The Council of Ministers has approved the signing of the agreement for Spain's accession to the process of establishing an intergovernmental organization dedicated to the development and exploitation of information services and digital oceanic systems, called the International Mercator Center for the Ocean.
The authorization has been granted at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation and the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.
This last department participates in the process through Ports of the State, an organization that has been linked since its early phases to the transformation of Mercator Ocean International, currently established as a civil society, into an intergovernmental organization.
The creation of the new organization aims to strengthen international cooperation and the European role in the field of operational oceanography and marine services.
Among its functions will be the design, development, and operation of digital ocean systems with international reference character. It will also offer oceanic information services of interest to member states and for the protection of oceans on a global scale.
The transformation process of Mercator Ocean International began in 2022 with the signing of a declaration signed by Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal, and Spain, with the support of the European Commission.
After that declaration, a working group was established consisting of representatives from the six countries. The work has concluded with the development of the agreement that will serve as a basis for the creation of the intergovernmental body.
The agreement remains open to the incorporation of other countries, which have been invited to join the new organization.
Mercator Ocean International develops, among other activities, the operation of the maritime service Copernicus. This platform provides data and predictions on ocean variables such as temperature, currents, or sea level.
The information generated is used by public administrations, researchers, companies, and society in general for conducting analyses and making decisions.
Ports of the State, for its part, develops and maintains measurement systems in oceanography and marine climatology. These instruments are necessary for the design, operation, and management of port infrastructures.
The public body also participates in the development of the products and services offered by Copernicus, within its activity related to the observation of the marine environment and the gathering of useful information for the port system.
