NPA, NIMET set to ensure safe navigation of ships

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is concluding arrangements to deploy weather Data Buoy on the Atlantic Ocean in August in order to enhance better database and accurate marine weather forecast.

This is in response to the changing global temperature that results to extreme weather condition that is capable of causing storms and other extreme weather conditions, which could be harmful to ship navigation.

Consequently, improving weather data gathering for more accurate weather forecast is becoming more important, especially in this era of climate change and its attendant consequences.

The weather buoy is a floating object that will be heavily anchored at the sea bottom, where it will remain in place. It is designed and built to gather, store and convey weather data for forecast processing.

According to NPA press statement, the buoy is expected to arrive in Nigeria in two weeks’ time and will be deployed at Latitude 06º 22’ 43” N and Longitude 003º 28’ 39” W. This position will be 3.5 nautical miles from the coastline, 4.8 nautical miles from Lagos harbour entrance and 3.8 nautical miles from fairway buoy.

Also, the statement said that the weather buoy will host meteorological sensor, physical sensors, biochemical sensors, Central Processing Unit (CPU) and storage, telemetry, etc. The meteorological sensor will measure all relevant meteorological parameters such as wind speed, direction and gust, air temperature, sea surface temperature, water current, air pressure, RH, wave height, wave speed, etc.