Driven by the ambition of its shareholders, potential Member States, and the European Commission, Mercator Ocean is making strides towards becoming a world- leading intergovernmental organization for digital ocean systems and information services. As the organization enters the final phase of its 2021–2028 strategy, 2025 stands out as a pivotal year marked by three strategic priorities: transitioning towards intergovernmental organisation status, advancing Ocean prediction capabilities through the Digital Twin Ocean initiative, and expanding its global network from Europe to International.
This focus on new governance, game-changing infrastructure and mobilized community supports Mercator Ocean’s overarching vision: to deliver scientifically validated, reliable, and timely Ocean intelligence that empowers informed decisions for sustainable development, environmental protection, security, and resilience.
The upcoming Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) will serve as an invaluable platform to demonstrate these transformative advancements.
Governance: Formalizing intergovernmental status to lead global Ocean prediction
Driven by European states, the transition of Mercator Ocean to an intergovernmental organization (IGO) will:
- Provide critical new digital Ocean systems and information services for Ocean prediction
- Open Mercator Ocean’s governance to address Ocean prediction priorities across Europe and beyond.
- Provide dedicated support to Europe and the new European Ocean Pact through an organization focused on digital Ocean systems and information services.
- Foster international agreements for global Ocean prediction initiatives.
The IGO will strengthen international coordination and ensure sustainable Ocean prediction services, providing a common framework for knowledge development, sharing, and serving Member States’ specific interests. This enhanced governance is critical for addressing global challenges related to Ocean economy, health, climate, and biodiversity.
Central to this transition is establishing a trusted operational European service for Ocean data and information to safeguard European prosperity, environmental security, sovereignty, and geostrategic interests. By ensuring open, verified, and operationally reliable scientific knowledge, the IGO will create a framework where Ocean information serves both the public good and strategic priorities, reinforcing Europe’s leadership.
Initiated in 2022 with the Declaration of Brest, the IGO process is now open to 31 Member States, including the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom (as Copernicus Participating Countries), and Monaco – and is set to help them finalise the IGO Convention in time for its opening for signature at UNOC.
Infrastructure: Pioneering Ocean Intelligence with the Digital Twin Ocean
At the heart of Mercator Ocean’s innovation is the European Digital Twin of the Ocean, a flagship EU initiative developed for the European Commission. This collaborative platform integrates AI and advanced simulations to create a comprehensive virtual replica of marine environments, enabling the simulation of future scenarios for decision-making.
This innovative infrastructure which will offer unprecedented capabilities to protect marine ecosystems, prevent pollution, and support a sustainable European Ocean economy. It will also play an important role in climate adaptation, coastal resilience, renewable energy development, optimized fishing, aquaculture operations, and food security through powerful new tools and services for marine spatial planning.
At the European Digital Ocean Pavilion during UNOC, Mercator Ocean will showcase these capabilities. Through immersive and interactive installations, the demonstration will highlight how these systems tackle major issues such as plastic pollution, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and marine renewable energies. The integration of artificial intelligence further accelerates predictive capabilities by identifying trends and anomalies with greater precision, and creating an interface for non-specialist users that greatly expands accessibility of Ocean information for all.
Community: Expanding global reach and solidifying international cooperation
Mercator Ocean is expanding its global role as the host of the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC), established by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO to improve global ocean prediction systems. Since 2023, the DCC has fostered collaboration through nine regional teams and developed tools to enhance forecasting systems. This year, with funding from the EU, Mercator will implement two major projects in Africa and Central America:
The Ocean Prediction for Costa Rica (OP4CR) project, kicked off in March 2025 to provide tailored prediction services for Costa Rica and Coco Island National Park, with solutions showcased at UNOC-3.
The Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa (OPERA) project, launched in January 2025, strengthening regional cooperation and forecasting for sustainable resource management.
Mercator Ocean also hosts secretariats of major international initiatives such as the G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Initiative, the GEO Blue Planet programme, and the OceanPredict science programme. These efforts reflect Mercator’s commitment to serving as a bridging organization to unite scientists, policymakers, civil society, and private sector stakeholders worldwide. At UNOC-3, Mercator Ocean will highlight this vibrant community’s contributions to a sustainable ocean.
UNOC 2025: A pivotal moment to demonstrate progress and envision the future
UNOC-3 will showcase the maturity and the transformative power of operational oceanography and highlight how Mercator Ocean, thanks to its next-generation infrastructure, mobilized international community and dedicated governance, is ready to support the upcoming European Oceans Pact and contribute to a sustainable future for our Ocean.
