In Spring 2024 EMODnet launched a technical blog, championed by the EMODnet Technical Coordinator Conor Delaney, to update EMODnet's diverse user community on latest service developments. This latest blog (#2 in the series) focuses on the EMODnet Map viewer, explaining how this key tool can be used to discover EMODnet's diverse offer of marine environmental and human activities data and data products and the latest features and functionalities, from map projections to visualisations. Dive in and discover EMODnet!

2023 was a milestone year for EMODnet with the unification of thematic services, the OSL 3.0 Hackathon, the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 and much more! Learn more in the EMODnet Annual Report 2023, now published. This provides a comprehensive overview of the EMODnet service’s main achievements in 2023, user metrics and key facts and figures, thematic offer updates including new data products, new coverage for the Caribbean Sea and Caspian Sea, EMODnet data ingestion, EMODnet for the European Digital Twin Ocean, wider EU and global partnerships and EMODnet’s key role in the EC communication tool European Atlas of the Seas, etc.

The virtual Copernicus Marine Service #OceanHack4EU hackathon will be held online from 3-7 June, gathering participants to tackle one of the many challenges the ocean faces. Teams will be invited to create innovative and impact-driven ocean solutions using marine earth-observation data, to contribute to protecting and restoring the health of our ocean. Data from EMODnet and EUMETSAT will also be made available during the hackathon.

Register now!

EMODnet teamed up with a number of European services and key stakeholders at EMD2024 held on 30-31 May 2024 in Svendborg, Denmark. EMODnet co-organised a workshop on diverse data for the Blue Economy and EU Policy with the European Blue Economy Observatory and the European Environment Agency (EEA). This included presentations by EMODnet Human Activities and the Secretariat. The EMODnet EC marine data service booth was visited by diverse stakeholders ranging from policy makers and the research community to the private sector, non-governmental agencies and citizen science initiatives. This year’s booth was held in partnership with the International Hydrographic Office (IHO) and Seabed 2030, enabling the dialogue on how EMODnet Bathymetry contributes to global seabed mapping initiatives. EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service also co-organised a booth on the EU Digital Twin Ocean showcasing EU marine data services supporting EU Green priorities. Read the newly published article on the ongoing is co-operation between these two EC marine data services here.

The EMODnet Secretariat presented EMODnet’s diverse marine data service at the Hydrospatial Infrastructure and Blue Economy Summit, part of the Geophysical World Forum 2024 which took place between 13-16 May 2024. EMODnet joined a session on integrated ocean knowledge, together with Seabed 2030, Hub Ocean and the Danish Geodata Agency, among others. EMODnet partners and data contributors from national hydrographic offices were also present, speaking in related sessions together with EMODnet Associated Partner Fugro. Presentations and further information are available at: https://geospatialworldforum.org/  

Secure your spot at European Maritime Day 2024, taking place in Svendborg, Denmark, on 30th-31st May 2024. EMODnet will be there with an exhibition booth and co-organising a joint workshop on 2 EC services ‘EMODnet and the Blue Economy Observatory’ to be held on-site on 31st May late morning.  All plenary sessions will be live-streamed, however on-site participation is recommended for full engagement with the hundreds of marine and maritime stakeholders attending. Register by 10th May 2024: Register now for the European Maritime Day 2024!The EC are also hosting the European Blue Forum on 30th May 2024 back-to-back with EMD 2024, with separate registration.

The Thalassa 2024 Marine Sciences Conference, organised by EMODnet Associated Partner the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), will take place on 28th-29th May 2024 in Larnaca, Cyprus. Registration is open until 15th April here.

EMODnet has multiple oral and poster presentations at the International Conference on Marine Data and Information Systems (IMDIS) taking place in Bergen, Norway, and online on 27th-29th May 2024. Join the large SeaDataNet, EMODnet and wider data management community for the latest developments in this space. Registration is open (early bird rate by 15th April). 

We are excited to announce that EMODnet will be an Institutional Partner and key speaker for the Hydrospatial Infrastructure and Blue Economy Summit at the upcoming Geospatial World Forum (GWF) 2024. Save the dates for this event taking place May 13-16, 2024, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. During the summit, the EMODnet Secretariat and EMODnet Bathymetry will deliver key speeches, sharing insights and expertise. Join for a focused program on "The Hydrospatial Infrastructure and Blue Economy Summit," where we will delve into the need for ocean knowledge and explore opportunities for growth within the blue economy.  Find out more and register today.

