Copernicus Marine Service

The Copernicus Marine Service, which is operated by Mercator Ocean International, is the marine component of the Copernicus Programme of the European Union.

The service provides free, regular and systematic information on the state of the blue (physical), white (sea ice) and green (biogeochemical) ocean, on a global and regional scale.

The marine data and services provided by CMS enable marine policy implementation and support blue growth and scientific innovation.

What is EUMETSAT's role?

EUMETSAT delivers a range of ocean products to CMS and its user community. This includes data and products from EUMETSAT's Metop and Meteosat satellite series, and from missions of EUMETSAT’s international partners.

After the successful launches of Copernicus Sentinel-3A (16 February 2016) and Copernicus Sentinel-3B (on 25 April 2015), EUMETSAT’s role is to operate the satellites, in cooperation with ESA, and deliver the marine data (ocean colour, sea surface temperature and sea surface topography) on behalf of the EU.

"For oceanography, Sentinel-3 is perhaps the most beautiful satellite ever built"

Remote Sensing Scientist, EUMETSAT

EUMETSAT is also delivering data to Copernicus from the Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich and Jason-3 ocean altimetry satellites. The Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission is co-funded by the European Commission, ESA, EUMETSAT and the USA, through NASA and NOAA. 

Jason-3 is the fourth in the series of US/European ocean altimetry satellites that together have built up a time series of global mean sea level that dates back to 1992.