Summary
POHANG
SUMMARY
The conclusion reached in this study is that Pohang is not a typhoon haven. All ships at the Port should sortie in a tropical cyclone threat situation. The primary reason for this conclusion is that the Port affords no protection from most hazardous tropical cyclone conditions. Any storm passing within 180 nmi of Pohang has the potential to bring strong winds to the Port. High seas at the Port are possible for all tropical storms moving northeastward through the Tsushima (Korea) Strait or across southwestern Japan into the Sea of Japan.
Evasion from Pohang is recommended in all tropical cyclone threat scenarios. Two primary evasion routes are available, one to the Yellow Sea and the other to the Sea of Japan (East Sea). The choice will depend on when the sortie decision is made and the forecast track of the tropical cyclone.
The closest typhoon haven is Sasebo, but this would require the ship to transit south into winds and seas as the storm closed in. If the storm was distant enough (CPA to Pohang of 3-4 days), this would be a good haven option. Other haven options include Maizuru to the east and even the Non-Tidal Basin in the Port of Inchon, if time would allow.
NOTE: An additional section has been added to this port study that discusses weather other than tropical cyclones that impacts South Korea.
The Pohang Typhoon Haven evaluation was prepared
by G. Handlers and S. Brand of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Monterey, CA.
Source: http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/port_studies/thh-nc/korea/pohang/text/summary.htm
