high river flows are commonly experienced during the northeast monsoon or wet season, while dry periods occur later during the season. The mean annual water temperature is 30.04 °C, whereas the mean salinity has been reported to be 30.25 %. The annual mean surface and bottom pH values vary between 7.58 and 8.25, and the mean surface dissolved oxygen (DO) was recorded as 5.38 mg/l. This area is marked by a semi-diurnal tide, which ranges from 2 m during neaps to 5.5 m during spring. In the present study, according to reports of the Malaysian Metrological Service (MMS) between 2009 and 2011, the monthly average rainfall ranged from a minimum of 190 mm in August to a maximum of 410 mm in April and May; the average was 266.91 mm. November, April and May were the months with the greatest number of raining days (400–410 mm). Other researchers have reported that the river discharge at Klang Strait is highly correlated with rainfall patterns, and as expected, the maximum river discharges were measured in November 2009 and April and May 2010.
⦁ SOIL CONDITION
The soil patterns at the North Port area are softly clays for 20 and 30 meter below and followed by firmer layers which become stronger with depth. There are also irregular sand layers. The soft silty clays in the upper layers have shear strength of the order 20 – 25 KN / sq.m.
⦁ TIDES & TIDAL STREAMS
Tidal ranges at Port Klang vary between 2 metres during neaps and 5.5 metres during springs. Lowest Astronomical Tide recorded is 0.0 metre while the Highest Astronomical Tide recorded is 6.1 metre. Tidal streams in the Klang Straits generally set in the Southerly direction at a rate of 1 to 3 knots during flood tide and in the northerly direction during ebb tide at a rate of 1.5 to 3 knots. At Northport, the maximum rate of tidal stream is attained 1 hour before LW and HW. The tidal stream changes direction about 2 hours after LW and HW. At Southport, maximum tidal stream is attained at HW and LW. The tidal stream changes direction 1 hour after HW and LW. At Westport, the maximum tidal stream is attained at LW or HW and the tidal stream changes direction 2½ - 3 hours after LW and HW. Tidal streams at the wharves in general run parallel to the wharf line. The tidal is influence by wind speed. The average wind speed direction and percentage frequency with wave height is given in Table 1.
Table 1: Percentage frequency of occurrence of wave height (H) fo given directions
Wave Height (m) South East South South West West
< 0.5 8.38 13.05 9.70 11.05
0.5 – 1.0 0.75 2.30 1.75 2.25
1.1 – 1.5 0.42 1.20 0.75 1.20
1.6 – 2.0 0.05 0.15 0.10 0.10
2.1 – 2.5 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10
Total* 9.60 16.70 12.30 14.70
*remaining 46.7% of observations are for waves generated in other directional sectors.
From the table we can observe that the highest wave height total is influence by the west wind direction which is 14.70 percent.
Picture 1 : Graph of expected tidal height
Picture 2 : Detailed sea condition for Port Klang for 8, 9 and 10 December 2013
⦁ BATHYMETRY.
South Kelang Strait is one of the important strait to the North Port and Port Kelang. At South Kelang Strait, there is generally about 12 meter of water within 10 meter of the shoreline. There is about 800 meter between -12 meter contours and 600 meter between the -16 meter contours. At the north west of Pulau Lumut, there is 12 meter water at about 200 meter from the shoreline and there is over 600 meter between the 12 meter contours but there is only about 400 meter between the 16 meter contours. At the anchorage reach site, there is a length of about 250 meter at the west end near the S. Labuhan Group with 12 meter water at about 200 meter from the shoreline and with 400 meter between the 12 meter contours followed by 400 meter with depth of 10 meter at 100 to 150 meter from shore and with about 400 meter between the 10 meter contours.
⦁ NAVIGATIONAL CHANNELS AND BERTHS
CHANNEL LENGTH WIDTH DEPTH
Pulau Angsa (North) 11.0 nm
(20 km) 395 m 13.3 m
Pintu Gedong Access (South) 2.3 nm
(4.3 km) 365 m 15.0 m
Fairway Opposite Northport 4.5 nm
(8.3 km) 700 m 15.0 m
Approach Channel to Southport 2.6 nm
(4.8 km) 210 m 9.0 m
Table 2 : Navigational channel length, width and depth.
