A remote sensing ocean portal for GMES Ocean

Through its GMES programme (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) Europe launched an important initiative called the Mersea Integrated Project (Marine Environment and Secuhty for the European Area). This defines the framework for Europe to develop its ocean component over the period 2004-2008. Seen as the backbone of operational oceanography, it is designed to lead to the setting up of a European Centre for Ocean Monitoring and Forecasting (ECOMF) that will provide an integrated service for monitoring and forecasting ocean physics (temperature, salinity, currents) bio-geochemistry (carbon cycle), and eco-systems (chlorophyll, nutritives) in real-time at global and regional scales (eg, Global Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Arctic Ocean, North West European Shelves, Baltic/North Sea)