Our Origins

EurOcean was born from a shared French–Portuguese vision to create a central gateway for marine science and technology in Europe. This idea emerged following the 2000 expert report "Towards a New Marine Dimension for Europe through Research and Technological Development", endorsed by 15 European countries and presented to the European Council for Research.

The report recognised the urgent need for a dedicated hub that could:

• Improve access to marine science and technology information,

• Track trends and generate marine indicators, including socio-economic insights,

• Support decision-makers with evidence-based syntheses,

• Facilitate collaboration across academia, industry, and government,

• Boost public awareness and marine literacy across Europe.

Founding EurOcean

In response, Portugal’s Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and France’s Ifremer formalised their commitment by signing a cooperation agreement in February 2002, establishing EurOcean as a permanent European Centre for Information on Marine Science and Technology. 

EurOcean set out to address fragmentation, enhance visibility, and ensure open and lasting access to critical marine knowledge. Since then, the Centre has grown into a trusted network, collaborating across borders and disciplines to support marine research, innovation, and engagement throughout Europe.

EurOcean Presidents and Directors