Integrated Marine Observing System

Name

Integrated Marine Observing System

Legal name

Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS)

Website

https://imos.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is Australia's national marine observing infrastructure, operating 12 Facilities to collect and openly distribute quality-controlled ocean data for researchers, government agencies, industry, and First Nations communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Observing Infrastructure

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI)

Keywords

• Marine observing infrastructure
• Ocean data services
• Oceanographic monitoring
• Marine research data
• Coastal observation systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Hobart

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Research Infrastructure Funding: IMOS is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and operated as a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture. It receives Australian Government funding and co-investment from state governments (Tasmanian and Western Australian Governments). All data is made openly and freely accessible.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IMOS operates a national, distributed marine observing system comprising 12 interconnected Facilities that collect physical, biogeochemical, and biological ocean data via Argo floats, gliders, moored buoys, ocean radar, satellite remote sensing, animal tracking, and other platforms. All observations are converted into quality-controlled, standardised netCDF data and made openly accessible through the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) Portal, the IMOS OceanCurrent visualisation platform, AusWaves, THREDDS, and supporting software tools.

Product overview

IMOS is a national marine observing infrastructure operating as a portfolio of 12 interconnected Facilities that systematically collect ocean data across scales from open ocean to coast and across disciplines (physics, biogeochemistry, and biology). The core data infrastructure is centered on the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) Portal for data discovery and access, complemented by the OceanCurrent visualization platform for ocean conditions. Data is stored in netCDF format and accessible via THREDDS, S3, and Geoserver. IMOS provides supporting tools including NetCDF Ninja for data file manipulation, the Matlab Toolbox for data conversion, and extensive User Code Libraries with Python/R/MATLAB examples. The observing network includes National Mooring Network, Argo Floats, Ocean Gliders, Satellite Remote Sensing, Deep Water Moorings, Ships of Opportunity, Animal Tracking, Ocean Radar, Coastal Wave Buoys (via AusWaves portal), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, National Reef Monitoring Network, and Biomolecular Observing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN): Infrastructure for discovery, sharing and reuse of comprehensive marine and climate data, managing the IMOS data collection program.
• IMOS OceanCurrent
• AusWaves

