The European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) is the foundation of European ocean knowledge. EMSO, EURO-ARGO, ICOS ERICs, as well as EuroFleets+, EuroGoShip, GROOM RI, JERICO RI, and MINKE as INFRA projects, are the main European marine research infrastructures (MRIs) focused on ocean observation. They provide in situ ocean data for EOOS and Copernicus and manage the instrumental capacity that helps research.
The organisations managing these MRIs are aware that limited cross coordination prevents them from fully supporting frontier research, while the lack of integration makes it difficult to reach a critical mass for EOOS, resulting in significant cost and effort duplication. Accordingly, AMRIT aims to gather these MRIs together with OceanOPS/WMO international coordination experience with the objective to:
- Ensure seamless operation of marine observation platforms;
- Ensure the full nominal use of sensors and accelerate their evolution;
- Exploit the complementarity of the various observation platforms;
- Ensure the overall coherence of the ocean data value chain.
To achieve these objectives, AMRIT will design and implement an EOOS Technical Support Centre (EOOS TSC) for:
- A fully integrated information service across the data value chain, from early planning stages to final delivery to users;
- A cross-platform, fully standardised data acquisition methodology for Essential Ocean Variables;
- A collaborative federal structure to operate these services, relying on the ERICs and their members.
The EOOS TSC will be the cornerstone in establishing and maintaining the EOOS, upon which European ocean observation can be strengthened in the coming decades. AMRIT will provide a catalyst for the development and consolidation of MRIs throughout Europe, providing a benchmark for operational coordination and collaboration. AMRIT will advance EOOS in line with its 2023–2027 strategy and beyond, as well as the European Commission's ambitions for sharing responsibility for ocean observation across Europe.
