Key facts

• Full title: EU4Ocean Coalition for Ocean Literacy, phase III
• Contracting authority: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), with the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE)
• Procedure: open call for tenders CINEA/2025/OP/0013
• Type of action: EU service contract
• Duration: 24 months, from February 2026
• Lead contractor: Stantec Belgium
• Consortium: 7 partners
• EuroMarine role: leader of Work Package 3, Youth4Ocean Forum

Context of the call

Unlike research grants, EU4Ocean is implemented through a public service contract, awarded by CINEA on behalf of DG MARE following an open call for tenders. Launched in 2020, the Coalition entered its third phase in 2026, at a time of renewed European commitment to ocean matters and the blue economy following the adoption of the European Ocean Pact in 2025.

Objectives

• Expand membership and outreach across the EU4Ocean Platform, the Youth4Ocean Forum and the Network of European Blue Schools, with a particular focus on the private sector.
• Provide new services that support members and foster collaboration.
• Strengthen cooperation with EU and international initiatives to ensure a coordinated approach to ocean literacy.
• Organise impactful events and campaigns, including sea-basin events and an EU4Ocean Summit.
• Maintain and enhance the Coalition's webpages on the European Maritime Forum.
• Develop a roadmap for the Coalition's long-term sustainability beyond EU funding.
• Support the implementation of the European Ocean Pact through ocean literacy.

Consortium

The contract is implemented by a consortium led by Stantec Belgium, bringing together European networks active in ocean science, education, observation and the blue economy.

• Stantec Belgium, lead contractor
• European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA)
• EurOcean
• EuroGOOS
• EuroMarine Association
• World Ocean Council (WOC)
• Blue Cluster

EuroMarine's contribution

The EuroMarine Secretariat leads Work Package 3 on the Youth4Ocean Forum, the Coalition's community of young ocean advocates. It manages the Forum and its Young Ocean Advocates, runs the calls for new members, coordinates mentoring and capacity-building activities, and creates opportunities for young people to take part in EU4Ocean events and dialogues.

Relevance for EuroMarine members

Researchers from EuroMarine member organisations can share their expertise with young ocean advocates as mentors and experts, and early-career scientists can join the Youth4Ocean Forum. This work builds on EuroMarine's long-standing support to its early-career community, OYSTER.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or of the contracting authority, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the contracting authority can be held responsible for them. Contract: CINEA/2025/OP/0013.