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Port of Corfu (Greece) - Port Information (ID: 35495)
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KERKIRA.htm Kerkira (Corfu) Greece Greece Kerkira (Corfu) Port Information Selections Port Map Geographic Location Harbor as Haven Currents and Tides Visibility Hazardous Conditions Spring Summer Autumn Winter Protective or Mitigating Measures Moving to a new Anchorage Sortie or Remain in Port Scheduling Harbor Protection Local Hazardous Weather Conditions Wind Chill Table Heat Index Table Return To Ports List Untitled Document Geographic Location Geographic Location Coordinates: 39deg/37min N 19deg/56min E The Port is situated on the eastern side of Kerkira Island just slightly north of the center of the north-south extent of the Island. Kerkira Island is about 36 miles long and about 17 miles wide at its widest portion near the northern end. The island terrain is composed of hills orlow mountains with maximum elevations ranging from near 600 ft in the south portion to a maximum of 2989 ft in the northeast sector. The mainland terrain is mountainous with elevations over 4000 ft within a fewmiles of the coast. The Corfu Channel separates the Island from the mainland to the east. The Channel width varies from about 1 n mi at its northern entrance to about 12 n mi at its widest point in the vicinity ofthe Port. The southern entrance is about 4 n mi wide. Open channel depthsrange from a minimum of about 26 fathoms in the northern entrance area togreater than 30 fathoms elsewhere. The Port of Kerkira (Corfu) is located on the north side of Cape Sidhero (Akra Sidhero). A small island (Nisis Vidhon) is located about 1/2 n mi offshore north of the Port and a smaller island (Nisis Lazaretton) is located about 2 n mi to the northwest of the Port. A number of rocks and shoals exist between and around the two islands. The Port is entered fromthe east via the roadstead between Cape Sidhero and Vidhon Island. The city of Kerkira extends across the Cape and along both the north and eastfacing coastlines. The Port facilities are located along the north facingcoast. The Port has no berthing for large ships. A 240-ft quay (26 ft alongside depth) located in the eastern portion of the Port, and an inner harbor formed by a detached breakwater that extends about 2100 ft westward from the quay area comprise the mooring and docking facilities. Small ships can moor stern on to the breakwater, but depths are not stated. A second detached breakwater is located to the west of the first one with a third planned by 1992 yet further to the west. Anchorage can be made between the harbor and Vidhon Island at depths of approximately 98 ft with a stiff mud and clay bottom. Carriers typically anchor eastward of a north-south line from Cape Sidhero to Vidhon Island in 130 to 140 ft depths. This area has a mud bottom which provides poor holding. Caution is advised relative to anchor dragging when southerly winds of 22 to 33 kt or greater are expected. Secondary anchorages are located south of Cape Sidhero and north-northwest of Lazaretton Island. The anchorage south of Cape Sidhero in, and offshore from, Garitsa Bay provides protection from strong north-northwest winds. Depths are in excess of 66 ft at about 1/2 n mi offshore. The anchorage north-northwestof Lazaretton Island provides protection from the strong southerly winds occasionally experienced during winter. Depths range from 60 to 95 ft. Harbor as Haven Harbor as Haven Kerkira is a well protected port. No ship has ever been forced to leave due to weather. There have been no grounding incidents in the last 40 years. Strong northwesterly winds and waves may hamper or at times suspend cargo handling work and make berthing difficult. The primary anchorages are exposed but protected anchorages are located very nearby. Currents and Tides Currents and Tides There are no reported significant current or tide activities in the harbor. Visibility Visibility Visibility is generally good, 8 to 10 miles. Occasional early morning fogduring spring and summer reduces visibility to near zero with clearing by1000 LST. Hazardous Conditions: Spring Hazardous Conditions: Spring The transition from winter to summer is prolonged with alternating periods of winter- and summer-like conditions. Winter-like cyclonic storms should not be counted out until late May. The frequency, intensity and extent of Sirocco conditions are at a maximum during spring. Sirocco events with south-to-southeasterly 22 to 33 kt winds and waves of 5 to 7 ft are likely to be experienced during spring. Sirocco conditions tend to develop slowly over a day or two, butmay persist for several days. Early morning visibility of near zero in fog is likely to occur during periods when high pressure ridge lines extend southward out of Europe over the Kerkira area. Visibility generally improves by 1000 LST. The prevailing winds remain southeasterly through spring but with a gradual weakening. Average cloud cover and precipitation amounts decreasequite rapidly through the period, but reflect the