Imagine you’re a port pilot, responsible for the safe passage of a cargo ship that’s about the same size as an aircraft carrier. It’s the middle of the night, it’s windy and you’re contending with large waves and an outgoing tide. A stressful scenario to be sure but happily, you have the benefit of a real-time information system that gives you details about water levels, currents, salinity, and weather to help you guide your vessel. That system is known as PORTS, the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System.