Why in news?
During its foundation day celebrations, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) announced three new ocean‑related services—JellyAIIP, SAMUDRA 2.0 and SIVAS—and unveiled a new organisational logo.
Background
INCOIS was established in 1999 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Based in Hyderabad, it provides real‑time ocean information and advisory services to fishermen, shipping companies, researchers and government agencies. The centre is a permanent member of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and operates the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre, which can issue alerts within minutes of a seismic event.
Functions and initiatives
- Ocean advisory services: INCOIS delivers daily bulletins on sea surface temperature, wave height, currents and potential fishing zones, helping fishermen plan safe and profitable voyages.
- Search and rescue: The Search and Rescue Aided Tool (SARAT) assists the Coast Guard, Navy and coastal police in locating missing vessels or persons at sea.
- SynOPS platform: This integrated system synthesises real‑time data from satellites and buoys to support decision‑making during extreme events such as cyclones and storm surges.
New services launched
- JellyAIIP: The Jellyfish Aggregation Information Interactive Portal is a web‑based tool for reporting and visualising jellyfish swarms along India’s coast. It uses geospatial mapping and hotspot analysis and provides multilingual first‑aid guidance for jellyfish stings.
- SAMUDRA 2.0 mobile app: An upgrade to the existing app, it delivers ocean information and early warnings to fishermen and maritime users in multiple languages. The update improves usability and includes alerts on harmful algal blooms and fish advisories.
- SIVAS: The Swell‑Surge Inundation Vulnerability Advisory System provides advance warnings of coastal inundation from swell waves and storm surges. It is currently operational along the Kerala coast and issues multilingual bulletins to local authorities.
Conclusion
By expanding its suite of services, INCOIS aims to enhance safety at sea, support coastal communities and promote sustainable use of marine resources. The new tools illustrate how science and technology can directly benefit fishermen, policymakers and disaster managers.
Source: The Hindu