MERCATOR OCEAN JOURNA: 
SEPTEMBER 2021 
L. MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS 
The first operational phase 2015-2021 of the Copernicus 
Marine Service has successfully implemented a unique 
European Union ocean monitoring and forecasting service. 
Major advances have been achieved during the period 
2015-2021. The offer for the blue, green and white ocean 
has been regularly improved (see TACs and MFCs papers 
in this issue) with: 
-new products and marine parameters (surface 
currents, waves, pH, CO,, icebergs), 
higher resolution and representation of more dynamic 
processes, 
Improved product quality and product quality assessment, 
more satellite data (Sentinels) used as upstream 
inputs and improved algorithms, 
longer time series of reprocessed in situ and satellite 
data and ocean reanalyses, 
- ocean monitoring indicators and ocean state reports 
and new visualisation tools. 
The uptake of Sentinel-1 (S-1) (sea-ice coverage, ocean 
waves), Sentinel-3 (S-3) (altimetry and surface currents, 
sea-surface temperature, ocean colour) data and Sentinel-2 
ıturbidity, ocean colour) has, in particular, greatly improved 
Copernicus Marine Service offer. 
MFCs and TACs have been very robust since the start of 
the Copernicus Marine Service and have delivered an 
operational service. The same holds for the CIS & DU 
components even though the transition from a distributed 
DU to a cloud-centralized DU has been challenging due to 
the short transition period. 
The Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Reports, 
its summary for policy makers and Ocean Monitoring 
Indicators (von Schuckmann et al., this issue) have 
provided a unique ocean monitoring dashboard for policy 
and decision makers as well as for the general public. They 
are now part of the EU ocean state assessment landscape 
and have federated a unique pool of EU scientific experts 
to assess the state of the ocean based on the Copernicus 
Marine Service ocean monitoring products. 
There have been major achievements of user uptake 
and user engagement over the past 5 years (Abadie et 
al., this issue; Quade et al., this issue; Durand et al., this 
issue). The user uptake has been progressing regularly 
reaching 30,000 subscribers at the end of Copernicus 1. 
User satisfaction has stayed high all along the 2015-2021 
period illustrating the high level of service. Our service 
monitoring, user interaction and user engagement and 
training activities also improved a lot (Giordan et al., this 
issue). 
5. POST 2021 PROSPECTS 
Jver the past 6 years, the Copernicus Marine Service has 
demonstrated its capabilities to run a state-of-the-art EU 
operational marine service responsive to user needs and 
scientific/technological advances. The service relies on 
a strong network of skilled European ocean information 
producers and a unique pool of EU scientific experts to 
3ssess the state of the ocean. These are major assets for 
the start of a new phase of the Copernicus Marine Service. 
The need for a more responsible and sustainable 
management of the ocean, relying on comprehensive 
3cean observing, monitoring, forecasting and assessment 
activities, is the main driver for Copernicus Marine 
Service and its evolution. This demand has never been so 
prominent in international (e.g., UN SDGs and SDG 14, UN 
Decade of Ocean Science) and European (e.g., Green Deal) 
political agendas. 
MOi has developed an ambitious plan for the next 7 years 
(2021-2027). Designed in close interaction with the 
European Commission and member states and with the 
advice of its two committees (STAC and CUAG), it allows 
a step-by-step implementation depending on budget, user 
needs and priorities and feasibility/maturity (Figure 5) 
The plan addresses main users and policy needs identifiec 
by the European Commission and MOi during Copernicus 1 
(SWD, 2019). It identifies three levels of implementation 
for the evolution of the Copernicus Marine Service product 
and service portfolio over the period 2021-2027: baseline 
(continuity of service with incremental evolutions), 
anhanced continuity (major product improvements) and 
new services. 
Baseline will be implemented from the start of Copernicus 2 
to ensure the continuity of present service and maintain 
3 consistent blue, white and green offer. It includes 
ıncremental evolutions to improve product quality, integrate 
future Sentinel missions and new in-situ observations 
and leverage new capabilities of digital services through 
ıhe_ WEkEO_ DIAS platform. User interaction and user 
engagement will be strengthened by developing dedicated 
sectorialoffers per applications and policies. The objective is 
also to reinforce the Copernicus programmme consistency 
by producing marine data for other Copernicus services 
and developing sectorial approaches with the development 
of Copernicus Thematic Hubs, MOi being positioned to lead 
future Coastal and Arctic Thematic Hubs. 
ıhe enhanced continuity and new services streams 
will build from present and future H2020 and Horizor 
Europe R&D projects and will be developed depending or 
budget and priorities. Improved digital services, ensemble 
forecasts, higher resolution, step change in Arctic 
monitoring, air/sea CO, fluxes, 20" century reanalyses are