In September 2025, MSM Ocean achieved a major milestone in operational oceanography and coastal risk mitigation: the design, manufacturing and installation of a Tsunami Early Warning System (TEWS) for the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), within the framework of the MEET (Monitoring Earth’s Evolution and Tectonics) project funded by Italy’s PNRR.
This deployment represents the first installation of a buoy-based tsunami early warning system in the Mediterranean Sea and in Europe as a fully integrated solution based on seabed pressure sensors and real-time satellite transmission.
EBM24TS Tsunami buoys shipping
A Decisive Step in Mediterranean Tsunami Risk Monitoring
The Mediterranean Sea is a geodynamically complex region where several tectonic plates converge, particularly in the Ionian Sea area. This seismic activity makes the region potentially exposed to tsunami generation.
In addition, the high density of coastal municipalities and the significant seasonal population increase due to tourism make advanced early warning infrastructures essential to ensure rapid response to extreme events.
In this context, INGV entrusted MSM Ocean with the development of a TEWS system capable of:
- Detecting anomalous seabed pressure variations
- Transmitting real-time data via satellite
- Automatically generating alerts in case of potential tsunami events
- Ensuring high operational availability through system redundancy
The TEWS System: Buoys Designed for Continuous and Reliable Operation
The system designed by MSM Ocean consists of four EBM24TS buoys:
- Two operational buoys installed in the Ionian Sea
- Two spare units kept onshore
Four EBM24TS buoys at MSM facilities
Installed Buoy Locations
- 14 September 2025: First buoy installed approximately 100 km east of Sicily’s eastern coast, with sensors moored at around 3,200 meters depth.
- 16 September 2025: Second buoy installed approximately 100 km off the coast of Calabria, at around 2,600 meters depth.
First EBM24TS tsunami buoy installed at the Ionian Sea
Each EBM24TS buoy is equipped with:
- Redundant solar power system with 8 solar panels
- Low-consumption data acquisition unit
- Integrated CPU with Iridium modem for real-time satellite transmission
- Acoustic transducer installed at the buoy tail
- Dual redundant Sonardyne Bottom Pressure Recorder (BPR) sensors deployed on the seabed
Second EBM24TS Tsunami Buoy installed at the Ionian Sea
Millimetric Water Column Measurement Technology
The detection system is based on a fundamental physical principle:
Seabed pressure is directly proportional to the height of the water column.
The Sonardyne Bottom Pressure Recorder (BPR) measures with extremely high precision the pressure exerted by the water column. While tides follow a predictable sinusoidal pattern, an abrupt deviation from this pattern may indicate tsunami generation.
When the BPR detects a significant anomaly, it:
- Automatically switches to event mode
- Increases data transmission frequency
- Activates alert protocols
To ensure proper system performance, the BPR also monitors:
- Water temperature
- Sensor tilt (current indicator)
- Battery voltage and status
- Power consumption
- Internal system parameters
The surface buoy receives the data via acoustic link and transmits it via satellite to the INGV Tsunami Alert Center, where monitoring and management are carried out using the Tsunami Sentinel software.
EBM24TS Tsunami Buoy Deployment and Mooring in the Ionian Sea
Tsunami Sentinel: Advanced Software for Tsunami Early Warning
A key component of the project is Tsunami Sentinel, the advanced software developed by MSM Ocean for monitoring, visualization and management of TEWS systems.
Main features include:
- Interactive map with real-time buoy positioning
- Monitoring of sensor data (pressure, temperature, BPR tilt)
- System health monitoring (batteries, communications, GPS)
- Automatic detection and alert of tsunami events (real and simulated)
- Automatic email alert dispatch
- Remote command transmission to optimize maintenance and operability
Tsunami Sentinel software developed by MSM Ocean
Commitment to Risk Mitigation and Coastal Protection
Tsunami risk mitigation requires robust, autonomous and highly reliable systems. With this deployment, INGV strengthens the Mediterranean’s seismic and ocean monitoring capabilities, while MSM Ocean consolidates its expertise in delivering turnkey integrated solutions — from engineering and manufacturing to offshore installation and specialized software development.
This milestone represents not only a technological breakthrough, but also a decisive step toward protecting coastal communities and reducing the impact of extreme natural hazards.
EBM24TS buoys shipping