The Need

Reliable forecast of the ocean state is vital to the Shipping Sector and Fishery Sector for safe travel in the Sea. The Navy, Offshore Industry, Ports and Harbors require this information for cost effective and safe operations.

The Approach

The advances in the capabilities for ocean observations, enhancement in the understanding of Oceanic Processes and development of Ocean Models have enabled short range forecast of various oceanic parameters at global and regional scales by the leading Oceanographic Institutions.

The Heritage

In India a pilot study on Ocean State Forecast was carried out jointly by the Space Application Centre (SAC), National Centre for Median Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF), Centre for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS) of IIT-Delhi, Centre for Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences(CAOS) of IISc-Bangalore, the Directorate of Navel Oceanography and Meteorology (DNOM) and INCOIS, wherein, five-day forecasts of four parameters viz. Sea Surface Winds, Sea Surface Temperature, Surface Waves and Mixed Layer Depth were generated daily for May-August 2001 and validated using in-situ and Satellite data.

The involvement of potential user agencies such as Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Shipping Corporation of India Coast Guards was a unique feature of this pilot study.

The Present

The OSF technical know-how transferred from SAC Ahmedabad, IIT Delhi and NIO Goa is operationalised at INCOIS.