Viet Nam - Norway cooperation enhances marine forecasting capacity
The Marine Hazards Workshop 2026 focuses on forecasting models and technologies to enhance early warning capacity and disaster risk reduction in Vietnam.
On November 2 in Hanoi, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), in coordination with the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, inaugurated the Marine Hazards Workshop 2026.
The workshop convenes from November 2 to 4, gathering international specialists, scientists, and operational hydro-meteorological forecasters.
Delivering her opening address, Deputy Director General of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology Dang Thanh Mai emphasized that Viet Nam is a coastal state frequently exposed to severe hazards including tropical cyclones, strong offshore winds, high waves, and storm surges. Under accelerating climate change, these phenomena exhibit increasingly complex, erratic patterns, threatening coastal populations, maritime safety, and socio-economic infrastructure.
Consequently, delivering accurate, timely, and hyper-local marine forecasts plays an imperative role in disaster risk reduction, safeguarding maritime activities, and promoting sustainable blue economic growth.
According to Ms. Dang Thanh Mai, the workshop is organized under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Enhancing Weather Forecasting Capacity and Climate Services between the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, concluded in November 2023.
Viet Nam-Norway cooperation contributes to enhancing the professional capacity of the hydrometeorological system
Ms. Marianne Rabe Knævelsrud, First Secretary of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Viet Nam, stated that marine forecasting holds practical significance for both nations, as numerous communities depend on the sea and both fisheries and maritime sectors require safe, sustainable development.
Timely warnings regarding typhoons, storm surges, and coastal inundation equip communities with crucial lead time for disaster preparedness; dependable forecasts also assist offshore laborers in deciding optimal departure and return timings, Ms. Marianne Rabe Knævelsrud shared.
The Norwegian Embassy representative commended the fruitful outcomes achieved over more than a decade of institutional partnership between Norwegian and Vietnamese agencies, noting that this establishes a solid foundation to expand cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership, particularly in climate, environment, marine spatial planning, and offshore wind power. She also emphasized that forecasts must be accessible, high-quality, and actionable, empowering communities, authorities, and businesses to make more precise and effective decisions.
Prof. Dr. Lars R. Hole, Senior Specialist at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, introduced marine weather forecasting leveraging Copernicus Marine Service components, featuring wave modeling applications and the exploitation of satellite wave altimetry datasets. Specialists Merete Øiestad and Alistair Everett delivered technical instructions and practical GeoWeb exercises, linking tool exchanges directly with operational forecasting products.
Through the workshop, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology expects to reinforce its capacity to access and master cutting-edge forecasting models, driving digital transformation and modernizing observation and prediction workflows. The expertise shared will advance the quality of marine hazard early warnings, serving disaster prevention efforts and ensuring safety for national socio-economic operations.
Truong Giang