As a contribution to the discussions that will take place during the Copernicus Marine Week next week in Brussels (September 26th – 29th, 2017),  Mercator Ocean (the entrusted entity operating the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service) has realeasd a Special Issue of the Mercator Ocean Journal focusing on the R&D achievements of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service. This issue celebrates the activities and evolution of the Copernicus Marine Service over the past three years. It also provides an overview of the work carried out at the Thematic Assembly Centres (TACs) and Monitoring and Forecasting Centres (MFCs), which make up the core of the Marine Service. It concludes with the future prospects and evolution for the system.

Mercator Ocean Journal #56 : Special Copernicus Marine Service from Mercator Ocean