Marine Data: NODC in Colombia for Two Internationally Relevant Events

From March 10 to 14, a delegation from the National Oceanographic Data Centre of OGS (NODC) attended two highly relevant events for marine data professionals in Santa Marta, Colombia: the third United Nations International Ocean Data Conference (IODC III) and the 2025 session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE).

The conference, organized by the IODE Committee, was a crucial moment for 400 world-renowned marine data experts to discuss urgent issues, celebrate achievements, and inspire hope in a world where the oceans are under threat. Forty presentations were held, divided into three conference sessions:

• Ocean biodiversity;
• Strengthening capacities to facilitate the exchange of data, information, and knowledge;
• Advancing the global ocean data ecosystem and applying ocean data for sustainable ocean planning and management.

NODC participated in the third session with a presentation on the Blue Cloud 2026 project titled “Blue-Cloud workbenches for Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs).”

The conference also included a hands-on workshop on the Ocean Data and Information System (ODIS) and the development of twenty-five online poster, available on the event's website, including one created by NODC titled "The European data system: How EMODnet and SeaDataNet work together."

After attending the IODC, the NODC delegation represented Italy at the 28th session of the United Nations Committee for the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) program, an event attended by 186 participants from around the world. On this occasion, the IODE Committee officially awarded NODC the title of IODE-accredited National Oceanographic Data Centre.

The International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) program of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO was founded in 1961. Its purpose is to promote ocean research, use, and development by facilitating the exchange of oceanographic data and information among participating member states and meeting users' needs for data and informational products.