Participation in the wmo voluntary observing ships’ (vos) scheme
1 The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), 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 Voluntary Observing Ships’ (VOS) Scheme, approved and circulated MSC/Circ.674 regarding this matter. Since the merger in 1999 of the marine activities of the WMO and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the VOS Scheme has been a programme of the Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM).
2 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-fourth session (30 May to 8 June 2001), in response to a further proposal from the WMO, subsequently updated and re-issued this circular as MSC/Circ.1017. It was noted at the time that the 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 recommended, inter alia, that consideration be given to reissuing this MSC circular.
3 Unfortunately, there has been further decline in the number of ships recruited into the VOS Scheme, regardless of the re-issuance of this circular. In December 2004, there were approximately 6,500 ships listed with the WMO as observing ships from 53 participating countries. By mid-2005, this figure had fallen to fewer than 6,000 ships; however, the analysis of ships’ weather reports show that the number of VOS that are actively reporting is actually far less than indicated. Based on reports, during the first six months of 2005, there were approximately 3,025 ships worldwide reporting pressure, and only 2,652 reporting sea surface temperature.
4 The VOS meteorological reports provide vital real time feedback on ocean weather conditions to Weather Forecasters who use the data to improve the quality of the forecasts and warnings issued through the SafetyNET Maritime Safety Information (MSI) and the international NAVTEX services for mariners at sea. The VOS reports, therefore, form an important element in ensuring the safety of ships, their cargoes and crews. Furthermore, it should be noted that these reports also provide a valuable data source for studying the changes in climate which have become a matter of global concern in recent years.
5 IMO and, in particular, its Marine Environment Protection Committee are giving high priority to the work relating to the issue of climate change. Ships’ meteorological observations are not only recognized as being essential for the provision of safety-related services for ships at sea, but also for climatological purposes, since the VOS reports’ contribution to global climate studies is unique, when considering the role of the oceans in the global climate system
6 Whilst the weather data collected under the VOS Scheme is provided for Forecasting, Climatology and Research applications, some VOS data have become available on public websites causing concern to ships’ owners and masters because of the publication of ship identification and position data. WMO has therefore established a high-level dialogue, involving affected Members, IMO, ICS, shipping companies, relevant organizations and technical commissions, to propose a general and universally acceptable solution to the issue. This solution would address shipowners’ and masters’ concerns as well as those of the WMO community regarding data monitoring and quality information feedback requirements. This high-level dialogue resulted in the recommendation that ship’s identification and location should not appear on public websites, including those of National Meteorological Services (NMS), in real time when this is not authorized by the shipowners and masters. As a temporary measure, WMO Executive Council therefore adopted Resolution
7 (EC-LVIII, 2006) and Resolution 7.7 (EC-LIX, 2007) authorizing its Members to implement open data distribution schemes where the ship’s identification is masked. The continued participation of ships in the VOS Scheme remains critical. 7 It is essential that the volume of data provided by ships recruited to the VOS Scheme be maximized and, as such, the number of VOS participating in the Scheme increased wherever/whenever possible. It should be made clear that participation in the VOS Scheme is entirely voluntary and no charges are incurred by the ship, shipowner or ship operator, as the meteorological instruments and, in most cases, the cost of the observation transmission are borne by meteorological services.
8 In accordance with the provisions of SOLAS regulation V/5, Member Governments are invited to bring the relevant information in the attached brochure regarding the VOS Scheme to the attention of shipowners, ship operators, ship managers, masters and crews, and other parties concerned and to encourage them to support the JCOMM and their National Meteorological Service (NMS), by offering their ships to participate in the VOS Scheme. More information on this issue can be located at the following web address: http://www.bom.gov.au/jcomm/vos/index.html. Ships that pass through or operate in the data-sparse areas (shown by the lack of dots on the attached ship data coverage chart), are strongly encouraged to volunteer and join the VOS Scheme.
9 This circular revokes MSC/Circ.1017.