Oceanographic and marine data, information and knowledge are important resources to a wide range of users in government, scientific community and industry. Enormous investments are spent in Europe in marine data acquisition for the European seas and attached open ocean waters.

The project enables an optimal use of these investments and resources through co-ordinated development of the marine data centres in Europe. It will also contribute to establishing a common system of archiving, processing and quality controlling of marine datasets and it will stimulate shared use and exchange of technological tools.