A Decade of Copernicus Marine: Building Europe’s Ocean Monitoring Capacity

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Copernicus Marine Today: A Pillar of Global Ocean Intelligence

Now recognised as a key pillar of Europe’s environmental infrastructure, Copernicus Marine delivers open and free access to trusted marine data. With more than 88,000 registered users, the service supports maritime safety, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and pollution reduction. It delivers validated, timely, and policy-relevant information aligned with EU environmental goals.

Ten years on, the service reflects the realisation of a European vision for a comprehensive, science-driven ocean monitoring system.

MyOcean Paved the Way

The journey began with MyOcean (2009 – 2014), a research and development initiative funded under the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Bringing together over 60 institutions including national meteorological and oceanographic institutes, the European Environment Agency, and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), MyOcean created the first harmonised catalogue of marine data products and established key data delivery and validation practices. It also helped shape a growing user community, laying the foundation for an operational service.

The MyOcean project (2009-2014) laid the foundations for the Copernicus Marine Service.

2014: Launching a Global and Game-Changing Initiative

Building on the foundations laid by the MyOcean project, the Copernicus Marine Service was officially launched in 2014 and reached full operational status in early 2015, under the coordination of Mercator Ocean International. This milestone marked a strategic shift from a research and development initiative to a publicly funded, operational ocean monitoring service, signalling a long-term European commitment to sustained marine observation.


This transition was made possible by the convergence of scientific leadership and institutional support. Visionaries such as Pierre Bahurel (France), Nadia Pinardi (Italy), Johnny Johannessen (Norway), Mike Bell (UK), Kostas Nittis (Greece), Jun She (Denmark), Enrique Alvarez (Spain), Pierre-Yves Le Traon (France), Fabienne Jacq (France), and Eric Dombrowsky (France) were instrumental in shaping a shared vision and establishing durable partnerships. Their efforts enabled Copernicus Marine to emerge as a trusted, global and regional source of freely available marine information, serving a wide community across policy, science, and society.


Fuelled by the Copernicus Sentinel Satellites

The Copernicus Sentinel satellite data has been a game changer for the Copernicus Marine Service, supporting a wide range of applications.


Sentinel-1 provides radar data supporting the monitoring of sea ice dynamics and coastal wind patterns, which is particularly valuable for maritime safety and Arctic navigation. Sentinel-2, with its multispectral imaging capabilities, delivers detailed views of coastal environments, facilitating the monitoring of water turbidity and algal blooms. Sentinel-3, equipped with the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) and the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR), delivers continuous measurements of sea surface temperature, ocean colour, and sea level – key parameters for both physical and biogeochemical Copernicus Marine products. Sentinel-6, dedicated to ocean topography, provides crucial observations to track global sea level rise.


Ongoing improvements to these missions – most notably the launch of Sentinel-1C and Sentinel-2C in 2024 – have significantly improved Copernicus Marine capabilities.



Copernicus Sentinel data is integrated in various Copernicus Marine products. For example, Sentinel-1 data is used to monitor costal wind speed (left image), while Sentinel-2 imagery allows the mapping of water turbidity (right image).

Copernicus Marine: Turning Science into Actions

Over the past decade, Copernicus Marine has grown beyond its original role as a data provider to become a reference platform for understanding ocean-related climate impacts and enabling informed decision-making. It offers a suite of digital tools which turn scientific observations into accessible insights for users across institutional, academic, commercial, and civil society sectors.

Since 2017, the Ocean State Report has delivered comprehensive analyses of ocean conditions, effectively bridging science and policy. Building on this foundation, the Ocean Climate Portal was launched in 2023 to improve access to information on long-term ocean trends, such as ocean heat content, sea level rise, and sea ice extent.

In parallel, the MyOcean Learn platform, one of the data viewers powered by Copernicus Marine, promotes ocean literacy by offering interactive animations and educational content on marine science and forecasting. Tailored to audiences ranging from students to policymakers, it helps users apply and interpret ocean data in real-world contexts.


https://youtu.be/NEneet8s1ss?si=Myb2Kim2TUas7R9k


Complementing these initiatives, the National Collaboration Programme, launched in 2021, strengthens ties with European countries and regions. By encouraging the co-development of user-driven applications, it ensures Copernicus Marine data directly supports regional needs, from coastal risk management to ecosystem monitoring.


Together, these tools and initiatives show that Copernicus Marine transforms complex marine information into actionable knowledge, supporting sustainable ocean governance and resource protection.

Building on this foundation, Copernicus Marine is now aiming at the next frontier in ocean monitoring and forecasting.

Shaping the Future with the EU Digital Twin Ocean
As climate change accelerates and pressures on marine ecosystems intensify, anticipating future scenarios has become crucial. This is the aim of the EU Digital Twin Ocean (EU DTO), a dynamic, virtual model of the ocean launched in 2022.

Copernicus Marine plays a key role in the DTO’s development, working alongside EMODnet to provide core data and operational expertise in data assimilation. The EU DTO was showcased at the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in 2025, where the public explored interactive applications addressing issues such as plastic pollution and tracking endangered marine species. These tools enable scenario testing and support evidence-based marine policy.

The DTO represents the next frontier in Europe’s Ocean monitoring strategy, linking innovation, foresight, and governance.

Science Without Borders: Fostering International Collaboration
Beyond technology, Copernicus Marine is driving progress through international cooperation. Its open data policy fosters cross-sector and cross-border partnerships.

At the European level, projects such as NECCTON unite researchers to improve ecosystem monitoring and shape the next evolution of the service. Globally, Copernicus Marine contributes to the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre, an initiative launched in 2022 under the UN Decade of Ocean Science, offering technical leadership to improve global forecasting capacity.

By connecting disciplines, regions, and institutions, Copernicus Marine helps build a more coordinated global approach to ocean science and monitoring.

Celebrating a Decade, Looking to the Future
The 10th anniversary of Copernicus Marine, celebrated during UNOC3 in Nice in June 2025, was a moment of reflection and anticipation. Looking ahead to the Copernicus Marine 3.0 phase, the service will benefit from innovations under Horizon Europe and new Sentinel expansion missions.


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