The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), which provides ocean information and advisory services to various users, on Thursday unveiled three new products.

It released a new Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) atlas, a DVD on Argo Data Products and a Web site for Ocean Forecast System along the ship routes.

The ocean forecast system along ship routes will be useful for ship owners as ships can get regular update on ocean conditions, including wind speed, current and swell height, while in transit from one port to another for better navigational and operational safety.

The Hyderabad-based institution, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has developed a numerical model that will analyse data on specific locations along sea routes and provide information regarding ocean conditions. The forecasts have been validated using moored buoys, wave rider buoys and ship-mounted wave height meter.

“Ships will be able to receive the data through e-mail or via satellite. We have written to the Ministry of Shipping about the product,” Dr T.M. Balakrishna Nair, INCOIS scientist, said.

The CVI atlas comprises 156 maps covering all Indian coastal areas on 1: 100,000 scale, highlighting coastal regions where the physical effects of sea-level rise might be the greatest. This will help in planning of coastal infrastructure as well as disaster mitigation

Several users appreciated the advisories they received from the institution at the second user interaction workshop held today.

Mr. M. Sashidhar Reddy, Vice-Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority, said the advisories from INCOIS to fishermen along Indian coasts helped the fishing community rake in an additional revenue of Rs 23,000 crore annually. He said the Government was setting up one lakh community service centres across the country that will be used to disseminate the advisories issued by INCOIS.

>amitmitra@thehindu.co.in

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