Incois launches three ocean-based services

News:The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services(INCOIS) has launched three ocean-based specialised products/services.

Facts:

Small Vessel Advisory and Forecast Services System(SVAS):

• It is an innovative impact-based advisory and forecast service system for small vessels operating in Indian coastal waters.
• It will warn users about potential zones where vessel overturning can take place,10 days in advance.The advisories are valid for small vessels of beam width up to 7 metres.
• The warning system is based on the Boat Safety Index(BSI) derived from wave model forecast outputs such as significant wave height, wave steepness, directional spread and the rapid development of wind at sea, which is boat-specific.

Swell Surge Forecast System(SSFS):

• It will provide forewarnings for the coastal population of India’s vast shoreline which experiences a slew of damages caused by swell waves that actually originate from the distant southern ocean.
• Swell surges are flash flood events that take place without any noticeable advance change in local winds or any other apparent signature in the coastal environment.It is known as Kallakkadal in Kerala.

Algal Bloom Information Service(ABIS):

• It provides information on harmful algal blooms that are detrimental to coastal fisheries and also tend to cause respiratory problems in the coastal population.

Additional information:

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services(INCOIS):

• INCOIS is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• It is located in Hyderabad & was established in 1999 under the MoES and is a unit of the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO).
• It is mandated to provide the best possible ocean information and advisory services to society, industry, government agencies and the scientific community.