Overview   Data Service

IMDIS 2026 will take place in Split, Croatia, from 30 November to 3 December 2026, organised by the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IOF) in collaboration with SeaDataNet AISBL, IFREMER, MARIS, NOC and INGV, many of whom are long-standing EMODnet partners. The conference will bring together experts from across the marine data community to showcase advances in data infrastructures, interoperable systems, tools and platforms, and the transformation of marine data into knowledge and decision-support products.

On 23 April, the European Commission launched a public consultation to help shape the European Ocean Act, following an earlier call for evidence in January 2026. Open until 16 July, this questionnaire invites stakeholders to share their views, including those from public authorities and administrations, experts, citizens, and coastal communities. Find out more

The 24th EMODnet Steering Committee (SC) meeting took place on 23 June 2026 at the DG MARE premises in Brussels, bringing together EMODnet Coordinators, the EMODnet Secretariat, CINEA and European Commission representatives from DG MARE, DEFIS, RTD, ENV, JRC and the European Environment Agency to take stock of the latest EU ocean policy developments including OceanEye, and EMODnet’s central position in the European Digital Ocean System, discuss strategy and next steps for implementing the EMODnet Vision 2035, including increasing visibility for EMODnet’s data providers and strengthening EMODnet’s engagement at National to global levels. EMODnet’s latest thematic service offer was presented by the thematic Coordinators, and EMODnet’s Data Ingestion service presented achievements from the recently finished phase, noting a new phase started on 22 June (further updates to come).

EMODnet's focal role in European Maritime Spatial Planning will be presented at the 2nd European Maritime Spatial Planning Week (1–5 June, Brussels). This includes EMODnet's role as the mandated EU digital ocean platform hosting national MSP plans as open, interoperable geospatial data layers across all regional sea-basins. EMODnet will host a dedicated exhibition booth from 1–3 June, as well as a workshop on the fitness-for-use of EMODnet for MSP on 2 June, organised in the framework of the Northern European Sea Basins project (NESBp).

In 2025, as part of EMODnet Seabed Habitats Phase 5, an updated version of the Seabed Habitats flagship product EUSeaMap was published. Since 2023, this has extended to the Caribbean Region. Progress on the CaribbeanSeaMap has been constrained by access to data and limited stakeholder engagement, affecting data discovery and integration. To address this, EMODnet Seabed Habitats delivered a workshop in Anguilla (22–24 April 2026) bringing together researchers, regional authorities and international organisations, to advance collaboration in seabed mapping. The event highlighted ongoing EMODnet activities, showcased regional initiatives, and enabled knowledge exchange, with strong engagement during discussions on marine spatial planning and governance. Continued workshops are planned in future phases to support further development of EMODnet activities in the region.

The European Digital Twin Ocean was showcased at European Maritime Day (EMD) on 21-22 May 2026 in Cyprus, where EMODnet Secretariat (Seascape Belgium) and Central Portal host and Biology thematic lead (VLIZ) joined Mercator Ocean International in presenting an exhibition booth of the integrated EU digital ocean data service offer. This followed the success of EDITO's presence at EGU in April 2026.

Within the framework of the UNESCO initiative ‘Global Ocean Oxygen Database and ATlas (GO2DAT)’, EMODnet Chemistry best practices, available in the UNESCO repository EMODnet Chemistry Community Practices, were used to produce the paper Ocean oxygen data: how to measure, how to manage? by Garçon et al. The paper itself represents best practice and serves as an inventory of the most important best practices for building the UNESCO Global System of Ocean Oxygen Data. Since 2019, participants in GO2DAT, including EMODnet Chemistry, have coordinated the implementation of the System, which aims to federate ocean oxygen data sources and ensure harmonised access, discovery, and processing capabilities.

The full EMODnet Chemistry partnership convened on 28-29 April in Trieste, Italy, for the second edition of the training course for data providers. Experienced data stewards explained to new staff members of institutions with contractual obligations to provide data to EMODnet Chemistry how to ensure compliance with project standards and procedures using specific tools and guidelines. The first edition was organised in 2024, and its success motivated the EMODnet Chemistry coordinators to confirm this activity as an important deliverable of the current project phase.

The multiple events in Cyprus in May 2026 enabled closer dialogue with National Cypriot stakeholders. These included the three Cypriot partner organisations CMMI, Cyprus Geological Survey and ORION, and extending stakeholder engagement, including with the Blue Economy and ocean observation technology companies. CMMI is currently a partner in EMODnet Biology. Cyprus Geological Survey Department is a partner in bathymetry, providing crucial National bathymetry data into the European bathymetry data layer, digital terrain model etc.

On 18–19 March 2026, the EMODnet Technical Working Group (TWG) held its 19th meeting online, alongside the inaugural meeting of the EMODnet Task Force. Thematic coordinators presented the latest updates from their respective thematic areas, with agenda items including updates on the EMODnet Map Viewer, OGC Service Monitoring, progress monitoring, and metadata developments. The first meeting of the newly established EMODnet Task Force also took place during this session, marking an important step in the evolving governance structure of EMODnet.

