OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Center: Connecting the world around ocean forecasting

Abstract. Operational Ocean Forecasting Systems (OOFS) have proven to be immensely valuable today. Numerous successful and inspiring services are currently operating in various regions of the world, contributing to cutting-edge applications within the marine community. This success lays a strong foundation for building a global community around ocean forecasting. However, the development and enhancement of new forecasting systems remain challenging due to the absence of best practices, standards, and community-endorsed architectures. The OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Center (DCC) and its associated Decade actions aim to address these challenges by leveraging the UN Decade of Ocean Science and the concept of digital twinning. This paper introduces the OceanPrediction DCC and outlines the forward-looking strategies developed to achieve these ambitious goals. The special issue introduced by this paper is part of this broader effort.