The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has installed a Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) in Boston Harbor, covering MassPort’s Conley Terminal and the Tobin Memorial Bridge.
The Boston Harbor system, established with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, is the 41st PORTS installation in NOAA’s public-private network, providing vessel operators with real-time environmental data to support safer navigation.
Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA Administrator, said: “Boston Harbor is a vital gateway for economic activity in the US. I am proud of NOAA’s dedication to developing and deploying systems that ensure navigational safety and enable more efficient commerce through our nation’s ports and waterways.”
The system includes a current metre, a meteorological station collecting wind, air temperature, and barometric pressure, and a new air gap sensor at the Tobin Memorial Bridge to measure bridge clearance in an area with highly variable tides.
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NOAA’s existing National Water Level Observation Network station at Boston Harbor is integrated into the new PORTS installation.
Growing ship size and increased maritime traffic present ongoing risks to commerce and the coastal environment.
PORTS reportedly mitigates these risks by combining real-time environmental data with forecasts and geospatial information, helping prevent collisions and groundings in busy ports such as Boston.
Nicole R. LeBoeuf, Director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service, said: “Boston Harbor PORTS will help mariners safely navigate shipping routes and make better, more efficient schedules supporting the resilience of our nation’s supply chain. Through this effort, we will help support economic prosperity in the region while reducing risks to life, property and the coastal environment.”
For more information:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – https://www.noaa.gov/
