The aim is to make available CTD data from UK research ships in near real-time on the Global Telecommunication System (GTS). The GTS is run by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and is set up to transfer weather data around the world using a network of high-speed computer-to-computer links. It consists of an integrated network of point-to-point circuits, and multi-point circuits which interconnect meteorological telecommunication centres. The circuits are composed of a combination of terrestrial and satellite telecommunication links. Data can be uploaded and retrieved from this system.

The Main Telecommunication Network is the core network of the GTS. It links together three World Meteorological Centres and 15 Regional Telecommunication Hubs (RTH). The National Meteorological Telecommunication Networks enable the National Meteorological Centres (NMC) to collect observational data and to receive and distribute meteorological information on a national level.

CTD data from ships are required to be converted from their original format to TESAC code before going onto the GTS. TESAC is the name of the code for reporting observations of temperature, salinity and current from a sea station. Coding varies for different data types. Once data are converted they can be sent to the Met Office at Exeter where TESAC files can be uploaded to the GTS. Currently, MEDAG are at the stage of exploring the steps involved in developing a near automatic system to enable dissemination of ship data via GTS.