The 4th OceanPrediction DCC Western Pacific & Marginal Seas of South and East Asia Regional Team Meeting
The 4th OceanPrediction DCC Western Pacific & Marginal Seas of South and East Asia (WPMSEA) Regional Team Meeting held at JAMSTEC in Yokohama, Japan reviewed advances in ocean forecasting, management, and regional coordination under the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Center (DCC) framework. This meeting was an opportunity for our OceanPrediction DCC steering team members to offer a comprehensive overview of WPMSEA activities in the region, emphasizing advancements in observational systems, forecasting, modeling, and co-design.
Members of the Western Pacific & Marginal Seas of South and East Asia (WPMSEA) Regional Team
Participants updates included advances in SynObs, especially in data assimilation, as well as the growth of CSK2 projects. Presentations from several operational ocean forecast centers from WPMSEA complemented OceanPrediction DCC activities: The NMEFC presentation covered its MICOM and AI-driven wave models, as well as its plans for a future 'super-intelligent' system. The JAMSTEC presentation covered the developments of its JCOPE system, including high-resolution coastal prediction and 4D-Var assimilation. The FIO presentation discussed improvements in wave mixing and upper-ocean circulation. The KIOST presentation covered the development of operational systems on various scales. The BMKG presentation discussed its coupled atmosphere–ocean system for impact-based forecasting.
The meeting also emphasized scientific and societal applications, including the prediction of marine heatwaves using JCOPE-FGO and the expansion of biogeochemical research through observational programs (DMCR Thailand), modeling (SINTEX-Fbio, JCOPEbio, and JAMSTEC’s 1-D systems), and conservation initiatives in Penang Bay. Additional contributions included marine plastic monitoring and modeling at KIOST; acoustic tomography and tsunami early warning efforts at UNPAD; and co-design, capacity building, and ocean literacy activities at IPB. The session concluded with discussions on adapting some of the nine global ocean indicators for practical, policy-relevant regional use.
The regional meeting reviewed ocean science, management, and prediction activities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with updates from the OceanPrediction DCC, IOC/WESTPAC, SIMSEA, and various project teams. Key presentations showcased advances in operational ocean forecasting, ecosystem monitoring, coastal hazard assessment, and the use of AI, remote sensing, and digital tools, with the Digital Twins of the Ocean projects from Xiamen University standing out as particularly inspiring. Several initiatives were highlighted, including coastal hypoxia forecasting in China and Thailand, resilience and hazard-monitoring efforts in Southeast Asia, and new capacity-building projects such as OPERA in Africa and OP4CR in Costa Rica. These efforts aim to strengthen data sharing, monitoring infrastructure, and regional forecasting capabilities.
The meeting also emphasized the importance of integrated indicators, higher-resolution models, and improved observations for biogeochemistry, sea-level change, and Southeast Asia’s rapidly warming waters. SIMSEA’s collaborative work on sustainable marginal sea management—spanning science, policy, and community engagement—was underscored as a key regional pillar. NTU’s research on accelerated warming, rising sea levels, and persistent data gaps further reinforced the need for better-integrated monitoring and modeling systems to enhance prediction capacity and support climate-resilient coastal management.
OceanPrediction DCC shared progress on the OPERA (Africa) and OP4CR (Costa Rica) projects. Both projects demonstrate the effective integration of digital forecasting tools, capacity development, and stakeholder engagement. Building on these successes, discussions focused on extending similar initiatives to Southeast Asia, increasing registrations in the OceanPrediction Atlas, and strengthening communication strategies to enhance collaboration and visibility. The discussions pointed to the need for better communication strategies, enhanced visualization tools, and closer engagement with private companies and local agencies, resulting in the following recommendations. Throughout the sessions, participants emphasized the importance of sustained international cooperation, long-term financing, and unified digital platforms for advancing ocean prediction, improving ecosystem management, and supporting climate-resilient coastal communities.
Extending selected developments from OPERA and Costa Rica Projects to Southeast Asia
The OPERA and OP4CR projects have shown how regional collaboration, training, and technology transfer can strengthen national ocean prediction capabilities. The meeting emphasized the potential to expand such models to Southeast Asia, particularly across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, by:
Establishing capacity-building programs for operational Ocean forecasting, coastal hazard monitoring, and climate resilience.
Promoting knowledge exchange and digital tool adoption for operational ocean prediction, such as the OceanPrediction DCC architecture and the ORL.
Integrating activities with existing regional networks to support sustainable marine management.
These efforts aim to create a more connected and capable regional forecasting ecosystem that contributes directly to the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
Participants list:
Japan
Dr. Takeshi Kawano — Executive Director, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
Dr. Rikiya Konishi — Director for Deep Sea Earth Scientific Research, MEXT
Dr. Swadhin K. Behera — JAMSTEC
Dr. Kentaro Ando — JAMSTEC
Dr. Yasumasa Miyazawa — JAMSTEC
Dr. Masami Nonaka — JAMSTEC
Dr. Takeshi Doi — JAMSTEC
Dr. Yushi Morioka — JAMSTEC
Dr. Hakase Hayashida — JAMSTEC
Dr. Yosuke Fujii — Japan Meteorological Agency/MRI
Dr. Kazuo Nadaoka — SIMSEA
Dr. Keith Rodgers — World Premier International Research Centre Initiative (WPI-AIMEC)
Dr. Kazutoshi Horiuchi — Forecast Ocean Plus
France
Dr. Enrique Alvarez Fanjul — Director, OceanPrediction DCC, Mercator Ocean International (MoI)
Dr. Karina von Schuckmann — OceanPrediction DCC, MoI
Ms. Lillian Diarra — OceanPrediction DCC, MoI
Ms. Valentina Giunta — OceanPrediction DCC, MoI
China
Dr. Liying Wan — National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center (NMEFC)
Dr. Bin Xiao — First Institute of Oceanography (FIO)
Prof. Fei Chai — Xiamen University
Dr. Weiwei Zhang - Xiamen University
Indonesia
Dr. Fadli Syamsudin — University of Padjadjaran (UNPAD)
Dr. Andri Ramdhani — BMKG (Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency)
Dr. Bayu Edo — BMKG
Dr. Adi Rameyo — i-MAR, Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB)
Korea
Dr. Young-Gyu Park — Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST)
Dr. Hyung-Gyu Lim — (KIOST)
Malaysia
Prof. Aileen Tan / Dr. Abe Woo — Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia
Singapore
Dr. Dhrubajyoti Samanta — Nanyang Technological University
Thailand
Dr. Chalermrat Sangmanee — Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR)
International / Intergovernmental Organizations
Dr. Wenxi Zhu — IOC/WESTPAC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, Western Pacific Office)
Report provided by the OceanPrediction WPMSEA Team
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