⦁ DRAINAGE AND FLOOD LEVEL
North Port is close to Pulau Lumut and Kelang Town. Parts of Pulau Lumut and the surrounding areas of Kelang Town experienced flooding during the widespread floods of January, 1971. On the Pulau Lumut the area of Kampung Terunting, was flooded up to 0.5 meters above ground levels. Based on the average ground levels, the level of flooding would have been about 5.1 meter which would be lower than the Highest Astronomical Tide of 5.4 meters. The villages of Pulau Lumut is protected from the tides by dykes and bunds surrounding the village. A tidal control gate on Sungai Perigi Nenas prevents the ingress of sea water during period of high tides. The gates are open when tides are low.
NORTH PORT ISSUE : POLLUTION
The North Port is located in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, in the narrow Klang Strait; this area is important for fisheries, tourism, navigation, and transportation. After 1981, Klang Strait experienced rapid commercial and industrial development, which caused an increase in population, leading to contamination and deterioration of the marine environment quality. This rapid deterioration of the Port Klang marine environment drew international attention. Thus, several regulations, guidelines and international agreements were ratified by research organizations (Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Department of Environment) to reduce and remedy contamination caused by several anthropogenic activities, such as harbors, industrials sites, and tourism, that released high amounts of contaminants into the marine environment. Nevertheless, the current information on concentration of contaminants in Port Klang’s environment is inadequate.
⦁ WATER POLLUTION
A study done by University Malaya researchers show that concentrations of Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, and Plumbum in sediment and in water at Port Klang area were significantly higher than the background values at which these metals are considered hazardous. The main sources of heavy metal contamination in Port Klang were industrial wastewater and port activities from the upstream of Kelang river. These hazardous substance have huge impact to human health. For example Arsenic has been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver, and prostate where as mercury can cause death.
There are also some oil slick detected on the water surface around North Port. It is believe that the oil is come from the ship and vessel that enter into the North Port. Spilled oil can harm living things because its chemical constituents are poisonous. This can affect organisms both from internal exposure to oil through ingestion or inhalation and from external exposure through skin and eye irritation. Huge Oil spill can smother some small species of fish or invertebrates and coat feathers and fur, reducing birds' and mammals' ability to maintain their body temperatures.
Picture 3 : Oil slick found at soil layer beside mangrove tree.
⦁ AIR POLLUTION
North Port severely having haze during the site visit. Visibility in Port Klang fluctuated between 0.00 and 0.5 nautical mile when the air pollutant index reached a high of 495. North Port pilots have been trained to navigate in conditions of restricted visibility besides also taking advantage of short periods of improved visibility to safely navigate ships in and out of the port.
THE WIND DIRECTION IN NORTH PORT
North Port is protected from high wind flow since it is located in the middle between Titiwangsa mountains and Sumatera island. Wind direction in North Port is not specifically in one direction. The percentage frequency for wind direction is given in table 2. From the table we can observe that the highest total wind direction is to the south and the lowest wind speed total is to the south east.
Picture 3 : wind direction in Malaysia on 8 December 2013
Table 2: Percentage frequency of occurrence of wind speed for given direction (speed up factor of x 2 applied to Subang airport data)
Wind speed (m/s) South East South South West West
< 0.6 5.2 9.1 6.7 8.0
0.6 – 3.0 2.2 2.7 2.0 2.0
3.1 – 6.6 1.3 2.5 2.0 2.1
6.7 – 10.8 0.8 2.1 1.4 2.2
10.9 – 18.8 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.4
Total* 9.6 16.7 12.3 14.7
*remaining 46.7% of observation are for other directions.
Table 3: Winds fetch lengths for offshore wave generation for North Port.
Direction (oN) Fetch length (km)
5 50.0
15 45.0
25 21.0
35 15.0
45 11.6
55 13.0
65 14.4
75 14.4
85 14.4
95 22.2
105 32.2
115 77.4
125 307.5
135 210.0
145 94.0
155 95.4
165 92.0
175 81.0
185 71.2
195 59.0
205 66.4
215 95.4
225 100.0
235 105.0
245 100.0
255 105.0
265 127.5
275 137.5
285 192.5
295 360.0
305 1380.0
315 2700.0
325 2490
335 680.0
345 92.5
355 65.0
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