Mercator Ocean International

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Enriched family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:12

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Source: https://www.mercator-ocean.eu/

Funding Details

Funder: Mercator Ocean International
Funding Goal: To fund actions and operations of general interest related to ocean monitoring, forecasting, data integration, and capacity building through direct financial contributions (grants/donations) to beneficiaries.
Funding Amount: Not specified on the grants overview page; amounts likely detailed in individual grant call documents
Deadline: May 6, 2026 (EDITO 2 grant); June 5, 2026 (OPERA-OOFS grant) (Fixed)
How to Apply: Applicants must download application forms from the Mercator Ocean grants page or from achatpublic.com. Complete applications including technical proposals must be submitted before the stated deadlines. Applications are reviewed by expert panels based on predefined selection criteria. Results are published on the project website following evaluation.
Target Region: Europe (primarily), sub-Saharan Africa (OPERA-OOFS grant), Global
Contact: Contact available via the Mercator Ocean International website contact page
Official Page: https://www.mercator-ocean.eu/about-us/work-with-us/grants/
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 22:05

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be a non-profit entity — grants cannot generate profit for the beneficiary
Project must be of general interest and not provide direct benefit to Mercator Ocean International

Project Scope

Project scope must align with specific grant call focus area (e.g., EDITO data integration or ocean forecasting for sub-Saharan Africa)

Required Documents

Download and complete application forms from the grant page or achatpublic.com
Submit complete technical proposal before the specified deadline

Constraints

Project must not be already completed — no retroactive funding
Each beneficiary may receive only one grant per project — no double funding

Summary

Mercator Ocean International is a European intergovernmental organization focused on ocean data, monitoring, and forecasting services. It is transforming into the "Mercator International Centre for the Ocean," with Norway becoming its first member state in January 2026 and 12 European countries endorsing the initiative. The organization operates three core service areas: Ocean Data, Ocean Community, and Ocean Intelligence, and implements EU and UN-mandated programs including the Copernicus Marine Service. The organization offers grants defined as "direct financial contributions in the form of donations" to fund projects of general interest. Grants follow principles of transparency, equal treatment, non-profit focus, non-retroactivity, and no double funding. Currently, two grant calls are open: one for integrating data, models, and applications into the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO 2, deadline May 6, 2026) and another for an ocean forecasting systems consortium targeting sub-Saharan African institutions (OPERA-OOFS, deadline June 5, 2026). Applications must be submitted through the organization's grants portal or achatpublic.com, with complete application forms and technical proposals reviewed by expert panels against predefined selection criteria. The organization is headquartered in France and operates at the intersection of European ocean policy, scientific research, and international capacity building.

Historical Context

Mercator Ocean International is transitioning from a French non-profit to an intergovernmental organization. Norway became its first member state in January 2026. Twelve European countries endorsed a joint declaration at the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025 supporting this transformation. The organization has been operating the Copernicus Marine Service for the EU.

Sources

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