Coastal Crete: The Ship Routing/Harbor Safety Digital Twin of the Ocean

The Coastal Crete service, developed within the Iliad Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTO) project, is a high-resolution forecasting system designed for maritime safety and environmental protection in the Cretan Sea. This Digital Twin integrates real-time in-situ observations with advanced numerical models to provide predictive capabilities for ship routing and harbor safety. Using a multi-model approach, it combines the Weather Research and Forecasting-Data Assimilation model (WRF-DA) downscaled to 3 km spatial resolution, the hydrodynamic NEMO model, and the wave model WAVEWATCH III at 1 km resolution. These outputs drive two application packages: an optimal ship routing system, utilizing the VISIR-2 software for minimizing distance, travel time, and CO2 emissions, and a high-resolution wave forecasting module using SWAN at 50-meter resolution aiding harbor safety. The applications are visualized through platforms such as GeoMachine and ADAM, allowing stakeholders to interact with forecasts and integrate real-time data. This system is critical for maritime planners, port authorities, and shipping companies, enhancing decision-making, mitigating risks, and promoting sustainable shipping practices.