The global logistics provider A.P. Moller – Maersk will release all historical and future ocean weather observations into the public domain for free use by the scientific community around the world.
Data of more than 9 million observations, which have been collected by Maersk vessels since 2012, increase publicly available ocean weather data by 28%, according to a statement.
The Danish group’s goal is to aid climate research and weather forecasts by providing weather data from the world’s oceans, where ground level data coverage is slight, and most data comes from satellite observations which have their limitations.
“Maersk crews and vessels have collected weather observations for years, and we now can share these data and help researchers in gaining a better understanding of the impact climate change has on our surroundings,” said Aslak Ross, head of marine standards at Maersk.
The observations can also give a more precise picture of how surface-level ocean conditions and the interaction with the atmosphere has evolved since 2012.
They will be shared via the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). Run jointly by UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), GOOS collects ocean weather observations for climate science and provides input to weather forecasts.
Dr Johannes Karstensen, a scientist of the research institution GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, stated, “As a member of the scientific community, I am thrilled that we get access to this unique data set. The data will help to better constrain past ocean surface conditions but also help to improve future predictions, from weather to climate.”
With all 300 Maersk-owned vessels sharing data multiple times a day, Maersk shares more than 7,000 observations every day, while some vessels are even live feeding data to weather services around the globe, according to a statement.
In collaboration with the National Meteorological Service of Germany, Maersk has installed Automated Weather Stations on several of its vessels, further improving the contribution to weather forecasting and climate science.
