While a significant portion of MSI’s work is servicing the metocean data collection requirements of oil and gas and related industries, they are always pleased when they are given the opportunity to support larger projects related to marine and coastal management.

As part of the Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa (MESA) program, funded by the European Union and implemented by Mauritius Oceanography Institute (MOI), MSI was awarded a contract for the installation of AXYS TRIAXYS directional wave buoys in Comores, Seychelles and Madagascar.

These buoys will contribute to increasing the decision-making and planning capacity of institutions mandated for marine and coastal management and the data will be used to, inter alia, allow monitoring and mitigation of oceanographic risks such as sea level rise, swells and storm surges that may lead to coastal hazards.

Each of the three buoys deployed, in water depths ranging from 32 meters to 90 meters, is fitted with GSM, radio and satellite telemetry enabling MSI to receive the data in real-time for display on a website, local display on a PC and monitoring of buoy position / status respectively. Deployment of the buoys was facilitated in Seychelles by the Seychelles Meteorological Authority, in Comores by the Agence Nationale de L’aviation Civile et de la Meteorologie and in Madagascar by the Direction Regionale de L'environnement, de L'ecologie et des Forets. MSI would like to thank the respective organizations for their assistance with the logistics and provision of vessels.

Story by MSI