NYK-operated Cetus Leader, a pure car carrier, received the Japan Meteorological Agency's Director-General Award on June 6 at NYK’s Tokyo head office for the contribution the ship has made to meteorological business development by observing marine weather conditions and transmitting observation results over an extended period of time. NYK will continue to strive for even safer operations and cooperate in providing maritime weather information.

Because oceans cover 70 percent of the earth's surface, they greatly affect world weather. However, meteorological data on oceans is limited, creating blind spots in meteorological observation worldwide.

Meteorological data collection by vessels sailing oceans helps compensate for the shortcomings of meteorological surveys. Data collection is encouraged by the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and stipulated in the International Maritime Organization’s International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention).

The underlying concept is that vessels navigating oceans help collect information on weather conditions in the oceans, and in exchange, oceangoing ships receive weather data from meteorological agencies around the world.

The method for ships transmitting weather data is standardized. Observation results of wind direction, atmospheric pressure and temperature, water temperature, the height of sea swells, and the types and heights of clouds are all converted to numerical codes. This information is then distributed throughout the world via the WMO's international weather-data communication network. Based on such information, meteorological agencies around the globe compile meteorological data, such as weather charts, which are then fed back to vessels.

Even vessels equipped with computers and other state-of-the-art devices need to be warned of dangerous weather conditions, such as typhoons and thick fog. On the other hand, even cutting-edge weather-forecast technology using the most sophisticated computers is of little use in the absence of meteorological data for vast oceans around the globe.

This is how meteorological data is collected and benefits the safe operation of ships and our daily lives.

More Information

June 8, 2020, Ore Carrier Owari Maru Recognized for Contribution to Marine Weather Forecasts

June 18, 2018, NYK-operated Ship Recognized for Contribution to Marine Weather Forecasts