The Nansen Center leads the Arctic Marine Forecasting Center, which is part of the Marine Services of the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme Copernicus. We provide a range of products, which are freely available on the Copernicus Marine data portal.

The Arctic Ocean is of great interest to researchers, business sectors, and decision makers alike. Photo: Espen Storheim / NERSCThe Copernicus Marine Services provide a highly standardized point of access to high-quality ocean data. The Marine Service’s General Assembly is a high-level event gathering users, European Commission representatives, and other marine data producers. Several of our researchers participated at this year’s assembly, either in person or online. Laurent Bertino presented the latest achievements in sea-ice modeling products available from the Copernicus Marine Services.

The latest contributions of the Nansen Center to the Copernicus Marine Services concerned both the sea ice forecasts (with the assimilation of sea-ice charts in the neXtSIM model) and marine ecosystems (with an updated ECOSMO-II reanalysis). We produce both forecasts and reanalyses, looking forward and backward in time to allow users to compare the latest forecasts to the normal conditions from the past decades.

In 2022, the Nansen Center received funding through the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program for two projects that will improve existing and develop new products for Copernicus Marine Services.

Laurent Bertino, leading the ACCIBERG project: “The research done in ACCIBERG will lead to forecasts of sea ice and icebergs in the Arctic that are more accurate than what is presently available in the Copernicus Services.”

Annette Samuelsen, leading the work at the Nansen Center in the NECCTON project: “NECCTON will develop new products for the Copernicus Marine Services that aim to support conservation of marine biodiversity and marine ecosystem management.” 

Well-functioning marine data products are relevant for multiple sectors, including fisheries, tourism, and transport. We are proud to continuously improve existing and develop new products.