Harbours

The IRCA operates the information system sjolag.is. The website publishes weather information from weather stations located in selected lighthouses, as well as measurements obtained from 11 wave sensors that are located all around the country.

Projects related to port- and coastal research are divided into several sub-sections. Below is an overview regarding how incoming projects are divided:

• Projects related to harbour changes, harbour expansion, and any subsequent influences on the surrounding sea etc.
• Monitoring, analysis, and forecasting of marine weather: Updates to the website “Veður og sjólag;” sea level measurements in harbours; examination and analysis of previous floods; wave map and probability distribution of ocean waves alongside software updates for tidal calculations and the motion of ships moored at dock all fall into this category.
• Protection against natural hazards: Inspection of littoral drift and land erosion; the IRCA’s guiding definition of ground level in low areas and the subsequent determination of a minimal ground level. Also included are tidal forecasts and flood investigation.
• Research projects concerning port structures and their design include, among others, geotechnical research as well as the study of port electrification.
• Research and development, e.g. storm surge analysis to determine the minimal floor level for buildings situated on the coast (low areas.)

The IRCA manages the Harbour Fund (hafnarbótasjóður.) The fund finances state-run construction and damage repairs.

• The Harbour Fund finances construction in accordance with the parliament-approved transport plan.
• The fund operates a department of research and development whose goal is to support smaller ports in the countryside deemed important for the regional and industrial development of the areas they service.
• The fund compensates for damages suffered by harbour structures that qualify for grants from the fund, as well as damages that cannot be fully compensated for through the relief fund, or due to provisions of the Act on Vessels on the limited liability of vessel operators.
• Sea defences are defences employed against tidal floods and land erosion suffered due to intrusion by the sea. Inhabited areas and areas with valuable structures or cultural heritage sites have priority when it comes to the construction of sea defences.