Products and services

• Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) Portal Central data discovery, access, and download platform for IMOS marine observation data, enabling users to search, explore, and download quality-controlled ocean datasets from across Australia's marine monitoring infrastructure.
• IMOS OceanCurrent Interactive data visualisation platform delivering near real-time and historical ocean conditions around Australia, including sea surface temperature, ocean colour, surface waves, sea level contours, and surface current velocities.
• AusWaves National wave buoy data portal presenting IMOS coastal wave buoy data alongside partner data, providing near real-time wave and sea surface temperature data in a user-friendly format for researchers, planners, industry and community.
• IMOS THREDDS Catalogue Inventory of available netCDF datasets from IMOS, providing machine-accessible data for researchers and data scientists, importable into MATLAB, Python, R and viewable using netCDF software applications.
• IMOS User Code Library Code examples and Jupyter Notebooks demonstrating how to access and process IMOS data using Python, R, and MATLAB, including tutorials for climatology products, mooring data, ocean colour, radar data, and satellite products.
• NetCDF Ninja Desktop software application for viewing, plotting, editing, and exporting NetCDF files, available as standalone software for Windows and Mac or as a MATLAB toolbar app. Version 2 includes enhanced plotting, editing, and usability features.
• IMOS Matlab Toolbox Automated interface for converting raw instrument data into IMOS-compatible quality-controlled NetCDF files, including automated and manual quality control procedures for AODN ingestion.
• National Mooring Network Collection of mooring arrays strategically positioned in Australian coastal waters, measuring physical and biological parameters including shelf moorings, acidification moorings, National Reference Stations, and acoustic observatories.
• Argo Floats Program Autonomous profiling floats that drift and sink to 2,000m depth, measuring temperature, salinity, and pressure, and surfacing every 10 days to transmit data via satellite from the Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans.
• Ocean Gliders Autonomous underwater vehicles that use buoyancy changes for propulsion, collecting oceanographic data across Australia's seas.
• Satellite Remote Sensing Facility Supports collection, management, processing, calibration and validation of satellite ocean data including sea surface temperature, ocean colour, satellite altimetry, and surface waves through six sub-facilities.
• Deep Water Moorings High-quality, high-resolution in-situ information on the physical environment in deep waters, including the Southern Ocean Time Series observatory with flux stations and sediment trap moorings.
• Ships of Opportunity Facility Uses commercial and research vessels for automated ocean observations including Expendable Bathythermographs, biogeochemical sensors, bioacoustics, plankton surveys, and sea surface temperature measurements.
• Animal Tracking Facility Acoustic Telemetry network of underwater receivers and Animal Tagging program deploying sensors on marine animals to collect oceanographic data from remote regions.
• Ocean Radar Facility High Frequency Radar systems providing real-time maps of surface currents at the mesoscale around Australia's coastline.
• Coastal Wave Buoys Facility National network of solar-powered wave buoys deployed around Australia's coast measuring wave height, period, direction, and water temperatures in near real-time, accessible through AusWaves.
• Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Unmanned underwater vehicles operating independently for deep ocean observations and surveys.
• National Reef Monitoring Network Shallow reef surveys conducted around Australia using scientific and citizen-science divers, with the largest diver-collected marine biodiversity dataset in the world spanning nearly 5,000 sites in 59 countries.
• Biomolecular Observing Facility Analyzes biological molecules including environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples to describe marine biodiversity, microbial communities, and macro-organism distribution over time and space.
• Estuarine and Coastal Moorings National standardised network of shallow-water buoys measuring water quality parameters including temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.
• IMOS GIS Tutorials Step-by-step tutorials for accessing, processing, and visualising IMOS data using GIS software including ArcGIS and QGIS.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 billion ocean measurements collected and delivered
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)coreOthers · 1 January 2006IMOS is enabled by NCRIS, an Australian Government initiative that provides funding and strategic direction for national research infrastructure. NCRIS support is fundamental to IMOS operations and the broader CoastRI initiative.
• University of TasmaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes as the Lead Agent for the IMOS consortium, providing administrative coordination and hosting the IMOS Office on its campus in Hobart.
• CSIROcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's national science agency and principal participant in IMOS. Operates research vessels, contributes to multiple facilities including Southern Ocean observations, satellite altimetry, and ocean colour. Provides the RV Investigator for deployment missions.
• Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal participant operating multiple IMOS facilities including Marine Microplastics sub-Facility, Wireless Sensor Networks, and contributing to National Mooring Network. Hosts Indigenous Partnerships Team coordination.
• Bureau of MeteorologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on Southern Ocean Time Series observatory and operates the Sea Surface Temperature Products sub-Facility, producing SST products for Australasian region from satellite data.
• University of Western AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal participant leading IMOS Coastal Wave Buoys Facility and Ocean Gliders. Contributes significant infrastructure and expertise to national wave monitoring and coastal observations.
• South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes to Southern Australia Moorings and Marine Microplastics sub-Facility operations. Supports estuarine and coastal monitoring in South Australia.
• Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIMS is a partnership involving 4 universities contributing to the National Mooring Network and marine research coordination.
• Curtin UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate participant contributing to CHORUS software for processing and analysis of sea noise data and passive acoustic observations.
• Deakin UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate participant contributing to Victoria Moorings and Marine Microplastics sub-Facility. Supports wave buoy deployments.
• University of MelbournesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate participant in the IMOS consortium contributing to national marine observing efforts.
• CoastRI Consortium (13 NCRIS partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoastRI is a national initiative under NCRIS coordinated across 13 capabilities. IMOS is a key participant in delivering coastal observing infrastructure including wave buoys and estuarine moorings. Received $58 million Australian Government investment.
• Australian Antarctic Program PartnershipsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration supporting Southern Ocean Time Series observatory operations and deployment missions.
• Indigenous Ranger GroupssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sea ranger groups for Sea Country observing, knowledge sharing, and Indigenous-led marine monitoring. Coordinated through AIMS Indigenous Partnerships Team.
• Collaborative Australian Postgraduate Sea Training Alliance Network (CAPSTAN)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaritime education and training initiative of CSIRO, University of Tasmania's IMAS, and ANZIC. Provides hands-on learning aboard RV Investigator for students in atmospheric science, biology, geoscience, and oceanography.
• ANZIC (Australian and New Zealand International Scientific Drilling Consortium)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational scientific drilling consortium partnering with IMOS on CAPSTAN training voyages and research activities.
• State Government AgenciessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with various state government agencies for wave buoy deployments including Victoria (DEECA), Queensland (DETSI), NSW (DCCEEW), and co-investment from Tasmanian and Western Australian Governments.
• OceanSITESsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationGlobal network of fixed time-series stations contributing data from Southern Ocean Time Series observatory to international ocean observing.
• Global Carbon ProjectsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationInternational scientific project receiving Southern Ocean carbon flux data from IMOS for global carbon cycle analysis.
• Coral Reef Ecological Observation Network (CREON)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationInternational network for coral reef observation. Wireless Sensor Network Facility is a founding member.
• OceanData Interoperability Platform (ODIP)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationInternational project for ocean data interoperability. IMOS Wireless Sensor Network participates in ODIP.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Argo International Programme: Global array of profiling floats that IMOS contributes to and depends on for global ocean context. Comparable as the international standard for autonomous ocean profiling that IMOS extends regionally into Australian waters.

