Meteorological and oceanographic studies

Meteorological and oceanographic information is a key requirement for location approvals, transportation design, structure design and weather-limited operations.  For more than 35 years, our London-based metocean department has been a global centre of excellence, providing thousands of reports to the marine and offshore industries, and describing the meteorology and oceanography of locations all over the world. DNV GL offers a complete range of cost-effective metocean solutions, and a fast turn-around, including:

Spot location reports 

A concise metocean report based on freely-available data and suitable for rapid assessment of offshore units at any single offshore site for any season, direction or return period. 

Transportation criteria 

Design criteria for marine transportation projects, taking account of method of transportation, departure date, proposed route and vessel speed. Our method has been developed over many years and draws on the experience of the Noble Denton group as engineering consultants, designers and marine warranty surveyors, as well as metocean specialists.

Design studies for offshore structures

Using ISO-compliant methods to derive Hmax and crest, IFORM contours, associated extremes, calibration of hindcast with available measurements and numerical modelling as needed.

Tropical cyclone analysis 

Analysis of tropical revolving storms for the calculation of design winds, waves and currents. Including numerical modelling of cyclones as required.

Metocean criteria for operation planning

Waiting-on-weather and spells analysis, frequency tables and feasibility maps to help planning offshore operations. 

Numerical modelling 

Using Mike 21 FM and SW models, developed by the Danish Hydraulics Institute (DHI). These state-of-the-art numerical models simulate flows and waves in estuaries, coastal areas and seas, using a cell-centred finite volume method for spatial discretisation. Numerical modelling is used to produce high quality waves and flows across wind farms, along pipelines, in coastal areas or within harbours, and can also be applied to derive cyclonic waves, surges and currents.

What we offer:

Fast turn-around

Offshore structure design studies 


Shallow water design studies 

Coastal engineering studies

Cyclone analysis

Waiting-on-weather and spells analysis 


Feasibility maps

MIKE21 hydrodynamic and spectral wave

Additional support from mariners and engineers at DNV GL offices worldwide 

More than 35 years' experience - over 10,000 reports for sites all over the world

Quality management system to ISO 9001- 2000 standard

Data archive and library 

Specialised consultancy.