In July 2025, MSM Ocean completed the design and manufacture of two ODAS oceanographic buoys, model EBM20OC-SAS, now operating in the Mediterranean Sea as part of a project led by ITCS SOCIB (Unique Science and Technology Infrastructures – Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System).
One of the buoys has been moored at a depth of 30 metres in the Bay of Palma, while the second has been deployed at 900 metres in the Ibiza Channel, establishing two strategic locations for the continuous observation of Mediterranean conditions in an area especially sensitive to climate change.
These platforms enable SOCIB to strengthen its coastal monitoring network and enhance its capacity to analyse Mediterranean climate variability, providing essential data for scientific research, marine management, and oceanographic and meteorological forecasting.
EBM20OC-SAS buoy installed at the Mediterranean Sea (Ibiza Channel on the left, Palma Bay on the right)
ODAS buoys for climate change research in the Mediterranean
The buoys installed by MSM Ocean operate as autonomous Ocean Data Acquisition Systems (ODAS). Their main function is to collect real-time information on key meteorological and oceanographic parameters to study the evolution of the marine ecosystem.
Measured variables include:
- Meteorology: wind speed and direction, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity and solar radiation.
- Oceanography: currents, waves, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chlorophyll and pH, among others.
The analysis of these data supports sea-state forecasting, the study of phenomena such as marine heatwaves, ecosystem health assessment, and the improvement of coastal prediction models.
Data from both buoys are publicly available through the SOCIB platform and integrated into its permanent Mediterranean observing network.
EBM20OC-SAS Oceanographic Buoy installed in the Ibiza Channel
SAS system: sensor maintenance without buoy recovery
One of the most distinctive technological features of these floating stations is MSM Ocean’s triple SAS system (Sensor Access from Surface).
SAS is a modular system that allows sensors to be installed, protected and retrieved directly from the surface of the buoy, without recovering it or using specialised vessels, significantly reducing operational costs and maintenance time.
Within this project:
- One SAS integrates a current meter.
- Another SAS houses a multiparameter probe measuring dissolved oxygen, turbidity, salinity, temperature and pH.
- The third SAS is prepared for future sensor expansions according to project needs.
This architecture makes the EBM20OC-SAS buoys flexible, scalable platforms designed for long-term scientific projects.
MSM Ocean SAS System for Oceanographic Buoys
Real-time communications and shore-based control
To ensure data availability, both buoys incorporate a dual communications system:
- GSM
- Satellite
Thanks to this redundancy, data are continuously transmitted to SOCIB’s control centre, where monitoring and remote control are performed using Oceancom software. This enables real-time supervision of sensors, power systems, communications and data quality.
EBM20OC-SAS buoy installed in Palma Bay
Robust engineering for demanding marine environments
Beyond scientific instrumentation, MSM Ocean has placed strong emphasis on the structural robustness of the EBM20OC-SAS buoys.
The float is manufactured with closed-cell polyethylene solid foam sheet (no water absorption) and with a coloured polyurethane elastomer coat, resulting in a virtually unsinkable structure with high impact absorption capacity. This solution protects all integrated equipment against collisions, waves and harsh environmental conditions.
As a result, the buoys integrate advanced data acquisition, processing and transmission systems while ensuring long-term operational reliability in marine environments.
MSM Ocean technology supporting ocean observation
MSM Ocean’s participation in this project with SOCIB reinforces its commitment to developing smart platforms for oceanographic monitoring, supporting scientific research, sustainability and improved knowledge of the marine environment.
The deployment of these two buoys in the Bay of Palma and the Ibiza Channel represents a new step in MSM Ocean’s contribution to Mediterranean observation, combining engineering, autonomy, real-time transmission and easy maintenance in a single technological solution.
EBM20OC-SAS buoy in the Palma Bay
