The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) would like to invite you to a virtual workshop to provide crucial insight into the types of data needed to ensure safe and efficient marine commerce in/around/along the Southeast US (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida [along the Atlantic Ocean and the Florida Keys]. The workshop will take place on June 6 from 10 am to 12 pm Eastern Time. If interested, please register here. 

This valuable workshop is part of a larger assessment of NOAA’s Physical Oceanographic Real Time System (PORTS®) Program to better understand the data and gauging needs and funding required to expand, enhance, or implement PORTS at all seaports in the U.S. and its territories and commonwealths. NOAA PORTS® is a robust information system that measures and disseminates real-time oceanographic and meteorological data that mariners need to navigate safely. This regionally-focused workshop is one of 11 sessions being held this spring and summer. For those of you who are unable to attend your region’s workshop, we will host a series of make-up workshops open to all regions. The make-up registration link is here and includes 10 possible dates to choose from between June 21 and September 19.

Who should attend? We are seeking input from stakeholders (e.g,. Individual seaports, harbor or terminal operators, marine exchanges, harbor / river pilots, tugboat/ assist operators) familiar with seaports in this region that either already have access to local PORTS data or those who navigate in locations in need of concentrated PORTS gauging. This could include individuals or groups that would benefit from (or have already benefited from) the installation of sensors that monitor needed operating parameters such as currents, water depth, bridge air gap or meteorological data.