Page 43: of Marine Technology Magazine (May 2021)

Sofar Ocean he upcoming UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sus-

Sofar Ocean Way? nder vessel routing platform in action. tainable Development (2021-2030) should herald an increase in marine exploration, aiming to better under- stand our oceans to reverse the declining health of eco-

T systems. Heightened knowledge about these waters means a stronger, more effective commitment to even further exploration and to mitigating the impact of weather systems on coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

Weather spotting and its related technologies are not a new industry, nor do they lack in notable achievements. Since the late 1800s, various strategies, including at-sea observations, buoys, satellites, and statistical and modeling predictions have been used to better identify and comprehend weather patterns, both short and long term. However, today we strive for quicker, more accurate and more detailed data for increasingly effec- tive models. To do that, though, we must continue exploring ocean-atmosphere dynamics, which inevitably requires more observational data. Like our struggles with understanding the deep sea, our arsenal lacks data, which is often costly, time in- tensive and dif? cult to collect. One group, however, is pushing to change this norm by connecting the world’s oceans together.

Sofar Ocean, a San Francisco-based creator of marine instru- ments for data collection and weather forecasting, is deter- mined to increase the collection of and access to ocean data, as well as provide critical insights to scientists, communities and industries around the world. Its Spotter technology, de- signed to autonomously collect data on waves, wind and water temperature, as well as their Smart Mooring, a modular, real- time monitoring platform, play important roles in ameliorat- ing the current shortage of information needed to address the www.marinetechnologynews.com 43

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