Ports and Marine transportation

We apply the latest safety advances, knowledge, and expertise to continually assist the marine industry with specialised forecasts and warnings to increase safety, efficiency and enhance decision making.

From the comfort of ferry passengers and safe delivery of cargo and barges to arrival and departure times and port crane operations, we can monitor and assess the risk of wind, waves, visibility, and temperatures for operations. This will help organisations make operational decisions and identify optimum voyage times, ensuring safety of passengers and assets, and to minimise unnecessary costs.

“Using the Met Office, we get access to accurate and timely local forecast information with the additional benefit of speaking with a local forecaster, day, or night. The local customer service provision is exemplary, and we never hesitate to get in contact with any questions or enquiries.” William Martin, Marine Officer Pilot - Port of Cromarty Firth

Why work with the Met Office?

As the UK’s national meteorological service, our reputation and expertise is unparalleled with over 160 years of meteorological experience and expert scientists. The Met Office has continuously been recognised for its forecasting accuracy and reliability. Our advanced technology and a vast network of observations provides highly dependable and trusted forecasts to our customers to stay safe and thrive.  

Our commitment to weather forecasting services for the maritime industry stands as a testament to precision, reliability, and innovation. We want to keep evolving our meteorological services for our customers to ensure they can navigate the ever-changing challenges of weather and sea, allowing you to stay safe and thrive.

• Maritime Safety

The Met Office works tirelessly for public safety at sea. We prepare routine marine forecasts and initiative warnings for the Marine and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the dissemination of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) and navigation warnings around the UK.

• SafeVoyage Route Forecasts

Identify safe weather windows for planning the route of a vessel, towing operations, or moving equipment and crew. Obtain 5-day ahead forecasts and assistance whilst at sea to minimise downtime and enhance overall operational efficiency.

• Port Forecasts

Our Port-Specific forecasts consider the geographical and environmental surroundings for determining the weather conditions at one or at multiple port locations. Ports and harbours are very busy places where scheduling and timings are crucial. The weather can cause logistical and financial disruption so having the right forecasts in place is essential for operational efficiency. 

• Visibility Forecasts

Detailed hourly visibility forecasts are critical for safe navigation and can have a major impact on operations. Ports, harbours, and shipping companies rely on these forecasts to plan vessel movements and ensure safe passage, especially in areas prone to fog or other visibility-reducing conditions.

• Weather Warnings

Receive advanced bespoke warnings for adverse weather conditions such as lightning, wind, waves, heavy rainfall, and fog that is crucial for proactive decision making. 

• 24/7 Support & Briefings

Access to contact our Marine Meteorologists via telephone, Teams or email for clarification on specific locations and routes including required weather parameters and own operational thresholds. Scheduled live routine briefings are also available where an experienced meteorologist will deliver in-depth weather information, detailing the potential impacts in times of critical operations.

For further information or to arrange a chat with us, please provide your details in the contact form on this webpage.