The minutes and presentations of the 19th EMODnet TWG and 1st Task Force meeting are published on the EC Maritime Forum.

May 2026 marked an impactful month for EMODnet, with active participation in multiple marine and maritime events in Cyprus marking the nation’s presidency of the Council of the European Union. These included the Riding the Wave event, co-organised by EMODnet partner CMMI on  the European Ocean Research and Innovation Agenda, the EuroGOOS 11th International Conference and European Maritime Days 2026 where EMODnet held dialogues with Commissioner Costas Kadis, highlighting EMODnet’s role for EDITO, OceanEye and the Ocean Act, and engaged with stakeholders from research, policy and the Blue Economy, including  ocean observation technology companies.

The European Maritime Day 2026 will take place 21-22 May in Limassol, Cyprus, bringing together Europe’s maritime community to highlight the breadth of sea-related activities and the vital role oceans play in our daily lives. Organised by the European Commission and Cypriot partners, the event offers a vibrant platform for Ocean leaders in private, policy, academic and society sectors to connect, share insights and shape joint action for sustainable Blue Economy.

EMODnet Seabed Habitats (ESH) is organising a three-day workshop in Anguilla (22–24 April 2026). It will facilitate engagement with regional stakeholders and actors in seabed mapping in the Caribbean region, building on existing partnerships. The workshop will provide an overview of ESH work, explore regional habitat mapping efforts, and create space for exchange to ensure EMODnet activities effectively address regional needs.

EMODnet contributed to the “Marine Data for MSP 2026” workshop in Brussels, organised by Mercator Ocean International. The event highlighted how EMODnet, the Copernicus Marine Service and EDITO support Maritime Spatial Planning through open and reliable ocean data for evidence-based decision-making. Nathalie Tonné (EMODnet Project Manager) presented how EMODnet tools and services support the MSP community, including access to harmonised marine data across themes and its use for planning and analysis.

During the Q1 2026 Decade Implementing Partners (DIPs) meeting Quarterly Call, Jan-Bart Calewaert represented EMODnet, highlighting its role as a Decade Implementing Partner supporting collaboration, outreach, and co-designed actions across the Ocean Decade. He also shared updates on joint activities since the previous meeting, reinforcing EMODnet’s continued commitment to strengthening partnerships and advancing data-driven ocean knowledge.

EMODnet Associated Partners including Fugro, Xeos by Satlink, Saildrone and Develogic played a visible role at Oceanology International (OI) 2026, held on 10-12 March in London. The event brought together leading ocean observation, technology companies with (digital) data services and organisations for three days of exhibitions, demonstrations and expert discussions. Head of Secretariat Kate Larkin spoke in two sessions on “Ocean intelligence: The role of geodata and AI” convened by Fugro and “EMODnet: Regional bathymetry towards a global map of the seabed by 2030” convened by the GEBCO-Nippon Foundations’ Seabed 2030 initiative, and EMODnet partners MARIS and SMHI were among the participants, with an EMODnet exhibit as part of the Dutch Ocean stand.

The European Commission has launched a call for evidence in support of the ongoing review of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). This consultation invites input from stakeholders including scientists, public authorities, industry, NGOs, and citizens to help assess the effectiveness of the MSFD, identify challenges, and shape options for potential revision to better protect marine ecosystems and support sustainable use. The Call is open until 9 March 2026. Find out more: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/16093-Marine-environment-protection-revision-of-EU-rules_en

The third edition of the European Ocean Days will take place on 2–6 March 2026, bringing together Europe’s ocean community to explore ocean literacy, blue skills, innovation, investment and the latest progress under the EU Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters. Guided by the European Ocean Pact, the week will feature thematic sessions, stakeholder consultations and opportunities to help shape future ocean and water resilience strategies. Stay tuned for registration opening in December.

The UN Ocean Decade Citizen Science Data Sharing Guidelines have been released, developed with strong community input and with EMODnet contributing in an advisory capacity. As marine citizen science becomes a cornerstone of Europe’s marine knowledge landscape, these guidelines provide essential foundations for sharing high-quality, interoperable data. EMODnet already supports citizen science by responding to community data needs and integrating citizen-generated observations across its services to strengthen European marine data products. Looking ahead, EMODnet aims to become Europe’s hub for non-traditional data producers, as set out in the EMODnet Vision 2035, making these guidelines a key building block for a more inclusive and participatory ocean knowledge ecosystem. Click below and explore the guidelines.

EMODnet’s Biology experts, in collaboration with MedOBIS, have advanced open data and actionable information on seafloor (benthic) biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. The dataset and related publication focus on “Bathymetric distribution and temporal trends of macrobenthic communities of the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay (Crete-Greece)”, filling crucial gaps in existing knowledge for the Mediterranean Sea which is characterised as a hot spot of biodiversity and climate change impacts on its biota.