The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) is a network of European organisations working together to observe the oceans, to make the collected marine data freely available and interoperable, to create seamless data layers across sea-basins and to distribute the data and data products through the Internet. The primary aim of EMODnet is to unlock existing but fragmented and hidden marine data and make them accessible for a wide range of users including private bodies, public authorities and researchers.
The Horizon Europe “Blue-Cloud 2026” project (January 2023 - June 2026) builds upon and continues to further the work of the pilot Blue-Cloud project, which established a pilot cyber platform providing researchers access to multi-disciplinary datasets from observations, analytical services, and computing facilities essential for blue science. Core services delivered included a federated Data Discovery & Access Service (DD&AS), a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) and several Virtual Labs. Blue-Cloud 2026 aims at a further evolution of its pilot ecosystem into a Federated European Ecosystem to deliver FAIR & Open data, analytical services, instrumental for deepening research of oceans, EU seas, coastal & inland waters. It develops a thematic marine extension to the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) for open web-based science, serving emerging needs of the EU Blue Economy, Marine Environment and Marine Knowledge agendas. Blue-Cloud 2026 mobilises a solid, multidisciplinary, & committed team of 40 partners from 13 EU countries.
Seascape Belgium leads the work on “Exploitation, Strategic Roadmap to 2030 and Sustainability”, as well as providing key support to the Project both from a technical and a communication and user engagement perspective.