WMO Marine Services Course rollout in 2023

Delivery of the WMO Marine Services Course has been steadily advancing across the six WMO Regions since 2020. The two-phased delivery – online and in-person – has been unfolding in four languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish. The most recent implementation, Phase II for the English-speaking nations of WMO Region I, held in South Africa from 23 October to 1 November, was a significant milestone as it marked the completion of the full cycle of the course in English-speaking Africa.  

The Phase II course focuses on building relationships between national meteorological services and marine services stakeholders. Thus, the Phase II course hosted at the South African Weather Service (SAWS) in Cape Town and facilitated by the WMO Regional Training Centre (RTC) at SAWS, included fieldtrips to the Cape Town port and the coordination quarters of the lifeguards. The visits allowed participants to hear first-hand about their stakeholders’ reliance on weather information. The fieldtrips emphasized the importance of accurate meteorological information in supporting search and rescue missions, optimizing shipping operations, and aiding small-scale fishers in making informed daily decisions for their safety. One participant noted, "Back home, it will help us identify a chain of stakeholders, especially in search and rescue and the blue economy industry." 
 
Implementation of the WMO Marine Services Course in English-speaking Africa was just the first step in the delivery of the course in Region I.  The French language version of Phase I (online) was delivered earlier in the year with support from training partners in Morocco (Maroc-Meteo). The WMO RTC in Egypt (Egyptian Meteorological Authority) is currently coordinating delivery of the Arabic version of the Phase I across WMO Regions I, II and VI. The delivery of Phase II in French and Arabic should be completed in the coming year. 
  
Looking ahead to 2024, the WMO RTCs in Argentina (Servicio Meteorlogico Nacional) and Barbados (Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology) will be hosting the Phase II for WMO Regions III and IV, covering the Spanish- and English-speaking countries in South America and the Caribbean. Over the next years, full implementation of the WMO Marine Services Course, a joint initiative of the WMO Marine Services Division and the WMO Education and Training Office, is envisaged. For more information click here.