BMKG Highlights High Frequency Radar Benefits for Maritime Transport Safety
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has revealed that High Frequency (HF) Radar technology plays a strategic role in supporting maritime transport safety. In addition to being a disaster mitigation instrument, this technology is highly beneficial for planning inter-island ship crossings, particularly in West Sumatra.
Head of the Padang Panjang Class 1 Geophysics Station, Suadi Ahadi, explained that HF Radar can be optimally utilised by shipping operators, such as those on the route from Padang City to the Mentawai Islands Regency. ‘This HF radar can be used by ship operators crossing from Padang to Mentawai,’ Suadi stated in Padang on Wednesday.
HF Radar technology is designed to detect wave height and ocean current strength in real-time. The accurate data produced serves as a crucial guide for ship operators before deciding to set sail. With precise information, the risk of maritime accidents due to adverse weather dynamics can be minimised. ‘Information on ocean waves can be used to support shipping and navigation safety,’ Suadi added. Furthermore, the results of ocean current monitoring serve as important supporting data for stakeholders in developing a tsunami early warning system in West Sumatra Province.
Technically, HF Radar is a high-frequency ocean observation system capable of monitoring sea conditions continuously. Its advantages lie in its wide coverage area and high spatial and temporal resolution, thereby improving the quality of BMKG’s ocean observation data. The utilisation of this technology has received a positive response from the shipping industry. The General Manager of PT ASDP Padang, Hari Gunanto, welcomed the installation of HF Radar as it greatly assists in providing navigational information. ASDP routinely coordinates with BMKG to obtain weather forecasts or early warnings before dispatching ships. The presence of HF Radar is expected to further strengthen the accuracy of data used as the primary reference by ASDP in ensuring the safety of passengers and crew on voyages to and from Mentawai.