Maritime Safety &
Homeland Security

Protecting Mariners

Navigating the ocean can be unpredictable. The more we know about the marine environment, the better equipped we are to prevent accidents, respond effectively to emergencies, develop well-planned maritime travel routes, improve mariner safety, and secure our ports and harbors.

Accurate information on hazardous conditions not only protects lives, but also the growing ocean-based economy. Maritime vessels account for 40% of U.S. international trade value and nearly 70% of trade weight. In 2020, waterborne shipping carried more than $1.5 trillion in U.S. trade — more than any other mode of transportation. In 2022, U.S. fisheries supported 2.3 million jobs and generated $321 billion in sales. Ocean observing improves maritime domain awareness, safeguards vessels, and supports the secure and efficient transit of goods and people through U.S. waters.

IOOS IN ACTION

Ocean currents are among the largest conveyor belts on Earth. High-frequency radar, which measures ocean surface currents over large distances, helps emergency professionals efficiently locate people or property lost at sea. Inclusion of these data in search and rescue models has been shown to reduce a given search area by 66 percent, allowing the U.S. Coast Guard to reach people in need much faster. The IOOS high-frequency radar network also helps disaster response teams track and manage oil spills and other contaminants as they move through the environment.

Regional Association Support

IOOS Regional Associations provide critical, real-time information that helps mariners avoid hazardous or suboptimal conditions. Interactive maps connect users with updates on wind speed, water temperature, currents, and other conditions across the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, and in the Caribbean. IOOS regional ship trackers help ocean travelers keep tabs on vessel traffic, including increasing traffic in Arctic waters.

Our Partners in Action: IOOS Making a Difference

The US Coast Guard Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS) uses many of the real-time oceanographic surface current products provided by US IOOS to make predictions of the whereabouts of survivors and survivor craft from Guam, to Hawaii, to Alaska, to the West, Gulf, and East coasts, Great Lakes and to Puerto Rico. These IOOS products have saved many lives.

Arthur A. Allen, US Coast Guard (Oceanographer for USCG SAR mission, retired)

The data provided by SCCOOS from the Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) buoy and wave model are critical inputs to the Under Keel Clearance Project, which continues to increase safety by reducing risks of transporting oil on the West Coast and into the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the #1 and #2 container ports in the country. The UKC project increases efficiency by enabling tankers to meet arrival times to enter port, and to reduce emissions while enabling tankers to carry more oil per arrival.

Captain J. Kip Louttit, Executive Director, Southern California Marine Exchange

Ships crossing the Columbia River Bar face one of the most dangerous harbor entrances in the world. The Columbia River Bar Pilots rely on weather forecasts, real time buoy data along with wave and current models when determining safe times for ships to cross the bar. NANOOS provides an excellent location for us to see and compare all the available data sources.

Captain Dan Jordan, Columbia River Bar Pilots

My organization relies heavily on real time wave data and forecast models from PacIOOS to determine whether to hold our community fishing events. We are a low-resource community and many of our most loyal fishermen use boats that are not built for the high seas. A difference of a few degrees in swell angle and/or 0.5 feet could be the difference between a great day on the water and a potentially dangerous situation.

Tyler Willsey, Local fisherman, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

I am a St Thomas USVI Harbor Pilot and commercial fisherman who utilizes CARICOOS information for safe navigation of our ports and harbors along with commercial fishing in these waters. I also use this data to determine safe boating conditions for my family and friends when out on the water.

Matthew Berry, St. Thomas