POSEIDON is an observatory research infrastructure of the Eastern Mediterranean basin, for the monitoring and forecasting of the marine environment, supporting the efforts of the international and local community and replying to the needs and gaps of science, technology and society. It has been developed in three phases under the funding of EEA Financial Mechanism (85%) and Greek National funds (15%): POSEIDON-I (1997-2000), a first generation buoy monitoring network with operational centres, forecasting system, and relevant human resources; POSEIDON-II (2005-2008) a system upgrade and expansion; and finally POSEIDON-III (2009-2011) a deep sea observing capacity expansion. Recently (2017), an extended upgrade and renewal of POSEIDON buoy network monitoring parts and components and their supporting hardware was realized due to the implementation of an integrated marine monitoring program funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism 2009-2014.

The POSEIDON general aims are a) to establish a sustainable marine observing network in the Eastern Mediterranean, b) to provide quality and validated forecasts of the marine environment, c) to provide scientific knowledge and support on the study of the ocean mechanisms and their variability, as well as to address the sensitivity of marine ecosystem and biodiversity to combined natural forcing factors and anthropogenic pressures, and d) to provide a technology test bed and services to marine policy-makers and the society.

POSEIDON system is operated by the Institute of Oceanography

More info: http://poseidon.hcmr.gr