Advance Marine Research Infrastructures Together (AMRIT), launched in March 2024, is a 4-year RIA focused on strengthening and integrating Europe’s marine research infrastructures. Spearheaded by the Association pour la Recherche et le Développement des Méthodes et Processus Industriels (ARMINES) and supported by a consortium of 26 partners, AMRIT aims to address the fragmentation in ocean observing systems by creating a robust and sustainable framework for the European Ocean Observing System (EOOS).
At its core, AMRIT seeks to design and develop an EOOS Technical Support Centre (TSC), which will serve as a central hub for coordinating and optimising the operations of various marine observation platforms, ensuring that data is efficiently collected, managed, and utilised across Europe.
The Marine Research Infrastructures (MRIs) focused on ocean observing (EMSO, EURO-ARGO and ICOS ERICs; EuroFleets+, EuroGO-Ship, GROOM RI, JERICO RI and MINKE as INFRA projects) are the main providers of in situ ocean data. AMRIT gathers these MRIs to provide effective cross-coordination towards four key objectives:
- ensure seamless operation of marine observation platforms;
- ensure the full nominal use of sensors and accelerate their evolution;
- exploit the complementarity of the various observation platforms;
- ensure the overall coherence of the ocean data value chain.
JPI Oceans contributes to establishing a sustained federal structure for the EOOS Technical Support Centre (TSC), including work on its long-term sustainability and funding model. Finding options to secure the long-term sustainability of the TSC is essential for the benefit of the marine community.
JPI Oceans is also participating in the project’s communication, dissemination, and exploitation efforts.
Effective and coordinated ocean observing is essential for understanding the marine environment and addressing global challenges such as climate change and sustainable resource management. By strengthening collaboration among European marine research infrastructures and supporting the development of a coordinated EOOS Technical Support Centre, AMRIT will reduce inefficiencies, enhance data quality, and strengthen Europe’s leadership in global ocean science.
The project contributes to the long-term sustainability of EOOS and supports a stronger and more coordinated European contribution to ocean observation, research and evidence-based policymaking, in line with broader EU initiatives such as the European OceanEye.