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MetService's Marine Programme manages a fleet of VOS ships and a network of drifting buoys to provide high-quality real-time marine data for NZ Forecasting Operations. They also exchange ship and buoy data internationally for global models and research.
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~METSERVICE |\MetService NZ Marine Programme Julie Fletcher Manager Marine Observations
MetService Marine Network NZ Marine Network at 1 Feb 2006 • 48 VOS Ships (37 Selected 4 Supplementary 7 Auxiliary) • 7 Drifting Buoys
Marine Programme Objectives • To maintain a VOS fleet of about 40 Sel Ships & a network of 7 Drifting Buoys to provide quality real-time marine data for NZ Forecasting Operations • To exchange SHIP and BUOY data internationally to provide input to Global Models and for Climatological and Research applications
VOS Management • All Ship visits as PMO • Recruitment of VOS ships • All correspondence with ships, shipping companies, WMO, etc • Maintenance of VOS database • Assistance to foreign VOS • Monitoring of Ship OBs • QC + follow up action
NZ VOS Fleet Changes in 2005 • Recruited 2005 = 5 • Decommissioned 2005 = 3 • TurboWin Installations started Feb 2004 - 16 ships now using TurboWin on ships’ PCs
NZ VOS Instrumentation/Automation • Precision Aneroid Barometer • Marine Barograph • Stevenson Screen + thermometers • Sea Bucket • TurboWin electronic logbook software • One Marine AWS- based on Sutron 9000RTU • Two Marine AWS planned for 2006
Communications • Most ships send via SAT C - special access code 41 • Few coastal ships phone/fax to 0800 number
Inspection Regime • All NZ VOS inspected at least once per year • Some ships receive several visits • All barometers calibrated against PMO’s Vaisala PTB220AD Transfer Standard barometer which is traceable to National/International standards • Foreign VOS ships visited when possible and on request
Challenges & Difficulties • Volatility - constant change in ships, routes, personnel affects VOS programme • Security issues from exposure of Ship details on web and the potential impact on VOS fleet • Compliance with ISPS & Customs Regs • Shorter port stays - more after hours & weekend visiting • Language problems
Receipt of OBs Monitored No OBs can be first sign of problems • Monthly count of number of Obs per NZ VOS ship • Follow up ships identified as sending few or no Obs • Use ‘Time of Receipt’ Monitoring tool developed by UKMO
OBs Quality Monitored • PMO access to Real Time GTS OBs • Forecaster & Data Entry feedback • Daily summary of OBs with coding errors • Use of Meteo France VOS QC Monitoring site • UKMO monthly Monitoring Stats
Important Factors for successful VOS • RealTime access to GTS SHIP OBs • Use of monitoring tools to identify ships with problems • Timely follow up to rectify problems • Providing ships with clear instructions • It’s about being pro-active
What could improve my job? • Up to date on-line WMO No 47 • Reliable callsign/ship name/Sat C matching • Greater global communication between PMOs
Steering Strategies • Number of ships in VOS not important - it’s the number that report that count • Coded OBs must be received in real-time to be of maximum benefit to the Forecasting Office • Doesn’t matter which country a ship reports for, so long as it reports.
PMO Job • Its unique • Meet many interesting people • Visit a huge variety of ships • Job is challenging • Doing it well makes a difference PMOs efforts directly impact on the quality & quantity of OBs from Ships