Projects

The MyOcean (2009-2012), MyOcean2 (2012-2014) and MyOcean follow-on (October 2014- March 2015) projects, respectively funded by the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7 2007-2013) and HORIZON 2020 (EU Research and Innovation programme 2014-2020)  have been designed to prepare and to lead the demonstration phases of the future Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service. The latter is meant to be full operational from 2015 onwards.

 

  A unique European Marine capability and core-knowledge base

Marine data is an engine for “smart and sustainable growth” in the European Union, as stated in the recent Marine Knowledge 2020 EC Communication. MyOcean services have been designed to respond to issues emerging in the environmental, business and scientific sectors.Using information from both satellite and in situ observations, MyOcean provides state-of-the-art analyses and forecasts daily, which offer an unprecedented capability to observe, understand and anticipate marine environment events. The MyOcean projects'consortia ( 59 European public and private partners from 28 countries) led by Mercator Ocean, have  successfully completed each demonstration stage. Here below a few key-figures :

-          1 Web portal, a sole data acess for users

-          1 interactive and online catalogue of products regularly updated and upgraded

-          7 areas covered WW

-          46 inter-connected systems

-          300 technical interfaces

-          700 000 billions of ops/day on super-computers

-          350 experts collaborating in the consortium

-          99% to 100% MyOcean servers’ availability in average

 

  Meeting Users requirements

Both Public and Private users need response to today's climate and marine challenges. MyOcean services yet support and contribute to the data and information tools for many domains :

-          Marine knowledge is an engine for sustainable and smart growth in the European Union as stated in the EC Communication “Marine Knowledge 2020 “. Improving knowledge of the seas and oceans is one of the three cross-cutting tools of the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy. A good knowledge of the environmental status of the marine waters is also necessary, in accordance with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), currently prepared by Member states with the support of the European Environment agency (EEA). In a general way, MyOcean brings support to European and Regional decision makers implied in European policies linked to the Marine Environment and Security (EC Diretorate, European Agencies, Regional Conventions)

-          Member states' National Agencies and public bodies also rely on MyOcean services for their own regional service provision, related to Pollution combat and Monitoring, Coastal Environment, Water Quality, Maritime Safety, Renewable Energies, Offshore activities...

-          MyOcean delivers a core information service to any user related to 4 areas of benefits be they service providers or end-users from the commercial sector  or from the R&D sector: Maritime Safety, Coastal and Marine Environment, Marine Resources, and Weather, Seasonal Forecasting and Climate activities

 

  An open and free service at point of use

MyOcean Services provide state-of-the-art information available on the Global Ocean (worldwide coverage) and on European seas, based on the combination of space and in situ observations, and their assimilation into 4D models (including theTime frame) such as: Temperature, salinity,currents, sea ice, sea level, wind and biogeochemical parameters. MyOcean products are available for users of all marine applications in order to add value to their own operational systems or to contribute to their R&D programs.

It is available:

-          To anyone

-          Anywhere (the service covers the oceans all over the globe)

-          At any depth (models give access to a 3D depiction)

-          At anytime (in real time, with short term forecast, and also past situations for at least the last 25 years)

The 7 areas covered by the MyOcean services (Global ocean and the European seas/ see here below) are monitored with an eddy-resolving capacity, based on assimilation of space and in situ data into 3D models, representing the physical state, the ice and the ecosystems of the ocean; in the past (25 years), in real-time and in the future (1-2 weeks). The high-quality products rely on the aggregation of European modelling tools and the scientific methodology is produced through a strong cross-fertilization between operational and research communities.

 

  Scientific excellence, the key-driver

MyOcean Follow-On information and service continuously evolve through service releases to better address user needs:  Internal user-driven scientific and technical R&D activities, as well as the integration of results and methods developed externally, contribute to this evolution. 

The user community involvement in MyOcean ensures that the products and services are as close as possible to the leading edge of current knowledge. Some users are volunteers within MyOcean, to demonstrate and assess products& services value, to ensure relevancy between the MyOcean products & services and the users’ needs for a wide range of applications.

This involvement also guarantees a long term sustainability of MyOcean products and services.

Thanks to this community and to the commitments within networks like EuroGOOS, MyOcean significantly contributes to the environmental information required by users.