Emerging players

• Schmidt Ocean Institute: Private philanthropic operator of research vessels and marine technology platforms supporting open-access ocean science. Comparable in prioritising open ocean data and operating autonomous platforms, though philanthropy-funded rather than government-funded.

Direct peers

• British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC): UK national facility for curating and distributing marine environmental data with a focus on long-term preservation and quality control. Directly comparable to IMOS AODN as a national marine data management and distribution infrastructure.
• Ocean Networks Canada: Canada's national ocean observing system operating cabled observatories, coastal radar, and Argo floats with open data access. Most directly comparable peer as a national-scale, government-funded, open-data marine observation platform with distributed facility architecture.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI): Private ocean research institute operating autonomous underwater vehicles, deep-sea observatories, and biological monitoring platforms with open data distribution. Comparable in deploying ocean technology and curating open marine datasets, though focused on the US West Coast.
• U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS): NOAA-coordinated national network of regional ocean observing systems providing integrated ocean data products across US coastal waters. Operates with a comparable federated-entity model and similar mission to deliver sustained, quality-controlled ocean observations.

Broad incumbents

• NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory: US federal laboratory operating open-ocean moored buoys, TAO/TRITON array, and atmospheric-ocean observing platforms. Comparable as a government-backed operator of distributed ocean observation facilities with open data products.
• European Ocean Observing System (EOOS): European coordination framework for sustained ocean observation across multiple national infrastructures and programmes. Comparable as a federated ocean observing coordination model, though at a continental rather than national scale.
• JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology): Japanese national marine-earth science agency operating deep-sea drilling, Argo floats, moored buoys, and ocean data archives. Comparable as a large-scale government-backed ocean observation operator with similar facility diversity but a broader science mandate.

Regional players

• NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research): New Zealand's Crown Research Institute operating coastal and deep-ocean moorings, glider fleets, and vessel-based observations with open data. Directly comparable as a government-funded, mission-aligned ocean observing institution, though operating in New Zealand waters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IMOS_AUS
• Facebookfacebook.com/IntegratedMarineObservingSystem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imos_aus
• Instagraminstagram.com/imos_australia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Integrated Marine Observing System