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/ 

In this third instalment of EMODnet's technical blog series, Dr. Conor Delaney, EMODnet Technical Coordinator delves into ERDDAP^TM, a cutting-edge data server technology, explaining how this technology was used in the centralisation of EMODnet and how it continues to enhance data accessibility for users. Developed by NOAA, ERDDAP is Open-Source software that facilitates data access to large and complex scientific datasets and interoperability across international borders.

Eurofleets+, a Horizon 2020 initiative, aimed to provide open, free access to European research vessels and marine equipment, while enhancing the management and sustainability of marine data and research infrastructures. Running from 2019 to 2023, Eurofleets+ involved 42 partners and supported 28 projects across 23 Transnational Access (TA) cruises, generating 164 multidisciplinary datasets. These datasets were made publicly accessible through marine data management infrastructures. Key to this effort was EMODnet Ingestion, along with other platforms like SeaDataNet, SEANOE and CDI services, which played a vital role in validating, curating, and publishing the data, supported by guidelines from Responsible Data Centres (RDCs).

In July 2024 EMODnet launched a 2-month public consultation for the EMODnet Vision 2035. The consultation is open to all EMODnet stakeholders and the broader community, both in Europe and globally. Whether you are responding as an individual, organization, network, project, or initiative, your input is valuable. Have your say before 11 September 2024 Midnight CEST!

On 3 July 2024 from 2:00-3:00 PM CEST, BLUEMISSIONAA will host the Atlantic & Arctic Weekly Hour featuring the European Digital Twin Ocean (EDITO). In this webinar, Dr. Conor Delaney, European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), will showcase the successful centralization of EMODnet and demonstrate how to find and download the data products of EMODnet. In addition, the role of EMODnet in the European Digital Twin Ocean infrastructure project (EDITO-Infra) will be described and attendees will get an understanding of what functionalities are available. EDITO-Infra is a joint EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service project to publish their respective data products on a common Data Lake that will provide fast, robust and scalable data access and computation and can be used for building Digital Twins of the Ocean.

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

As part of European Green Week 2024, EMODnet Chemistry was invited to bring its experience and present EMODnet at the event "ONE-BLUE: synergies towards the Ocean and Marine Environment Protection". The event took place on 6 June and was centered on the Horizon Europe ONE-BLUE project, which aims to research the effects of emerging pollutants and climate change on marine biodiversity and biota. EMODnet’s Chemistry offer on marine pollutants and contaminants are very relevant for this work.

On 19 June 2024, EMODnet, Copernicus Marine Service, EUMETSAT and ECOPS delivered a joint webinar on Marine Data for the UN Ocean Decade: A European focus. Attracting > 300 registrations from ocean professionals spanning early to later career, and from many nations in Europe and beyond, the webinar showcased EU earth observation capacity, and EC marine data services that offer in situ and satellite marine data, open for all.

In early June 2024, the prototype European Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) EDITO-Infra platform was presented to the marine ecosystem modelling community by the EMODnet Technical Coordinator, Conor Delaney. The session “Data Lakes for Ecosystem Modelling” took place in the context of a wider Conference "Ecopath 40 Years – The Ecosystem Continuum: From Knowledge to Decisions", organized by the European Marine Board, held in Ostend, Belgium, from 3-8 June 2024.

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. 

EMODnet has published the presentations and minutes of the EMODnet 20th Steering Committee (SC), now available on the EC Maritime Forum. The event took place online on 29-30 April 2024. The open session included the EMODnet SC, Technical Working Group (TWG), and representatives from the EC (multiple DGs) and EU agencies. Key discussions focused on EMODnet’s service evolution, and EMODnet for EU Policy, with a session chaired by Rémy Denos, EC DG MARE and involving DG DEFIS, DG ENV, JRC and EEA, among others. Updates on thematic data, user uptake, and portal developments were presented. The closed session covered the EMODnet communication strategy, use cases, partnerships, and planning for Open Sea Lab 4.0. 

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.

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.

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). 

On 29-30 April 2024 the EMODnet Steering Committee (SC) met online for its 20th meeting. The open session was attended by diverse representatives of the EC and EU agencies, including CINEA, EC DG MARE, DEFIS, ENV, RTD, JRC, and the European Environment Agency (EEA), with a dedicated discussion on EMODnet for EU Policy, Chaired by Rémy Denos, EC DG MARE. EMODnet thematic and data ingestion Coordinators together with the Central Portal technical team presented the latest EMODnet offer and ongoing developments. The closed session included operational discussions, including planning for the next EMODnet hackathon ‘Open Sea Lab 4.0’ (more news to follow).

EMODnet experts from VLIZ and the Secretariat participated in the final event of the Green Deal Data Space (GREAT) Project, held on 23 April at the Press Club in Brussels. This event marked the end of the 20-month project on the Green Deal Data Space Preparatory Action, celebrating the project achievements which included wider stakeholder surveys. As a result of proactive inputs by the EMODnet community into these consultations, EMODnet was highlighted as a best practice for data spaces in the marine domain, a key component of the future trans-domain Green Deal Data Space (GDDS). The event highlighted key findings and successful collaborations that have laid a solid foundation for future projects. If you missed it, re-watch the live stream: https://go.egi.eu/rv8NV.

EMODnet has a key role in the EDITO project underpinning the European Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTO). In this capacity, EMODnet presented at the “DTO4ECOPS” satellite event in Barcelona on 9 April, as part of the Ocean Decade week ahead of the United Nations Ocean Decade Conference. This engaging session brought together leading European and international marine data services to explore the impact and potential of DTO's. A key focus was on how these innovative tools can empower Early Career Ocean Professionals, fostering new opportunities and insights in ocean science and management. The Central Portal technical team of EMODnet (VLIZ and the EMODnet Secretariat) continue to coordinate EMODnet’s contribution to the European Digital Twin Ocean via the EDITO infrastructure project. This is increasingly engaging all EMODnet thematics to enable EMODnet’s full offer to be made available in cloud-optimised formats on the EDITO platform. The latest developments will be showcased at the Digital Ocean Forum (DOF) on 12-13 June 2024 in Brussels.

EMODnet formally kicked off its Vision 2035 activities in April 2024 with the first meeting of the EMODnet Vision 2035 Drafting Group, which is coordinating a Vision to 2035 of EMODnet’s service evolution. The Group consists of representatives from all EMODnet thematics, data ingestion, central portal and Secretariat, also including Sea-basin Checkpoint Coordinators, EMODnet Associated Partners and key actors from the EU and Global stakeholder community. A key input to the Vision 2035 will be a public consultation, planned for launch in early summer 2024, open to all. Stay tuned to have your say in EMODnet’s future evolution!