A Northern Gulf of Mexico Operational Forecast System (NGOFS) has been developed to serve the maritime user community. NGOFS was developed in a joint project of the NOAA/National Ocean Service (NOS)/Office of Coast Survey, the NOAA/NOS/Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), the NOAA/National Weather Service (NWS)/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Central Operations (NCO) and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth using the Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). NGOFS generates water level, current, temperature and salinity nowcast and forecast guidance four times per day. NGOFS is based on a three-dimensional, high resolution model, and will assist U.S. port authorities and mariners in efficiently navigating the northern Gulf of Mexico without compromising safety.