The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) announces the creation of a new, national research organisation that will work in partnership with the UK marine research community to deliver integrated marine science and technology from the coast to the deep ocean.

The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) will be formed by bringing together the NERC Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) in Liverpool and NERC- managed activity at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS) into a single institution.

The NOC will work in close partnership with the wider marine science community to create the integrated research capability needed to tackle the big environmental issues facing the world.  Research priorities will include the oceans’ role in climate change, sea level change and the future of the Arctic Ocean.

A major element of the new approach will see the designation of a set of Partners of the NOC – comprising research institutes and key university groups – working collaboratively to support world-class strategic research, technology development and training the scientists of the future. Together with a wider group of Associates, these organisations will form the NOC Association, sharing in the delivery of a community
developed strategy for marine science.

NERC with the marine research community has also been working closely with Government departments and the Devolved Administrations most recently through the Marine Science Co-ordination Committee, in the development of its soon to be published strategy which calls for more effective approaches to prioritisation, coordination and delivery of marine science.

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