The new database is available on the web for those who need fast convenient access to wind and wave statistics for the oceans of the world. Naval architects, offshore engineers, towage contractors, ship operators, oceanographers and meteorologists in 13 countries are now using this data. Presenting the data on the web allows the user to select and analyse data extremely rapidly. Data can be transferred to a spreadsheet for further processing. The data in Global Wave Statistics Online is based on visual observations of wind speed and wave height obtained from the UK Meteorological Office.

The Meteorological Office Main Marine Databank is a computerized archive containing more than 55 million marine meteorological observations from the period 1854 to 1984. As the observations have all been made by ships of passage, the databank contains meteorological data for all sea areas of the world. It is updated regularly to incorporate the most recent data and ships send in their observations on a voluntary basis. The database covers the oceans of the world with 104 sea areas. The data from each sea area is split down into four seasons of the year (plus the whole year), and 8 directional sectors (plus all directions). Thus the database contains 4680 separate datasets.

The Europe database covers the Northern European continental shelf with 31 sea areas. Whilst the worldwide database covers these areas, the Europe database provides greater geographical resolution. Analyses of the data in each dataset can yield:

• wind speed probabilities
• wave height and period joint probabilities
• extreme wave heights
• storm and calm persistence statistics.