EMODnet is pleased to announce and welcome 3 new associated partners in Spring 2024: Renewable Grid Initiative (RGI), Voice of the Ocean (VOTO) and Oceano VOX. Each new member brings unique expertise and a strong commitment to advancing collaboration with EMODnet in the areas of data sharing, best practices in marine data, information technology and data services, and expanding the users of EMODnet, including for the Blue Economy.

The Thalassa 2024 Marine Sciences Conference, organised by EMODnet Associated Partner the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), will take place on 28th-29th May 2024 in Larnaca, Cyprus. Registration is open until 15th April here.

EMODnet experts from the Human Activities and Secretariat presented EMODnet and provided technical advice at the Technical Expert Group (TEG) on Data for Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) workshop “MSP Data tools and Guidance” which was held as a hybrid event on 13th March 2024.

BLOG #1 (March 2024): EMODnet’s technical state-of-the-art as a unified Portal. The EMODnet EC in situ marine data service is enabled by a large expert community of technical experts in thematic data, data and web services, data ingestion and more. One year on from the launch of EMODnet’s unified Portal, EMODnet launches a technical blog that brings the technical developments and achievements of the EMOD-network to the forefront, championed by EMODnet’s Technical Coordinator, Conor Delaney. The blog is intended for wider stakeholders who use and/or contribute to EMODnet and would like to know more about the latest state-of-the-art in EMODnet services. The technical blog will be released quarterly.

EMODnet was well represented at the Oceanology International 2024 and European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) Technology Forum that took place back-to-back in mid-March 2024 in London, UK. EMODnet Physics, Chemistry, Data Ingestion and wider experts were on-site, complementing a pan-EMODnet feature article in the Hydro International magazine that accompanied the OI 2024 event. 

The Horizon Europe MSP4Bio project used EMODnet multidisciplinary marine in situ data, including from Bathymetry, Biology and many other thematic data, to inform an Ecological-Socio-Economic (ESE) management framework used for science-based MSP to safeguard and restore biodiversity in a coherent European MPA network. Read the use case here.

Four short months ago, the EMODnet community gathered in Brussels for the EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree 2023 Re-immerse yourself in the energy and insights of the Conference plenary, panel discussions, townhalls and networking, and get a snapshot of EMODnet’s rich and diverse network and valued stakeholders, all in the newly released EMODnet OC 2023 highlights video!  This video complements the Conference Report that was released earlier this year. The Conference Virtual Exhibition remains open until November 2024.

EMODnet experts from across the network will be in Barcelona for the week-long UN Ocean Decade Conference 2024, 8th-12th April. You will find us in the official Conference exhibition area in a joint booth of EMODnet, Copernicus Marine Service and the Ocean Prediction Decade Coordination Centre, and at numerous side events spanning Digital Twins of the Ocean, Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPS), Ocean Observing, Private sector data sharing, Sea Level Rise and more.

The 2024 EOOS Technology Forum “Catching the momentum in ocean observing technology: optimising value and data provision”, will take place on the 13 March 2024 at the Oceanology International, Excel, London. The 2024 EOOS Technology Forum will bring together technology developers, manufacturers and users to exchange knowledge on platforms and sensors of all types, costs and levels of technical sophistication with the goal to enhance accessibility of ocean observations.

At the dawn of its 15th year in business, EMODnet Chemistry celebrates the best results of the past year with EMODnet stakeholders. A full article gives key achievements and a forward look, which sees the confirmation of the same consortium at the helm of EMODnet Chemistry for the next two years, coordinated by OGS.

In January, three ‘Maps of the Week’ were published on the Maritime Forum and the EMODnet website: ‘Seamount and ocean seabed’ in connection to the discovery of a new seamount, ‘Vessel density and sustainable nautical tourism’ in relation to the boot 2024 yacht and watersports show in Düsseldorf (Germany) and ‘Education and Sustainable Development: European Blue Schools Find the Blue!’ referring to the International Day of Education celebrated on 24 January 2024. This allowed to cover three key topics addressed by the Atlas: scientific research, the blue economy and education!