EMODnet extends its gratitude to partners, associated partners, key partnerships and all stakeholders for an incredible year in delivering its European marine data services. The EMODnet Portal remains operational 24-7 over the festive season, whilst EMODnet Secretariat and wider network will take some well-earned time to rest and recharge. We look forward to new collaborations and achievements in 2025. In the meantime, seasons greetings, happy holidays and ocean wishes for the New Year!

On 4-13 June 2025 in Nice, France, the EU Digital Ocean Pavilion will serve as a central hub at the UN Ocean Conference, and related One Ocean Congress, spotlighting EU flagship ocean programmes, missions, and operational services for Marine Knowledge, including EMODnet, Copernicus Marine Service and the European Digital Twin Ocean. Submit your application to contribute content, organize your own event and drive forward-looking dialogues that foster innovation, sustainability, and global marine stewardship by 6 January 2025.

On 15 January 2025, EMODnet will highlight how its open and FAIR marine data and products support the UN Ocean Decade. The webinar will address three key challenges, namely Challenge 3: Sustainably feed the global population, Challenge 4: Develop a sustainable, resilient, and equitable ocean economy and Challenge 6: Increase community resilience to ocean hazards. Join this event to discover how Earth observation,  in situ and modelled marine data can drive tangible solutions for a sustainable ocean future. >Learn more and register today!

Did you know that EMODnet has a searchable database of > 100 use cases demonstrating concrete uses of EMODnet’s data, data products and services? Use cases are provided by stakeholders spanning local authorities and the private sector, to policy makers using EMODnet to deliver European policy and provide evidence for Regional, European and global assessments. EMODnet has an open call for use cases - so if you are interested to showcase how you utilise EMODnet, and give your organisation visibility, let’s talk! And, if you are a data provider and have a success story of your data submission and ingestion to EMDODnet we’d also love to hear from you - more information on how EMODnet celebrates its hundreds of data providers is coming soon!

The EMODnet Portal has recently been updated with restructured and updated seafloor geology map layers on geomorphology, Quaternary and pre-Quaternary geology. It has also had a major overhaul of the existing submerged landscapes datasets into a new data product structure. These achievements are delivered by EMODnet Geology, now in the final year of the current contract. Check out the latest full offer of harmonised EMODnet Geology products spanning the deep ocean (abyssal) seafloor to coastal erosion in the EMODnet Map Viewer and Products catalogue!

Less than 2 months ago, EMODnet held its fourth Blue Economy workshop, with this edition’s focus on the Ports, Marinas and boating sectors. And now you can read all about it in the workshop report, released this week for public access and download. The event was held online on 22 October 2024, co-organised by EMODnet, EC DG MARE, the European Boating Industry (EIB), TransEurope Marinas and the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO). The event brought together over 70 experts, including representatives from local and national port authorities, representatives of marinas, boating operators, European networks of these Blue Economy sectors, and wider stakeholders from the public and private sectors, together with EMODnet experts and wider open data specialists. Recommendations include marine data needs from these sectors, current and emerging uses of EMODnet data to support ports, marinas and boating operations and planning, and the value of data sharing, including how EMODnet’s data ingestion can support this process to ensure FAIR data, for the benefit of all.

What do you get if you combine the EMODnet marine data service and the European Digital Twin Ocean (EDITO) platform in a Hackathon? A world-first opportunity to ideate and innovate using Europe’s most comprehensive  in situ  marine data and data products, on the cloud! From 25–27 March 2024, the fourth edition of the EMODnet Open Sea Lab (OSL 4.0) Hackathon will offer exactly that. And, as a free, online event, this hackathon is truly open to all. Registration is now open, just in time for the festive season! Don’t miss this chance to join a community of ocean innovators—register now and turn your data-driven vision into action! Winning teams will receive a variety of prizes. Terms and conditions apply.

How can we increase accessibility to land-sea interface data near river mouths? This was the focus of the meeting chaired by EMODnet and +ATLANTIC CoLAB in Lisbon on 8 November. Portugal was chosen as the venue because the Portuguese Environment Agency is a leader in providing river outflow data to EMODnet. One of EMODnet's most important national oceanographic data centres, the Hydrographic Institute of Portugal, is also located there. EMODnet plays a key role in supporting the interoperability and accessibility of data at national level through its capillary network of organisations specialising in data management and through its data infrastructure and services.

From 4-8 November 2024, three representatives from the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) participated in the 41st GEBCO Guiding Committee Meeting and the 6th Nippon Foundation GEBCO Seabed 2030 Pacific Ocean Mapping Meeting, held in Nadi, Fiji. These prestigious events, hosted by the Fiji Navy Hydrographic Office and opened by the Honorable Filimoni Vosarogo, Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources of Fiji, provided a unique platform to showcase EMODnet’s achievements and to explore potential collaborations with stakeholders in the Pacific region. EMODnet Bathymetry is an active contributor to Seabed 2030.

Mark your calendars for the 4th edition of the EMODnet Open Sea Lab (OSL) Hackathon, happening online from 25 to 27 March 2025. The hackathon builds on the last 3 successful editions, with one key difference: In addition to using EMODnet services, participants will be given unparalleled access to the EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service offer via the European Digital Twin Ocean infrastructure (EDITO). This is a very exciting time for marine digital services, and we invite all interested stakeholders, from data scientists to IT specialists and from policy makers to researchers, students and the private sector to join EMODnet in this unique hackathon - Stay tuned for more details, coming soon!

