NOAA’s Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System
The Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) is a marine decision support tool that measures and disseminates observations and predictions of water levels, currents, salinity, and meteorological parameters (winds, air and water temperatures, atmospheric pressure) necessary for the safe navigation of ships. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) installed this system in a number of US ports and waterways in an effort to promote navigation safety, improve the efficiency of ports and harbors, and enhance the protection of coastal marine resources. Ships have generally gotten larger over time and maritime commerce has increased substantially. For large ships to reduce the risk of groundings and collisions and for them to enter and depart ports more efficiently, it is important for the masters to have accurate and timely information regarding tides, water levels, etc. For example, the air clearance under bridges is of import to an increasing number of ships. Knowing the precise water level at the bridge and combining that with the air draft of the vessel allows masters to plan safe transits under the bridge. Historical and predictive data regarding tides, currents, and other information is also available. The PORTS data is easily accessible via the internet or the telephone. Remote sensors allow for automatic updating of the information. An alphabetical listing of the US waterways where PORTS is operational follows:
Cherry Point
Chesapeake Bay North
Chesapeake Bay South
Delaware Bay
Gulfport
Houston/Galveston
Lake Charles
Los Angeles/Long Beach
Lower Columbia River
Lower Mississippi River
Mobile Bay
Narragansett Bay
New Haven
New York/New Jersey Harbor
Pascagoula
Port of Anchorage
Sabine Neches
San Francisco Bay
Soo Locks
Tacoma
Tampa Bay