Instituto de Meteorologia (IM) is the national meteorological authority for maritime purposes and has a unique national programme for the prediction and analysis of the boundary layer of the atmosphere and the underlying ocean, aiming at the safety of life and people at sea (responsability areas). Marine Meteorology is a field of interaction between Physical Oceanography and Meteorology, and its objective is the study the physics of the lower oceanic atmosphere and the prediction of the sea state.

At IM, Marine Meteorology comprises three areas of activity in the scope of Co-ordination, Observation and Watch in Marine Meteorology. With the activity developed, it is intended to accomplish the operational tasks of the Sector in actions of training, observation, monitoring of the operational performance of a sea disturbance model (MAR3G), and its results are made available to the various users; Marine Meteorology studies and applications are also developed, namely in the areas of sea disturbance, marine climatology and drifting hydrocarbons at sea, with a view to improving the products already in exploration at IM and developing new forms of support to the activities of sea state analysis and prediction.

As a result of this work, there has been an increase in the offer of products and in the capability of IM to respond to external demands. Concerning National and International Co-operation, an active participation in the Portuguese Committee for IOC is being developed, simultaneously with improved co-operation/interconnection with Universities and other Administration Sectors, namely with other State Laboratories.