EMODnet’s Bathymetry Coordinator, Shom, France, EMODnet Human Activities experts and the EMODnet Secretariat were among EMODnet experts at the Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Week Conference in Marseille, France on 22-24 October, celebrating a decade of EU achievements. Conor Delaney, EMODnet Technical Coordinator, spoke on the panel “Data, Innovation, and Harmonisation within MSP” highlighting EMODnet’s key role in shaping European MSP, including making EU Member State MSP plans available in geospatial format.

The Ocean Decade envisions "the science we need for the ocean we want" and serves as a global framework, bringing together diverse sectors to co-design and implement the knowledge and partnerships required for a comprehensive understanding of the ocean. This collaborative effort aims to deliver science-based solutions in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To realize this vision, the Ocean Decade is inviting partners to submit transformative Decade Action programmes, projects, or activities that contribute to achieving these goals. You are encouraged to request endorsement for your initiatives through this Call for Decade Actions and play a vital role in advancing sustainable ocean science.

Your Feedback Matters! EMODnet continues to evolve to better serve your needs. Our survey is designed to gather your valuable feedback on our services. Whether you have spotted a technical bug, or you visited to search for the latest data products or use cases, we want to hear from you! Your input is crucial in enhancing our website's user-friendliness and usability. Share your thoughts and help us improve your EMODnet experience by filling out our survey!

Between 7-9 October 2024, EMODnet Coordinators and wider experts convened in Brussels, Belgium, for a series of EMODnet governance meetings. The 21st EMODnet Steering Committee (SC) open session was attended by diverse representatives of the EC and EU agencies, including CINEA, EC DG MARE, DEFIS, ENV and RTD. Discussions included EMODnet for EU Policy, the EC Ocean Observation Initiative and the EMODnet Vision 2035. This was followed by the 16th EMODnet Technical Working Group, with representatives from the EMODnet Central Portal technical team, thematic and data ingestion experts, EC DG MARE and CINEA (featured in the group photo). The following day, EMODnet held a planning meeting for its upcoming 4th Open Sea Lab Hackathon which will take place in Spring 2025.

On 22 October 2024, more than 70 experts gathered for an EMODnet online workshop titled “EMODnet Marine Data for Ports, Marinas, and Boating.” The event was co-designed with key stakeholder networks from these Blue Economy sectors, including the European Boating Industry, TransEurope Marinas and the European Sea Port Organisation, in collaboration with the EC DG MARE and CINEA.

Join us on 22 October 2024 for the EMODent for Business online workshop "Marine data for ports, marinas and boating". The workshop will demonstrate the EMODnet service for the ports, marinas and boating industry sectors including how these Blue Economy sectors can further use and benefit from EMODnet, together with opportunities for data sharing.

The workshop is by invitation only. To express interest to attend, please contact: emodnet4business@emodnet.eu

Join us on 22 October 2024 for the EMODnet for Business online workshop "Marine data for ports, marinas and boating". The workshop will demonstrate the EMODnet service for the ports, marinas and boating industry sectors including how these Blue Economy sectors can further use and benefit from EMODnet, together with opportunities for data sharing. Participants will discover the potential of EMODnet services and will be able to engage in in cross-regional dialogue and exchanges with participants from all European sea basins. The workshop is by invitation only. To express interest to attend, please contact: emodnet4business@emodnet.eu

On 30th September AM the EMODnet Vision 2035 Drafting Group came together online for its 3rd meeting. High on the agenda was digesting the stakeholder responses to the public survey which took place mid July - mid September 2024, and targeted consultations with EMODnet Associated Partners and Sea-basin Checkpoints. The VDG also held interactive discussions to further define key priorities for EMODnet's service evolution according to key pillars spanning EMODnet digital services to EMODnet for Policy.

Register for the second webinar in the EU Ocean Data Series titled "Science and Solutions for a Clean, Healthy, and Resilient Ocean" co-organised by EUMETSAT, Copernicus Marine Service, EMODnet and ECOPs on 10 October 2024 at 14:30 Central Europe Time. This webinar will delve into how Earth observation, and modeled marine data are being used to support the UN Ocean Decade initiative. Key topics include understanding and combating marine pollution, protecting and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, and unlocking ocean-based solutions to climate change. Join leading experts as they discuss innovative approaches to sustainable ocean management and explore how data is driving a healthier and more resilient ocean. More information and registration: https://eudata4oceandecade.eu/ 

Euronews met with representatives of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO), travelling from Toulouse, France to Ostend, Belgium to capture the cutting-edge work behind this project. Their feature highlights how this revolutionary initiative uses advanced ocean simulations with EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service comprehensive datasets to tackle challenges like climate change and marine conservation. The Euronews story and accompanying video offer an exclusive look into the innovative work happening across Europe to enhance ocean governance and promote sustainability. Watch as EDITO brings the future of ocean monitoring to life, helping decision-makers across the globe protect our seas. Read the full story and watch the video here.