NOAA's Maritime Services Supporting Critical Decision-Making in Vessel Transit Planning Operations

The NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is responsible for providing real-time oceanographic data and navigation products to promote safe and efficient navigation within U.S. waters. CO-OPS Maritime Services encompasses three valuable programs which support NOAA’s Precision Navigation program and initiatives. The Physical Oceanographic Real Time System (PORTS®), is a public-private partnership customized to meet regional needs displaying a concentration of real time oceanographic and meteorological data. There are currently 33 PORTS® established around the U.S. The National Current Observation Program conducts extensive current surveys around the nation in order to develop and update the accuracy of NOAA current predictions. CO-OPS also maintains 14 Operational Forecast Systems (OFS) that are part of National Operational Coastal Modeling Program (NOCMP) and concentrating in several major port areas. These OFS perform nowcast and 48-hour forecasts highlighting several oceanographic and meteorological parameters integrating numerical hydrodynamic models driven by real-time data.

Aspects of these valuable CO-OPS Maritime Services contribute greatly to precise navigation and vessel transit planning where concerns like under keel clearance, vertical bridge clearance, surface currents, visibility and winds can each have costly implications on critical decision making in diverse oceanic and estuary environments. This presentation highlights the application of these dynamic tools and products through situational instances, where safe vessel navigation can be constrained by often unavoidable environmental factors. All of these things considered emphasize how predictions, forecasts and real-time data are all beneficial to successful and safe vessel transits and efficient port operations.