seas

Shipboard Environmental data Acquisition System (SEAS)

NOAA/AOML SEAS relies on ships of the Ship Of Opportunity Program and on NOAA, UNOLS and U.S. Coast Guard vessels to collect marine meteorological observations (e.g. wind speed), and ocean observations (e.g. Expendable BathyThermograph temperature profiles, Thermosalinograph sea surface salinity). The SEAS system acquires and transmits the data in real-time to the Global Telecommunication System, where the data are distributed to operational centers for weather forecasts and climate studies.
Global Ocean Heat Content between 0-700 meters

Latest Shipboard Environmental data Acquisition System (SEAS) Observations

There are currently almost 400 ships aiding NOAA in the collection of marine meteorological observation and more than 50 ships dedicated to collecting oceanographic data. Marine meteorological and oceanographic observations made onboard voluntary vessels of the Ship Of Opportunity Program and Voluntary Observing Ship Program and transmitted trough SEAS are a substantial component of global weather forecast efforts and climate studies.


AMVERSEAS software

AMVERSEAS Software

AMVERSEAS is an applications system used for data acquisition, data processing, data recording, and data transmission in real-time. This applications system operates on vessels to collect oceanographic data such sea temperature, and sea surface salinity, and to report marine weather conditions data that can be entered into scientific and operational databases. Moreover the software allows ships to report their intended voyage track so that in the event of an emergency all available resources may be focused on aiding ships in distress.


AMVER

Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) System

AMVER reports allow the U.S. Coast Guard to track the position of vessels for search and rescue purposes. The AMVER program relies on ships to submit four types of reports: (1) Sail Plans; (2) Position Reports; (3) Arrival Reports and (4) Deviation Reports, when necessary. The U. S. Coast Guard updates their database with the position information from these reports, which allows them to identify vessels in the vicinity of a ship in distress.


Ships may participate in either the AMVER or SEAS program, but there are benefits to participating in both. A ship can reduce reporting requirements, since AMVER position reports are created from every weather message and automatically forwarded to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A typical voyage would require the submission of an AMVER Sail Plan before departure, submissions of weather reports four times per day and the submission of an Arrival Report upon arrival. A Deviation Report is only submitted if the ship deviates from its original plan. Ships that follow the same routes repeatedly get an additional benefit since Sail Plans can be stored in the system and recalled and modified rather than creating new ones.