Circular
Letter MSC/Circ.1017
PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION VOLUNTARY OBSERVING
SHIPS' (VOS) SCHEME
(adopted
on 8 June 2001)
1.
The Maritime Safety Committee at its sixty-fourth session (5 to 9 December
1994), in response to a request for assistance from the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) on enhancing the recruitment of merchant ships into the WMO
Voluntary Observing Ships' (VOS) scheme had approved and circulated
MSC/Circ.674 on this matter.
2.
The Maritime Safety Committee at its seventy-fourth session (30 May to 8 June
2001). in response to a proposal from the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) for the re-issue of an MSC Circular relating to the WMO Voluntary
Observing Ships' (VOS) scheme, noted the brochure attached hereto. It further
noted that the recent Report of the Re-opened Formal Investigation into the
Loss of the MV Derbyshire had underlined the potential value of VOS
observations to maritime safety, and also recommended, inter alia, that
consideration be given to updating and reissuing this MSC Circular and brochure
on the VOS.
3.
In view of this recommendation, and of the continuing critical importance of
VOS meteorological reports to the provision of meteorological services to the
mariner, including those under the GMDSS, it is essential that the total number
of VOS be at least maintained, and if possible expanded. Participation in the
WMO VOS scheme is entirely voluntary and there are no charges incurred for the
ship, shipowner or ship operator for participating in the WMO VOS scheme, or
for the equipment needed for transmission of VOS weather reports.
4.
Member Governments are invited to bring the attached revised brochure to the
attention of shipowners, ship operators, ship managers, masters and crews and
to encourage them to support WMO and their national Meteorological Services by
offering their ships as VOSs. Ships which pass through or operate in the
data-sparse areas, shown by the lack of dots in the chartlet of ship data
coverage attached to the brochure, are particularly urged to volunteer as VOSs.
5.
This circular revokes MSC/Circ.674.
ANNEX.
THE WMO VOLUNTARY OBSERVING SHIPS (VOS) SCHEME
The
international scheme by which ships plying the various oceans and seas of the world
are recruited by national Meteorological Services for taking and transmitting
meteorological observations is called the WMO Voluntary Observing Ships' (VOS)
scheme. The forerunner of the scheme dates back as far as 1853, the year in
which delegates of ten maritime countries came together at a conference in
Brussels, on the initiative of Matthew F. Maury, then director of the United
States Navy Hydrographic Office, to discuss his proposal for the establishment
of a uniform system for the collection of meteorological and oceanographic data
from the oceans and the use of these data for the benefit of shipping in
return.
The
conference accepted his proposal and adopted a standard form of ships' log and
a set of standard instructions for the necessary observations.
From
the very beginning, ships' meteorological observations were recognized as being
essential for the provision of safety-related meteorological services for ships
at sea, as well as for climatological purposes.
At
the present time, the contribution which VOS meteorological reports make to
operational meteorology, to marine meteorological services, weather routeing
services and to global climate studies is unique and irreplaceable. During the
past few decades, the increasing recognition of the role of the oceans in the
global climate system has placed even greater emphasis on the importance of
marine meteorological and oceanographical observing systems.
One
of the major continuing problems facing meteorology is the scarcity of data
from vast areas of the world's oceans (the so-called data sparse areas) in
support of basic weather forecasting, the provision of marine meteorological
and oceanographic services, and climate analysis and research.
While
the new generation of meteorological satellites will help substantially to
overcome these problems, data from more conventional platforms, in particular
the voluntary observing ships, will remain essential for the foreseeable
future, to provide ground truthing for the satellite observations, to provide
important information which the satellites cannot observe, to provide an
essential contribution to the data input for the numerical weather prediction
(NWP) models which are the basis of most present-day forecasts and warnings, and
to provide real-time reports which can be used immediately in services for the
mariner. In addition to their use in NWP, reports from ships at sea are also
used operationally, even more directly, in the preparation of forecasts and
warnings, including those for the GMDSS, and issued specifically for the
mariner.
Thus
without VOS observations, reliable, timely services for mariners could not be
provided.
A
peak in total VOS was reached in 1984/85 when about 7700 ships worldwide were on
the WMO VOS Fleet List. Since then there has been an irregular but marked
decline and in 1999 the Fleet strength was about 6900 ships. As might be
expected, real-time reports from the VOS are heavily concentrated along the
major shipping routes, primarily in the North Atlantic and North Pacific
Oceans. The attached chart shows details of the geographical distribution of
ships weather reports for December 2000 and the most striking feature is the
large data-void areas in all southern hemisphere oceans. While this situation
certainly reflects the relatively small numbers of ships sailing in these
waters, it also makes it more essential that ships sailing in these areas
should be part of the VOS and thus contribute to the global observing programme
and consequent enhancement of the forecast and warning services to the mariner.
Of
course, as VOS reports are part of a global data capture programme, their
reports are of value from all the oceans and seas of the world, and even the
relatively well-frequented North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans require more
observational data.
4. What are the charges to be part of the VOS
scheme?
THERE
ARE NO CHARGES TO THE SHIP OR TO THE SHIP OPERATOR. The tested marine
meteorological instruments necessary to undertake weather observing at sea are
supplied free of charge to the ship, installed by professionals from the
national Meteorological Service, usually a trained Port Met Officer, who will
provide advice on the technique of observing at sea, explain the use of the WMO
SHIP code and offer guidance on the transmission of the observations from the
ship to shore using the ships sitcom or terrestrial communications equipment THERE
ARE NO CHARGES TO THE SHIP FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF VOS WEATHER REPORTS.
After recruitment into the VOS, the meteorological instruments will be
regularly serviced, without charge to the ship or shipowner, by an official of
either the "recruiting national Meteorological Service" or from the
worldwide network of WMO Members who operate the VOS.
5. How can you become involved?
If
an Administration:
(i) Be aware that ships'
meteorological reports can make a significant contribution to safety of life
and navigation through better quality forecasts and warnings.
(ii) Ensure that your ship
operators are aware of the WMO VOS scheme and encourage their participation.
If
a Ship Operator:
(i) Contact your national
Meteorological Service, or a local Port Meteorological Office, and nominate
your ship(s) for recruitment into the WMO VOS scheme.
REMEMBER:
HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF FORECASTS AND WARNINGS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE
ENHANCEMENT OF SAFETY AT SEA
BECOME
INVOLVED WITH THE VOS
For
further information, contact Chief, Ocean Affairs Division, World
Meteorological Organizations, 7 bis, avenue de la Paix, Case postale No. 2300,
CH-1211, GENEVA 2, Switzerland, Telephone (international) +41-22 730 82 37,
Telefax: +41- 22 730 80 21, E-mail: mermaid@gateway.wmo.ch.
Carte
de pointage des observations recues en Janvier 2001
Mapping
position plot chart of data received during January 2001