The EMODnet Project (European Marine Observation and Data Network) is a consortium of organizations in Europe that brings together marine data, data products and metadata from different sources with a view to standardization. The main purpose of EMODnet is to unlock hidden fragmented marine data and make them available, to the public and organizations (public and private), in order to facilitate investment in sustainable coastal and offshore activities through improved access to quality-assured, standardized and harmonized marine data which are interoperable and free of restrictions on use.

The EMODnet Project is an initiative of the European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) included in the Marine Knowledge 2020

The EMODnet (www.emodnet.eu) is subdivided in seven sub-portals:

• Bathymetry
• Geology
• Seabed Habitats
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Physics
• Human Activities

IPMA is one of the partners involved in EMODnet-Geology (http://emodnet.eu/geology) with the allocation of compiling and presenting the information available in Portugal. IPMA is involved in WP3, WP4, WP5, WP6, and WP7.

The EMODnet-Geology Project is coordinated by the Natural Environment Research Council – British Geological Survey (NERC-BGS) and is sub-divided in 11 work packages (WP; with indication of the WP leaders):

• WP1. Project Management. NERC-BGS
• WP2. Geological data specification and sourcing. NERC-BGS
• WP3. Sea-bed substrate. The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)
• WP4. Sea-floor geology. Bundesanstalt fur Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe – the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Germany (BGR)
• WP5. Coastal behaviour. TNO-Geological Survey of the Netherlands
• WP6. Geological events and probabilities. Institituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale: ISPRA
• WP7. Minerals. The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI)
• WP8. Web services and technology. NERC-BGS and Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres, France (BRGM)
• WP9. Dissemination. NERC-British Geological Survey
• WP10. EMODnet collaboration. NERC-British Geological Survey
• WP11. Project analysis and sustainability. NERC-British Geological Survey