Department of Harbour Engineering

Department of Harbour Engineering

India’s maritime trade comprises of export-import trade in various bulk commodities like crude oil and other petroleum products, iron ore and coal, besides general purpose cargo. Over the last ten years, since the onset of economic liberalization, there has been a significant spurt in handling of value-added goods mainly in form of containerised cargo movement, in several Indian ports.

This has given rise to many new dimensions in the development of the port sector in the country.

The growing needs for development of port infrastructure warrants construction of advanced port facilities.
Currently the berthing and handling capacities of India’s port sector is far below the required, about 40% of the required. Hence, it is high time for development of deepwater ports and harbours. Furthermore, 6000 km of mainland Indian coastline can accomodate hundreds of New Harbors which will enable efficient and economical transportation system. The design and construction of port development facilities necessiates requirement of large number of coastal engineers. Currently, there exists a shortage of coastal engineers in India.

Design of marine structures against the hostile wave climate becomes a challenging task for coastal engineers. There is a huge need of coastal and harbor engineers to meet the Industry need both in India as well as in other countries, all over the world.

In order to meet this industrial need, the Department of Harbour engineering and offshore technology at AMET University has been started during the academic year 2008-09

Teaching and research in harbour engineering and offshore technology

A characteristic of the field of harbor engineering and offshore technology is that the problems generally are complex and unique, thereby precluding a standard “one size fits all” approach to solutions. Today, faculty and research students of this program are actively engaged in a broad spectrum of research topics including coastal and estuarine circulation, surf zone hydrodynamics, sediment transport and tsunami inundation studies, wave energy device development and port planning and safety. The department’s faculty and students conduct fundamental research in coastal processes and carry out field observations in Chennai coasts, as well as conduct laboratory experiments including strength and fatigue tests on marine materials. Currently, two Ph.d students are doing research on wave power turbine modelling and port safety.

Department facilities

Our Department of harbour engineering and offshore technology is well-equipped with coastal modelling laboratory.

DHI’S MIKE 21 features on modelling of waves on wave reflection, refraction, diffraction and sediment budgeting. The students are trained on various aspects of coastal modelling using Mike21 software. The department is also enriched with TUNAMI N2, tsunami modelling software; which provides the necessary output on tsunami inundation modelling. The department provides interim training on latest techniques on coastal survey. The coastal survey laboratory is equipped with latest version of total station, GPS, digital
theodelite as well as auto levelling. Several developments are in progress in establishing wave generating laboratories.

The Department library is equiped with latest edition books and advanced e-journals related to maritime engineering, wave energy and construction technology. The department receives free subscription of Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) London Journal of Energy. The department of harbour engineering and offshore technology is in process of developing joint research programs and academic exchange training to other institutes, both in India and European countries.

Department of Harbour Engineering
AMET University
135, East Coast Road,
Kanathur - 603112, India

Other Departments at AMET University, Chennai

• Department of Biotechnology
• Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences
• Department of English
• Department of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
• Department of HND Nautical Science
• Department of Harbour Engineering
• Department of Harbour and Ocean Engineering
• Department of Information Technology
• Department of Management Studies
• Department of Marine Biotechnology
• Department of Marine Electrical & Electronic Engineering
• Department of Marine Engineering
• Department of Mathematics
• Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Department of Nautical Science
• Department of Nautical Studies
• Department of Naval Architecture
• Department of Petroleum & Offshore Engineering
• Department of Physical Education
• Department of Physics
• Department of STCW
• HND Marine Engineering