Shipboard Environmental data Acquisition System (SEAS)
NOAA's SEAS relies on ships of the Ship of Opportunity Program (SOOP) and on NOAA, UNOLS and Coast Guard vessels to collect marine meteorological observations (e.g. wind speed), and ocean observations (e.g. XBT temperature profiles, TSG sea surface salinity). The SEAS software acquires and transmits the data in real-time to the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) were the data are distributed to operational centers for weather forecasts and climate studies. Go
Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system
AMVER reports allow the U. S. Coast Guard to track a vessel's position. 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. Go
Latest SEAS observations
There are currently almost 400 ships aiding NOAA in the collection of meteorological observation and more than 50 ships dedicated to collecting oceanographic data. Meteorological and oceanographic observations made onboard voluntary vessels of the Ship of Opportunity Program (SOOP) and transmitted trough SEAS are a substantial component of global weather forecast efforts and climate studies. Go
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.