PORTO is an integrated featured online service of met-ocean information delivered to especially aid harbour masters, port authorities and operators in the shipping and maritime services in the proximity of the Maltese Islands and south of Sicily. The initiative follows the trail of efforts to deliver services deriving from operational oceanography and meteorology to dedicated users. PORTO online gives the user a direct handle to view, analyse and compare different datasets online such as through user-selected geographic sub-domains, transects, inter-comparison of sites and overlaying of data layers.
The novelty of PORTO is that it delivers featured data services, providing routine data-derived products to support targeted users in their operational day-to-day activities. This is achieved by allowing the user to combine data employing augmented web features to customise the use of the online data. A drawing board allows the user to adapt the viewing the content. The interface is a work in progress, as more features will be added as they become available. Future additions include early warning alerts on extreme events such as gale winds, high waves or strong currents, serving as important indicators to operators who can avail of such information to mitigate adverse conditions.
Data for the interface comes from various sources, including both observations and numerical model data. Key data in PORTO are real time observations from ten meteorological stations, four sea level gauges and seven HF radars belong to the CALYPSO network; numerical model data for atmospheric parameters, waves, currents sea surface temperature and salinity; satellite data from different platforms. The raw model data outputs are further elaborated to extract secondary data, which is also available to the user.
The PORTO Online concept and design has been developed by Prof. Aldo Drago within the CALYPSO South project. The setting up, operational running and routine publishing of data on the system is done by the team of the Physical Oceanography Research Group of the University of Malta.