Smart Buoy Network to Monitor 3,500 KM of Saudi Coastline

Saudi Arabia's National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) has completed a smart buoy network spanning approximately 3,500 kilometres of coastline to strengthen the monitoring of marine and coastal pollution across the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.

The system transmits environmental data around the clock to a central control room, enabling authorities to detect unusual changes in marine conditions more quickly and respond to potential pollution incidents sooner.

According to the NCEC, 35 monitoring stations were selected following environmental and technical assessments. The buoys were positioned away from major navigation routes while prioritising areas with heavy shipping activity, ports, industrial discharge points and other strategically important coastal locations. The distribution is intended to provide a comprehensive picture of environmental conditions across the Kingdom's coastline.

The network generates more than 20,000 readings and analyses every hour—equivalent to over 500,000 measurements each day—which are transmitted to the central control room for processing and analysis. Continuous monitoring allows authorities to identify abnormal environmental changes as they occur, reducing reliance on periodic inspections and improving response times, particularly around ports, industrial zones and busy maritime corridors.

The collected data is also expected to provide insights into the potential economic impacts of marine pollution, including its effects on coastal tourism and fish resources.