Installation of a new coastal monitoring station in Manila South Harbour marks a first for the CoastPredict Programme, and was completed by CMCC in collaboration with the University of the Philippines and the Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience (DCC-CR), as part of an innovative training course. 

Developed by CMCC, the ‘InterBox’ sensor is an innovative, low-cost monitoring device designed to measure sea level, air temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. This comprehensive data collection is crucial for analyzing climatic patterns and assessing potential impacts on coastal communities. The sensor will contribute to ocean observing and forecasting capacity locally in the Philippines and enhance understanding of sea level variations in the region. The sensor is already actively collecting data, which can be viewed in real-time on the EMODnet Physics platform here: Interbox Manila data.

Importantly the installation was part of CoastPredict’s first training course called ‘Coastal Observing and Modeling for Prediction and Assessment to Support Resilient Systems’ (COMPASS). A key principle of the CoastPredict Programme is knowledge sharing to enhance local capacity leading to a sustainable system led by local experts.  

This installation in Manila is part of CoastPredict’s GlobalCoast effort to establish a global network of cost-effective coastal observing as part of an integrated coastal observing and predicting system. Cost-effective observations empower local communities and scientists with accessible tools to monitor sea level changes and enhance coastal resilience against climate change impacts.

The station in Manila is the first of its kind outside of Europe. Two other coastal stations have recently been installed by CMCC:

1. Rimini, Italy, as part of a High School training course ‘Corso Clima e Oceanografia’, organized by Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience, Comune di Rimini and CMCC. Explore Rimini data here.
2. Civitavecchia, Italy, which is a development within the CMCC Strategic Programme ‘Global coasts as a new frontier’. It serves as a test site due to its proximity to the ISPRA National Mareographic Network’s reference sensor, and is financed by CMCC funds for technological development. Explore Civitavecchia data here.

We would like to thank our partners at CMCCand the COMPASS-Philippines team for their collaboration to make this possible.