WAVE CLIMATE

A ship or any ocean vehicle or structure is exposed to the marine environment. Enviromental forces at sea come from wind, seaway, current, tidal waves, and waves from earthquakes (tsunamis). Generally, seaway is generated by the wind at the sea surface. Information on wind-generated wavTes has been based on: visual observation; instrumental buoy measurements; remote sensing from satellites; calculation with spectral models using barometric fields and wind field analysis.It underestimates the recurrence of heavy storms. Buoy measurement data are smaller in volume and limited to a small number of years. The storm class depends on the shape of the wind force versus time. The wave class depends on the shape of the seaway spectrum versus frequency. Storm class I is generating waves during limited time. Storm class II is generating a fully developed sea. Storm classes III,IV,V: combinations of class I and II.