SOCIB visitors: Chinese delegation from the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), lead by its director Li Xiaoming, visited SOCIB

A Chinese Delegation from SOA (State Oceanic Administration) leaded by Mr. Li Xiaoming SOA Director General and Chen Yue Deputy DG (and 5 colleagues from SOA) visited SOCIB on December 2nd, 2011, particularly interested in the Operational Oceanography response capabilities and tools for decision support under oil spill accidents developed at TMOOS/IMEDEA (since the Prestige oil spill in november 2001 and the Don Pedro spill in Ibiza in July 2007) and now at SOCIB. 

The visit was coordinated by Victor Escobar (DG Sostenibilidad de la Costa, MARM). SOCIB Director presented the ongoing activities related to oil spill response (pwp enclosed) and Tomeu Garau presented the different Observing, Modelling and Data Centre facilities with special emphasis on the role of new monitoring multi-platform technologies (such as among others gliders and/or surface drifters and their real-time data collection, processing and distribution capabilities) for REA (Rapid Environmental Assessment), Modeling and trajectory tools implemented and also being upgraded in the frame of research projects (MyOcean and Tosca at present), as well as the activities related to data integration and inter-operability that allow easy data sharing, visualisation and download by users.

Also of interest were the applications from SIAS Division, the Environmental Sensitivity Index (following the work from NOAA Office of Restoration and Response) developed for coastline characterization, and Sustainability Indicators for ICZM developed and being implemented in Menorca Island. Finally, we presented the combination of all products generated at SOCIB, both physical and biogeochemical data as well as socio-economical indicators, showing the potential of SOCIB scientific, technological and society driven approach, developing decision support tools and systems for science-driven sustainable management. 

• SOCIB Presentation: "New capabilities for science based operational oceanography response to oil spill in coastal waters"