Our Group undertakes oceanographic research, in a holistic perspective, including operational observations and forecasts, specialised data management analysis and participation in international cooperative ventures. The overarching research themes cover coastal meteorology, hydrography and physical oceanography with a main emphasis on the experimental study of the hydrodynamics of the sea in the vicinity of the Maltese Islands. Our main endeavour is to promote activities in operational oceanography by the installation and maintenance of permanent sea monitoring systems, and the provision of meteo/marine forecasts.
We are the national oceanographic data centre for EMODnet as well as a member of SeaDataNet AISBL. OMRG is also an ambassador of EMODnet Data Ingestion, encouraging local data providers to add their data to the European operational oceanography data exchange for feeding forecasting models and supporting various operations. Through this activity, we provide support to local entities involved in marine research and monitoring, to collect and maintain oceanographic data according to international standards.
Furthermore, OMRG manages, on behalf of the University of Malta, a long-standing fruitful relationship with the International Ocean Institute (IOI), with Prof. Alan Deidun (Malta’s Ocean Ambassador and CIESM national delegate for Malta) directing the IOI’s Malta Training Centre which delivers an annual, accredited, international course on ocean governance. Prof. Deidun is also Rector's Delegate within the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU) and a member of the board of the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters.
Our Group plays the role of keeping track of ocean observations made in the vicinity of the Maltese Islands. Data collected by individual scientists, local agencies and governmental departments is primarily kept under the respective sources, and under different, often incompatible formats. Our aim is to identify these data holdings and to bring the data under one database with standardised formats.
All operational services provided by the OMRG can be accessed through the ocean.mt portal.
