Our international role

As the UK national marine data centre, BODC has a range of international roles and responsibilities, which include

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)

The UNESCO IOC was founded in 1960 to promote oceanographic research and contribute towards the establishment of systematic observation platforms (ships and, later, satellites), the necessary technological development and the transfer of knowledge.

BODC is one of over 60 National Oceanographic Data Centres (NODC) that form part of the IOC's network of data centres through its International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) committee.

It is through IODE that IOC aims to ensure that oceanographic data and information — collected through research, monitoring and observation — are used efficiently and are distributed to the widest possible audience.

The IODE network has also established a number of Programme Components, Activities and Projects, each with a Steering Group, to provide advice to the IODE Committee or assist with the implementation of projects.

The Programme Components are:

• Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS)
• Ocean Data and Information System (ODIS)
• OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA)

International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)

BODC plays an active role in the ICES Data and Information Group (DIG). ICES coordinates and promotes marine research in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Working Group provides a forum for the exchange of expertise and ideas for those involved in marine data management in ICES member countries and provides advice to the ICES Data Centre.

Our international responsibilities

Our roles include

• IOC/IHO Digital Atlas Centre for the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)
• Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS) Data Assembly Centre for delayed-mode sea level data
• International Argo delayed-mode data centre for the Southern Ocean
• International Data Assembly Centre for the GEOTRACES programme

European role

BODC works with other oceanographic data centres in Europe. We are the UK partner in SeaDataNet AISBL. We act as the coordinating centre for the

• European Directory of the Ocean-Observing System (EDIOS)
• European Directory of Marine Environmental Data (EDMED)

We also contribute to various projects underpinning the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet):

• Bathymetry
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Physics
• Data Ingestion