“The real time data generated by the buoy will go a long way to enhance better data base, more accurate marine meteorological forecast, timely warning among other things”, according to NPA General Manager Public Affairs of NPA, Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu.
Ebubeogu said the move was in response to the global temperature which is set to increase by few degrees resulting in the weather becoming much more extreme in many places with more storms and changed river discharges.
“The sea level will also rise faster than the preceding centuries. These changes will have a severe impact on the natural processes in the affected environment. Consequently, improving weather data gathering for more accurate weather forecast is becoming more important especially in this era of climate change and its apparent and envisaged attendant consequences”, the NPA image maker stated in a press release sent to SHIPS& PORTS DAILY on Friday.
He said the weather buoy is a floating object that will be heavily anchored to the sea bottom so that it will remain in place.
“Its design and build is intended to provide a platform on which weather gathering equipment will be installed to gather, store and convey weather data for forecast processing. The buoy which will be expected to arrive Nigeria within the next two weeks, will be deployed at Lat. 06º 22’ 43” N and long 003º 28’ 39” W, this position is 3.5 nautical miles from the coastline, 4.8 nautical miles from Lagos harbour entrance and 3.8 nautical miles from fairway buoy.
“Among other things, it 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”, he stated.
He stated that the collaboration between NPA and NIMET was borne out of the provisions of International Convention of Safety of Life and sea (SOLAS).
Ebubeogu said the weather buoy will be given an exclusive safety zone of 500 meters radius to protect it from vessels exercising their rights of innocent passage.
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