alternating winter/summer patterns on the daily-to-weekly basis. Hazardous Conditions: Summer Hazardous Conditions: Summer Typical Mediterranean climate dominates, nearly cloud and precipitation free with mild temperatures (daily highs in upper 80's, nightly lows in mid 60's). There are no truly hazardous weather conditions during summer.The prevailing winds become northerly in response to the development of the thermal low over southwestern Asia with relatively high pressure overthe Mediterranean. A thermal low pressure trough extends westward along the southern coast of Turkey from the thermal low. Enhanced northerly flow 11 to 21 kt develops over the area when the thermal trough is most intense and/or shifted to its westerly most position off southwest Turkey. These events are called Meltemi in Kerkiraand are part of the regional Etesian wind pattern which influences the Aegean Sea, Balkan Peninsula, and Asia Minor during summer. The Etesian is, in turn, a regional aspect of the continental scale monsoonal flow ofAsia. Etesian events, and therefore Meltemis, tend to persist for two or three days. During these events the island sea-breeze may enhance the northerly flow and result in afternoon winds of 17 to 21 kt which can disturb routine harbor operations and small boat traffic. While no local indicators were identified during the 1990 port visit to Kerkira the tendency for an increase in clouds the day before and first day of Etesian events has been noted elsewhere as a well-known fact by Aegean Sea fishermen. During July and August the clouds are typically limited to scattered altocumulus on the day preceding the Etesian while thunderstorm activity over Greece tends to occur on the day before and first day of an Etesian during May-June and September-October periods. Hazardous Conditions: Autumn Hazardous Conditions: Autumn The most hazardous aspect of weather in autumn, as elsewhere in the Mediterranean, is the rapidity with which the winter type pattern is established. On average the winter pattern is established around the end of the third week of October over the northern Mediterranean. While the first storms are not likely to be as intense as some later in the winter,the marked change from the summer Mediterranean weather can catch people unaware and unprepared. Migratory cyclones approaching from the west are the most likely events. Conditions for migratory lows are described in the winter section. Hazardous Conditions: Winter Hazardous Conditions: Winter Even under the most severe weather, sortie to the open seas has not been required from the Port of Kerkira. The most hazardous conditions experienced at Kerkira are caused by winter migratory Genoa cyclones thateither intensify or result in secondary development over the Ionian Sea, with the surface low then tracking northeastward and passing just to the west of Kerkira Island. The synoptic pattern favorable for events of thistype evolve from a well-developed trough over Italy with favorable conditions for cyclogenesis in the Gulf of Genoa. Initial movement of theGenoa low must be to the southeast into the Ionian Sea, followed by recurvature to the northeast. The most intense of these systems result insoutheasterly 41 to 47 kt winds and waves of 6 to 7 ft over the Corfu Channel region. Vessels anchored outside of the eastern end of the roadstead between the town of Kerkira and Vidhon Island, in the carrier anchorage area, will experience the most hazardous conditions in the vicinity of the Port of Kerkira. For those transiting lows that continue on an easterly course, generally passing south of Kerkira, the port area will first experience southeast-to-east winds followed by northerly winds as the low moves eastward. Throughout such cyclonic activity the wind speeds at Kerkira will range 22 to 33 kt or less. A complication of this type event results from the backing wind direction, southerly to easterly to northerly, with the resulting shift of location of most sheltered areas and anchorages from the harbor and north of Lazaretton Island (under southerly winds) to the area south of Cape Sidhero in, or offshore from, Garitsa Bay (under northwesterly winds). Sirocco events (cyclonic systems and southerly flow originating over North Africa) may also bring southerly winds of 22 to 33 kt range to the Kerkira area. Siroccos reaching the Kerkira area are of the moist type that bring clouds and precipitation that may contain dust. Generally Siroccos are most frequent and intense during the spring period, but canoccur any time of the year. For Sirocco conditions to reach the Kerkira area there must be a well-developed trough that extends out of Europe southward across the Mediterranean and over North Africa with the trough line in the vicinity of Italy. The prevailing wind direction during winter is southeasterly. The land breeze off the cold, snow-covered mountains of the Balkan Peninsula is northerly. These opposing flows result in calm wind conditions about 40% of the time during the late night and morning periods, and about 25% of the time through the