There are a few programs dedicated to providing high-quality, automated surface oceanographic and meteorological observations from ships to the research and operational community. These observations typically include vessel position and motion, winds, air and sea temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity, precipitation, radiation at the Earth's surface, sea surface salinity, conductivity, fluorescence and other ocean measurements. The observations, which are a component of a global ocean observing system, provide essential benchmark values that can aide in understanding the exchange of heat, moisture, carbon, and other quantities that cross the ocean-atmosphere interface.