1. Service delivery in marine meteorology – key points for consideration
RA V-17-Doc and INF 3.2(3)/1
Service delivery in marine meteorology – key points for consideration
Dr. Xu Tang, D/WDS
Monday 15th October 2018

2. Doc 3.2(3)/1 – Background/Key Points
RAV is a unique ‘ocean’ region – coastal populations and reliance on maritime trade, prone to ocean-related natural disasters, such as Storm Surge, etc.
RAV Survey (August 2018) identified serious challenges in the adequacy of marine and coastal services in the Pacific Islands and SouthEast Asian sub-regions
Early warnings for coastal inundation are a critical service needed in the region
Cg-17 (2015): Members urged to renew focus/strengthen met-ocean services as required by International Convention for Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS)
It’s well noted that 90 % world trade is carried on the sea. That means the high vulnerability and exposure on sea and coastal area together with increasing marine and hydromet hazards are excerting deep influence on sustainability of social and economic development at sea and in coastal area.
Furthermore, ther are increasing demands of the improvement of COASTAL SERVICES since there is 40% of global population living within 100km of the coast – and this is still growing. However, Coastal populations (and moving population i.e. tourists) are highly vulnerable to coastal flooding, etc. and Storm surges (and tsunami) are the most underestimated and misunderstood of natural hazards. It’s a major issue to be recognized in RA V.

3. Doc 3.2(3)/1 – Background/Key Points
Since 2016, IMO have requested that met-ocean foreacasting requirement under SOLAS will be part of the IMO Member Audit for every country .
EC-70/INF. 5.3(1): (i) Development of guidelines, as contribution to the IMO Member State Audit Scheme, to provide guidance to the IMO Audit team in relation to Met-ocean service standards under SOLAS regulations;
JCOMM provides technical expertise for WMO to meet its mandate in maritime safety, and improve marine and coastal services via activities in DRR, marine environmental emergency response, sea-ice and ocean foreacasting;
In 2017, JCOMM introduced National Marine Service Focal Points per Member, for consistency of approach to providing MSI at national level, and so that services not mandated under SOLAS are still subject to the highest levels of consistency for mariners. Of 23 RAV Members, 6 have National Marine Service Focal Points.

4. Doc 3.2(3)/1 – Background/Key Points
Since EC-70, Regional Specialised Meterological Centres (RSMCs) can be designated for numerical ocean wave prediction and marine meteorological services (guided by Manual on Global Data Processing and Forecasting System (WMO-No.485))
EC-70 also requested that all marine forecasters are certified ‘competent’ by 2023.
The Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonsrtation Project – CIFDP (of which 2 are in RAV – Indonesia and Fiji) - is being reviewed to determine ongoing sustainability and value in reducing risk of disaster in the coastal zone –The results are expected to submitted to Congress-18.

5. Draft Resolution RAV-17-3.2 (2)/1 Marine and Coastal Services
RAV-17 may consider the following decisions:
To ensure that the National Marine Focal Points per Member in RA V has been identified.
To participate in any service delivery assessments and survey sent by WMO, to assess the strengths and gaps in marine services for WMO Members
To encourage RAV Members:
Strengthening its wave and ocean modelling capability to apply to become a wave and/or ocean model RMSC
Involving in accessing marine-related RMSC standard products to consult the catalogues for WIS
To identify RAV Members’s request for assistance to prepare IMO Member State Audit Scheme on met-ocean services for SOLAS and the request for assistance from JCOMM

6. Draft Resolution RAV-17-3.2 (2)/1 Marine and Coastal Services
RAV-17 may consider the following decisions:
To align RAV operational plan to WMO KPI, relevant to marine and coastal services and JCOMM vision and strategy
To develop educational content on coastal hazards (including storm surge awareness video specifically targeted to coastal communities) and to endorse WMO Concept Proposal for RA V: Storm Surge and Coastal Flooding Warning Awareness Video for RA V- Pacific Island and South Asian Members.
To prioritise training needs in coastal inundation and marine services, especially after results of CIFDP assessment and WMO Marine Services survey are known
To add an item to RA V operational plan to ensure Members with responsibility to issue products for WWMIWS to ensure marine forecaster competency by 2023
To request JCOMM Co-Presidents to commit relevant JCOMM activities for RAV

7. Thank you
Malo