middle of the day. Variations from these calm or near calm conditions by either persistent southerly or northerly winds indicate some degree of disturbance from the normal daily circulation patterns. Northerly (Bora) winds of 22 to 33 kt may occur when either enhanced highpressure develops to the north over Europe or a cyclone passes eastward south of the local area. The most intense events will be experienced withsome combination of the European high and transiting low occurring at thesame time. The annual frequency of eastward tracking storms is highly variable, none occurred in the winter of 89-90, but as many as 10 have been experienced during other winters. Below freezing temperatures can occur from November through early April. On average, below freezing temperatures will occur about 4 days during January and 2 to 3 days in February. The coldest mornings range from about 23 deg to 26 deg F. Because the northerly gradient flow and winterland breezes reinforce each other, northerly winds of 11 to 21 kt are typical during the coldest mornings. A 20-kt wind at 25 deg F equates to an equivalent chill temperature of about -5 deg F. Protective/Mitigating Measures: Moving to a New Anchorage Protective/Mitigating Measures: Moving to a New Anchorage When strong southerly winds are occurring, the anchorage north of Lazaretton Island, or in the roadstead between the harbor and VidhonIsland, provide the best protection. During strong northwesterly winds protected anchorage can be found south of Cape Sidhero in, or offshore of, Garitsa Bay. Protective/Mitigating Measures: Sortie/Remain in Port Protective/Mitigating Measures: Sortie/Remain in Port There is no sortie information available for this port. Protective/Mitigating Measures: Scheduling Protective/Mitigating Measures: Scheduling During winter periods of northerly wind events the strongest winds may occur during the morning period. The wind and waves may hinder alongside operations and small boat traffic at the anchorages plus cargo handling in the harbor. This condition results from the reinforcement of the northerly gradient flow by the land breeze off the snow-covered mountainous areas of the Balkan Peninsula. In contrast, when the gradientwind is southerly, the northerly land breeze may offset it and near calm conditions will prevail during the morning. During the summer the island sea breeze will reinforce the prevailingnortherly flow during the afternoons. This results in wind and waveconditions that may hinder alongside operations and small boat trafficat the anchorages plus cargo handling in the harbor. Harbor Protection Harbor Protection The port of Kerkira is a well protected port that has no recorded incidents of forced sorties due to severe weather nor any recorded anchordragging incidents that resulted in groundings in the last 40 years. The terrain features of Kerkira Island, the mainland, and the islands of Vidhon and Lazaretton provide some degree of protection from wind from all quadrants. Northerly winds are the most troublesome and can create hazardous cargo handling and small boat operations. Southerly winds, preceding winter frontal passages, produce the strongest local winds. While the port area is well protected from southerly winds, the carrier anchorage area is exposed. Alongside operations are hazardous for ships at anchor under the strong northerly or southerly wind events. No other reports of hazardous weather except occasional morning fog during spring and summer and near freezing temperatures (wind chill) during winter northerly flow conditions have been identified during the review for thisport. The Port is well protected from all wave action. During northerly winds waves may reach 2-3 ft in the harbor. Waves of 5-7 ft are experienced at the carrier anchorage. Under the strongest northerly wind conditions experienced at the Port, wave and wind action in the harbor may necessitate canceling cargo handling in, and small boat and alongside operations outside, the harbor. Local Hazardous Weather Conditions Local Hazardous Weather Conditions No local indicators were noted during the Port Visit of 1990. Reiter reported that increasing cloudiness over the Balkan Peninsula and Aegean Sea on the day preceding the establishment of an Etesian wind period was a well-known fact by local fishermen. During the periods of May-June and September-October thunderstorms and lightning frequently occur on the daypreceding the outbreak of the Etesian as well as on the first day of the Etesian. During July and August, when the most stable atmospheric conditions exist over the Mediterranean, scattered altocumulus are typically noted on the day preceding the onset of the Etesian. Snow cover on the coastal mountains tends to enhance the land breeze. Therefore during winter, when the gradient flow is also northerly (Bora),the local northerly winds tend to be strongest in the morning period. The Port is situated on the eastern side of Kerkira Island just slightly north of the center of the north-south extent of the Island. Port of Corfu (Greece) - Port Information