Ocean Community Coordination
Mercator Ocean provides a global platform for international collaborations and community building, strengthening Ocean prediction and digital Ocean systems.
Key Initiatives
Services focus on strengthening the following initiatives:
The Operational Forecasting Community
with OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Center
The OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC), hosted by Mercator Ocean and established by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, serves as a central hub for improving global Ocean prediction systems. Since 2023, the DCC has fostered collaboration through nine regional teams and developed tools to enhance forecasting systems worldwide. As part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the DCC coordinates an international community of operational Ocean forecasting centers, working to ensure the delivery of reliable, open, and accessible digital oceanography.
The Scientific Prediction Community
with OceanPredict
OceanPredict is a science programme for the coordination and improvement of global and regional Ocean analysis and forecasting systems. It provides a platform for communication and knowledge exchange led by scientists and experts in operational oceanography from around the world to accelerate, strengthen, and increase the impact of Ocean prediction. Mercator Ocean co-hosts the secretariat of the OceanPredict science program with Met Office, reinforcing its commitment to uniting scientists, policymakers, civil society, and private sector stakeholders worldwide.
User and Stakeholder Engagement
with GEO Blue Planet
The GEO Blue Planet initiative is the coastal and Ocean arm of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) that aims to ensure the sustained development and use of Ocean and coastal observations for the benefit of society. To achieve this, they work with stakeholders to understand their information needs and connect them with available data and products. By developing tools that meet these needs and strengthening stakeholder capacity to make informed decisions, GEO Blue Planet ensures that ocean information is relevant, accessible, and used effectively across diverse sectors. Mercator Ocean hosts the European office of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Blue Planet Initiative, thereby facilitating engagement with user and stakeholder communities.
The Digital Twin Ocean Community
with DITTO
As the Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) initiative continues to develop, Mercator Ocean plays a key role in building a global community around this transformative infrastructure. Mercator Ocean co-chairs the DITTO initiative and contributes actively through its members in steering groups, ensuring strong alignment between Mercator’s Digital Twin Ocean program (EDITO), the European Digital Twin initiative, and international efforts led by DITTO.