Cabrera to install a GNSS buoy to improve tsunami detection in the Balearic Islands

The National Geographic Institute (IGN), an agency under the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, and the Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructure – Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (ICTS SOCIB) have formalised a strategic collaboration agreement.

The aim of this agreement is to strengthen the National Tsunami Warning System and significantly improve sea-level monitoring in the Balearic Sea. Signed on October 9th, 2025, the agreement enhances cooperation in marine observation, technological innovation, research and scientific outreach.

One of the key actions under the agreement is the installation, maintenance and operation of a buoy equipped with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). This buoy, fitted with satellite receivers, enables highly accurate sea-level measurements and the continuous real-time transmission of data. The GNSS buoy will be installed in the southwest of the Cabrera archipelago, a strategic area for monitoring. The agreement also establishes that the IGN will allow and facilitate the use of the GNSS buoy as an observation platform so that ICTS SOCIB can install additional sensors of scientific interest. A total investment of €368,879.92 by the IGN is предусмотрed for the installation and maintenance of the GNSS buoy over the 2025–2028 period.

Other actions include the exchange of sea-level data between both institutions, joint participation in research projects and funding calls, and the dissemination of the results obtained.

This collaboration falls within the IGN’s responsibilities in seismic and oceanographic monitoring and warning systems, and within the actions set out in SOCIB’s third addendum, which is focused on developing ocean digital twin capabilities. These digital twins are virtual environments that replicate ocean behaviour through the integration of observations, numerical models and advanced data technologies, enabling the simulation and prediction of the evolution of marine and coastal variables. Their development helps improve marine environment management, natural risk prevention and science-based decision-making. Promoting these tools aligns the IGN–SOCIB collaboration with the objectives of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030).

On October 20th, the Joint Monitoring Committee established under the agreement was formally constituted. This committee, made up of four members (two from each institution), will be responsible for overseeing the implementation and progress of the agreement. Through this initiative, the IGN and ICTS SOCIB reinforce their commitment to coastal safety, marine research and technological development in the Balearic Islands, contributing to greater knowledge of the marine environment and to the protection of the public against natural hazards.