We all know how difficult is to get scientific data for any type of business. And once you get them, it is even harder deciding whether your data source is reliable or not. Well, the website of the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) is definitely “the exception that proves the rule”.

Thanks to the great variety of maritime data, the website has been already used by many companies for a wide range of purposes. For example, it has been used by the Greek Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration as a model for the standardization of all the bathymetric data, sediment samples and seismic profiling data that the Greeks have collected during the years.This effort made the data more complete and useful for all the actors that needed those data.

EMODnet is a long-term project supported by the EU fund for fisheries that aims at the improvement of marine knowledge. Years and years of data gathering from the marine environment by both public and private entities can now lead to a much more comprehensive knowledge of the sea.

However, as this knowledge is fragmented and hardly accessible, the solution was the creation of a single platform gathering all this information. Thus in 2009 following the EU Marine Knowledge 2020 strategy the project was born with the aim to gather all these data and make it more accessible to the public. Now the project helps anyone, including digital SMEs, to build value-added services by offering free reliable maritime data.

Until now, over 160 organisations have already joined the project ,with also the help of the Copernicus space program and have worked together to assemble all the data. These have been classified in 7 big thematic portals that range from bathymetric to chemistry in over 6 areas in Europe: Mediterranean Sea, Arctic, Baltic, Atlantic, Black sea and North Sea.

Information to get inspired and explore new opportunities for your business at  www.EMODnet.eu