Assessment of Tsunami Damage on Marine Vessels in the Aegean Sea Ports Following the 30 October 2020 Tsunami

The 30 October 2020 Aegean Sea tsunami was triggered by an Mw 7.0 earthquake at a depth of ~15 km, which occurred in Kusadasi Bay, north of Samos Island, Greece. The moderate tsunami primarily impacted the central Aegean coast of Turkiye and the northern coast of Samos Island, Greece, with a maximum runup of ~3.8 m observed in Akarca, Izmir, Turkiye. The tsunami resulted in one fatality and several injuries in Turkiye as well as destructive effects on marine vessels, particularly in two locations, Sigacik and Akarca in Izmir Province. In Sigacik Teos Marina, more than 300 vessels experienced varying levels of damage, whereas in Akarca Fishing Shelter, all floating piers were destroyed, and more than 20 vessels were highly damaged. Despite its adverse effects, the 30 October 2020 event provided significant data on damaged marine vessels serving as a key resource for developing tsunami fragility functions in the Aegean Sea. 

In this study, we aim to evaluate the potential impacts and damages induced by tsunamis on marine vessels in ports, marinas, and fishing shelters by establishing correlations between tsunami parameters and their effects through the development of fragility curves and loss functions. We focus on marine vessel damage resulting from strong currents and water level fluctuations caused by the 30 October 2020 tsunami. Pre- and post-tsunami satellite imagery of Sigacik Teos Marina and Akarca Fishing Shelter was used to document vessel characteristics and evaluate the extent of damage. High-resolution numerical modeling was employed to compute tsunami hydrodynamic parameters and correlate them with observed vessel damages via regression analysis. Model validation is conducted using simulation results obtained from three distinct seismic sources available in the literature and by comparing the model results against field observations. We present the tsunami parameters in the affected ports and the resulting fragility curves for marine vessels, which reveal the relationship between vessel characteristics and the forces exerted during the tsunami. The findings provide insights into the key factors contributing tsunami-induced vessel damage, supporting efforts to enhance the resilience of coastal infrastructure and marine operations against future tsunami events in the Aegean Sea.