Ports face unique challenges related both to their surroundings and prevailing weather conditions. Port operations and safety are continuously impacted by often rapidly shifting, sometimes highly localized, conditions of weather and sea. For example, ships are often unable to approach in a port during extreme weather conditions, while helicopter operations are restricted in high wind speed, low visibility and lightning conditions. Cargo handling, vessel berthing, piloting, towage and dredging operations are similarly affected by severe weather.
In addition to safety, keeping everything running on schedule under all circumstances is also of vital importance. A range of weather and sea state parameters including wind, fog, rain, water level, waves and currents directly affect the operations. Accurately observed, analyzed and communicated local weather and sea state information helps port users to make right decisions at the right times. Making use of available weather information in all critical operations will allow them to proceed safely and efficiently.
Having a system for measuring the specific meteorological, hydrological and oceanographical parameters in the precise area of operations is vital for successful and uninterrupted operations. The data from Vaisala Maritime Observations Systems is easy to integrate into Port Management Information Systems (PMIS), Terminal Operations Systems (TOS) and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) to enhance business predictability and performance.
Vaisala products and services are used in over 120 countries. Vaisala is the preferred weather solution supplier to many marine organizations and system integrators. Our reference deliveries range from meteo/hydro sensors for navigation aid and automatic weather stations for Port VTS systems to turnkey network weather solutions for coastal surveillance systems. Our offering consists of a large number of automatic weather stations with sensors, telemetry, network data collection, management and visualization software, installation and maintenance services.
We offer a wide range of high-end instruments for environmental monitoring, including: