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MassDEP and partners plan Boston PORTS expansion to help pilots navigate larger vessels
Summary
MassDEP and federal and local partners described creation of a Boston PORTS system—additional buoys, sensors and a possible Tobin Bridge air‑gap sensor—to provide real‑time navigation data as vessel sizes increase in Boston Harbor.
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection presenters described plans to expand the PORTS (Physical Oceanographic Real‑Time System) network to Boston Harbor in response to larger vessels entering the port.
Jim Collins said PORTS—operated in partnership with NOAA—already provides real‑time wave, current and meteorological data in Cape Cod Bay and Buzzards Bay, with sensors in Fall River and the Cape Cod Canal. He said Boston PORTS will add meteorological stations, current meters and other navigation aids; an air‑gap sensor on the Tobin Bridge is being explored but will require permitting and engineering approvals from MassDOT and other bridge authorities. Collins said stakeholders supporting the project include the U.S. Coast Guard, Boston pilots and the Boston Harbor Master.
Collins noted the driver for Boston PORTS is vessel size: "some of the vessels are actually only a meter or so below the Tobin Bridge," he said, underscoring the need for precise, real‑time data. The program plans site visits, equipment purchases and installations with a target for navigation aids to be in place by next summer; the Tobin Bridge air‑gap sensor may follow after permitting and coordination with bridge owners.
Staff said the PORTS data are publicly available and can support mariners, port operations and emergency response. They will share site‑visit schedules and procurement details with committee partners.
