$5 million every hour. That's the average value of cargo that moves in and out of one port in the Hampton Roads, Va., area. Just 48 hours after Hurricane Irene passed through this region in 2011, National Ocean Service teams finished surveying 200 linear nautical miles to allow the port to lift vessel restrictions and resume shipping to get the community back in business. That's just one example of how we're positioning America for the future.

Every year, ships move $1.4 trillion worth of products in and out of U.S. ports around the country. We help keep this traffic humming along safely and efficiently. Every day, emergency planners and water authorities rely on global positioning data that is accurate to the centimeter. We make that possible. Every hour, people rely on real-time water levels for accurate weather forecasts, storm and flood prediction, and tsunami warning. We provide this service. We're the nation's ocean agency. Take some time to explore:

• Marine Navigation

  

• Shoreline Mapping

  

• Tides & Currents

  

• Hydrographic Surveying

  

• Arctic Navigation

  

• Global Positioning

  

• Height Modernization

  

• Monitoring Oceans and Coasts