Numerical Simulation of Extreme Waves at Chancay Port

This study investigates the extreme wave event that caused damage to the main breakwater at Chancay Port, Peru, on 24 August 2025 (the 824 event), through high-resolution nested numerical wave simulations. The research reveals the underlying mechanisms and causation of the damage. Results indicate that the extreme waves originated from a powerful storm in the Southern Pacific’s Roaring Forties around 20 August. The storm generated long-period swell that propagated to Chancay Port, resulting in significant wave heights of 4.2–4.4 m offshore, exceeding the 475-year return period design standard and ranking as the most severe wave event in the past 30 years. Localized modeling further demonstrates that the swells induced nonlinear transformations in front of the breakwater, with wave heights reaching up to 7 m along the structure and generating complex standing waves near the bend. Comprehensive analysis concludes that the damage was caused by the combined effects of this rare extreme remote swell and localized hydrodynamic interactions with the breakwater.