Mercator Ocean International, implementer of the Copernicus Marine Service, is organising the workshop Marine Data for Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) on 31 March 2026, taking place in person at the Hotel Amigo in Brussels and via livestream.
This full‑day event will showcase how free, reliable, and science‑based ocean data can support countries and stakeholders in implementing effective and future‑oriented Maritime Spatial Planning. Participants will explore how Copernicus Marine indicators- such as sea‑water temperature trends, sea‑level rise, ocean acidification, marine heatwave monitoring, and biogeochemical changes - inform evidence‑based decision‑making in an era of increasingly busy and climate‑impacted marine spaces.
Aligned with the EU Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD), the workshop will address growing spatial pressures from shipping, fisheries, renewable energy, conservation, and other maritime activities.
The workshop is structured into two targeted sessions:
Morning session – For policymakers and national authorities responsible for MSP.
Afternoon session – For technical users and practitioners working directly with marine data and operational tools.
Participants will be able to:
Understand how Copernicus Marine data supports MSP implementation.
Explore the MSP landscape and its connection to the EU Ocean Pact.
Engage in discussions on ocean observation governance and cross‑sector coordination.
Discover practical use cases and thematic demonstrations on applying marine data in real planning scenarios.
In‑person attendance is by invitation only, but the event will be live‑streamed, and online registration will open soon. A separate link will be shared as soon as available on the official event website.