Tuna Tekra Container Development with Ocean Non Woven Geobags

Ocean Non Wovens supplied 200 units of Ocean Non Woven Geobags (300 GSM) for the Tuna Tekra Container Development near Kandla in Kachchh, Gujarat. The geobags were filled with sand and placed for erosion control and coastal protection at the terminal, which sits beside tidal water.

The project

Tuna Tekra is a container terminal being developed at Deendayal Port (formerly Kandla Port) on the Gulf of Kachchh, one of the larger port projects on India’s west coast. Like any coastal build, it has to deal with tidal fluctuation, wave action and erosion of reclaimed land long after construction ends.

Why geosynthetics are used in port works

Ports and harbours face tides, waves and continuous erosion. Stone pitching and concrete block revetments work, but they need large volumes of quarried rock or concrete, heavy equipment and time. Geosynthetics such as geotextiles, geomembranes and geobags give flexible alternatives for shoreline stabilisation, and geobags in particular can be filled with sand available at or near the site.

Ocean Non Woven Geobag 300 GSM

The Ocean Non Woven Geobag 300 GSM is made from UV-stabilised polypropylene fibres. A non-woven fabric of this weight lets water pass through while holding the sand fill in, so a filled bag drains, settles into place and does not lose its fill under wave action. Typical uses are:

• Coastal protection: revetments, embankment protection and submerged reef-type structures.
• Erosion control: riverbanks, coastlines and port structures.
• Slope stabilisation: embankments and dykes.
• Temporary and permanent structures: flexible containers for sand and soil.

For Tuna Tekra, 200 geobags (300 GSM) were supplied and installed, filled and placed to resist the hydraulic forces of the marine environment.

What the geobags do at Tuna Tekra

The terminal’s position next to tidal water called for erosion control that was economical, quick to install and durable.

• Shoreline protection: the geobags form a barrier against waves and tidal surges, reducing erosion along the reclaimed land.
• Filtration: the non-woven fabric lets water drain out while keeping fine soil in place, so the protected ground is not washed out from behind.
• Flexibility: stacked bags adjust to settlement and minor deformation without losing function, which suits the soft marine soils of the Kachchh coast.
• Rapid installation: empty 300 GSM bags are light to transport and are filled on site, saving time and labour compared with hauling rock.

Other considerations

• Material footprint: sand-filled geobags reduce the quantity of quarried stone or concrete a revetment needs.
• Maintenance: stone revetments often need periodic replenishment; properly installed geobags need inspection, and any bag damaged by vandalism or debris impact can be replaced individually.
• UV exposure: bags left exposed in the tidal zone degrade faster than buried or submerged ones, so UV stabilisation and, where possible, cover are part of the design.
• Ecology: unlike a smooth concrete face, a geobag structure can be colonised by marine growth over time.

About Ocean Non Wovens

By supplying 200 Ocean Non Woven Geobags (300 GSM), Ocean Non Wovens contributed to erosion control at one of Gujarat’s container terminal projects. The company supplies geobags, geotextiles, geomembranes and erosion control products for infrastructure and environmental projects across India. Contact Ocean Non Wovens to discuss your next coastal or riverbank project, or see more case studies.

Further reading: Koerner, R. M. (2012). Designing with Geosynthetics, 6th Edition. Xlibris. Pilarczyk, K. W. (2000). Geosynthetics and Geosystems in Hydraulic and Coastal Engineering. CRC Press.