Analysis of the Accessibility of the Świnoujście–Szczecin Fairway for Deep-Draught Ships

This article focuses on aspects related to the under-keel clearance of ships passing through the modernized Świnoujście–Szczecin fairway and analyses the impact of port water depths on safe navigation on the fairway, where the main factor determining the safe passage of a ship is the under-keel clearance (UKC). The article presents the results of research in which a detailed analysis of historical water levels in locations such as Świnoujście, Trzebież, and Szczecin was conducted to determine the permissible draught for various types of ships in dynamic hydrological conditions. The study utilized hydrological data from 2008–2022 available in the public resources of IMGW, which allowed for the characterization of the pattern of water level changes and their impact on navigation. The results suggest that considering variable water levels when planning ship movements can minimize the risk of ship downtime and maintain the continuity of port operations. As a result of the conducted research, acceptable water level drops for different types and classes of ships were determined depending on their draught and the possibility of waiting to enter the fairway. The probability and average waiting time for a deep-draught ship to pass through the fairway in the event of a water level drop were also determined.