To improve the socioeconomic situation in the Republic of Nicaragua, the government has decided to strengthen the country’s transport infrastructure by building a port on the Caribbean coast. The future port will be in Bluefields Bay, which can be characterised as a lagoon-shaped estuary. The inner basin is connected to the sea by two tidal inlets, located north and south of a barrier island. This study assesses the hydrodynamics and morphodynamics of the area; in addition, it analyses the influence of the port structures on these natural processes. A qualitative analysis of the hydrodynamics and sediment transport in the area is conducted, and sedimentation rates in the navigation channel and the erosion rates of the coast are calculated. The area is analysed with the help of a conceptual model that is supported by the process-based model Delft3D. Large parts of the area consist of shallow depths of around 1.5 m below mean sea level (MSL). The bed of these shallow parts consists mainly of mud. In those areas with a depth of more than 5 m below MSL, which are the river channel and the tidal channels at the inlets, the flow velocity increases, and a more substantial fraction of sand can be observed. In the data analysis, distinct wet and dry seasons can be observed; these seasons change the hydrodynamic influences over the course of the year. The river discharge increases by a factor of 10 during the wet season. In addition, the river delivers large quantities of mud, particularly during the wet period. When the tidal flow enters the lagoon, it influences sediment transport. As the dominant hydrodynamics change throughout the year, the sediment fluxes change with them. Beyond the hydrodynamics within the lagoon, the adjacent coast is under the influence of a swell wave climate. As the waves mainly come from the east-northeast at a height of 1 m, a moderate southward longshore transport is initiated year-round. The Delft3D model is used to analyse the hydrodynamics and sediment transport of the area in more detail. The model is used to analyse the flow magnitudes and directions. This approach allows the dominant hydrodynamic components to be identified. The most relevant hydrodynamic components are considered in the Delft3D model. These include tide, river discharge, waves, and wind. The 2D mode is sufficient to model these hydraulic components. Because of the hydrodynamic climate changes that occur throughout the year due to changes in the meteorological climate, the simulation period is one representative year. The model is calibrated and validated by means of phenomenological calibration and expert judgement, as field data is scarce.

This paper is the result of the first collaboration project between Delft University of Technology and Sohar University. The project team consisted of 6 core- members from both Sohar University and TU Delft along with 5 more students, together appointed to help find an answer for a problem stated by Sohar Industrial Port Company and Majis Industrial Services.
This paper proposes a deep seawater intake for the cooling water system of Sohar Industrial Port, Oman. In the region’s summers, surface water temperatures tend to rise to very high levels. Among other things, this results in inefficient cooling of the processes associated with the steel manufacturers, petrochemical plants, refineries and power plants present in the port. The proposed inlet subtracts water 4 km offshore at an average temperature of 24.9 ±C. Using this colderwater, the demand is expected to go downwith approx. 2% in the winter and 16% in the summer, saving system capacity and pumping costs. The 2,148 MW generated power at Sohar port is expected to increase efficiency by 0.72%. Furthermore, the coastal waters are vulnerable to algal blooms. These toxic algae can not be filtered out efficiently and lead to temporary closure of the desalination plants (mainly Reverse Osmosis) causing a threat to the drinking water supply in the entire north of Oman. This paper concludes however that there is not an (economically) feasible inlet location that is unaffected by the algal blooms. Other water characteristics such as turbidity and organic content are also expected not to show significant improvement at the proposed inlet location but more elaborate measurements should validate this.
A technical feasibility study was conducted to find the optimal system design. Multiple alternative materials being metals, alloys, HDPE and concrete have been investigated to serve as water conveyors to transport the water from the inlet to the shore. A possible design for the off-shore water inlet structure was made as well as a recommended design for the connection of the pipelines with the current facilities. Site selection, material selection, friction head loss calculations, pipeline sizing, concrete ballast weights, seabed pipeline stability and planning have been discussed in this report. Finally, a financial feasibility study has been conducted. A model was built and costs have been quantitatively estimated based on the technical design. Benefits have been quantified where possible and if not, were qualitatively described. It is concluded that it is not financially feasible to build a deep seawater intake for the entire port. Building a limited-scale variant, only providing RO and power plants, is a better solution but still unfeasible. Recommendation is done to scrutinise the processes within power plants and RO-plants further as their potential benefits are considerable.