OceanOPS is the International Center of Excellence for Coordination and Monitoring of Meteo-Oceanographic Observing Systems that are part of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS).

OceanOPS depends both on the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the World Meteorological Organization and represents the operational center of GOOS. Based in Brest, France, OceanOPS:

Coordinates and optimizes the performance of a network of 10,000 weather-oceanographic observing devices including international Argo deployment, drifting and fixed buoys, OceanGLIDERS piloted profilers, weather-oceanographic vessels and research vessels, marine animals equipped with oceanographic sensors, tide gauges.

  • Ensures centralization, archiving and open access to metadata.
  • Develops web tools to monitor the state of the observation network and its evolution.
  • Assists implementation and coordinates deployments / recoveries of instruments.
  • Helps the development of international cooperation.
  • Communicates about the status and value of GOOS.




Will Harris and Boris Herrmann on board Malizia II-Yacht Club de Monaco during the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019