Innovative Uses of Wave Power: Environmental Management of the Port of Ensenada, Mexico

Over the past century, the water and sediments of the port of Ensenada, México, have accumulated a lot of pollution from human activities. Although present day restrictive measures inhibit any further accumulation, the existing aggregation in the sediments is sufficient to maintain high levels of contamination throughout the port, despite the flushing action of the tides.

A SIBEO (SIBEO is an acronym for the Spanish SIstema de Bombeo por Energía de Oleaje) wave-driven seawater pump recently developed at the National University of Mexico is proposed to inject clean and oxygen rich seawater from outside the port to promote flushing in the more stagnant sections of the harbour. Results from a numerical model of the port hydrodynamics shed light on why the tides cannot on their own adequately flush the system, and how the wave-driven seawater pump will help to promote ventilation.

Over the next 4 years, a cluster of SIBEO pumps is proposed to be installed on the Ensenada breakwater to inject unpolluted seawater at various locations in the port. A programme will be carried out to study the effects on the water column and sediments, in this first full-scale application of the SIBEO.