Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology

What Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology does

Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology (UkrSCES, Український науковий центр екології моря) is a state scientific research institution headquartered in Odesa, Ukraine, operating under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine (Міндовкілля). Established in 1993, the center is the country's mandated authority for marine ecological monitoring of the Black and Azov Seas, implementation support for the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Water Framework Directive, and scientific guidance on environmental damage assessment, including impacts related to ongoing military activity. It also functions as Ukraine's National Oceanographic Data Centre (NODC) within the UNESCO IOC IODE network.

UkrSCES operates a portfolio of integrated products and services. Its flagship asset is the Black Sea e-DataPlatform, an ecological database covering over 100 years of observations with roughly 713,000 records from 33 scientific cruises and 1,160+ stations, integrated with SeaDataNet (about 70% of data published via CDI), EMODnet, OBIS, and Copernicus Marine Service. Supporting capabilities include satellite monitoring using Sentinel-1/2/3, PAZ radar, and NASA EOSDIS for oil spill detection and chlorophyll-a mapping; laboratory analysis of water, sediments, and biological samples; GIS tools; scientific expeditions using research vessels including the Borys Alexandrov; and add-on modules such as the Strategic Toolbox WebGIS (under ANEMONE PLUS) and Floating Wetland Biofilters technology (under ALGAWA). The underlying technology stack is a mix of standard data infrastructure (PHP/JS/Ajax, Bootstrap, MVC web interfaces, ArcGIS-based GIS) and remote sensing pipelines, with no proprietary AI/ML components disclosed.

The institution does not operate commercial pricing. Revenue is sourced from the Ukrainian state budget under the 2025–2029 program 'Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activity in Environmental Protection and Natural Resources' and from international project grants, notably under the EU Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin programme (ANEMONE PLUS BSB00949, ALGAWA BSB01314, Black Sea SIERRA, BRIDGE-BS, EMBLAS/EU4EMBLAS). Customers are exclusively government entities, including the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the State Environmental Inspection of the South-Western District, the Basin Management of Water Resources of the Black Sea Region and Lower Danube, and national nature parks. In May 2026 the Government of Ukraine decided to merge UkrSCES with the National Antarctic Center to form a new joint institute for marine and polar research.

Name

Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology

Legal name

Науково-дослідна установа «Український науковий центр екології моря» (УКРНЦЕМ)

Website

https://sea.gov.ua

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology (UkrSCES) is an Odesa-based state research institution under Ukraine's Ministry of Environmental Protection that monitors Black Sea marine ecosystems, manages the Black Sea e-DataPlatform with 100+ years of observations, and serves as Ukraine's National Oceanographic Data Centre.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Environmental Research and Monitoring Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUAHACAC

Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water, Stormwater, Drinking Water)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Environmental Monitoring & Sampling (Air/Water/Soil/Noise)

SECONDARYEUAHABAB

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Regulatory Compliance & Auditing (Air, Water, Waste)

Keywords

• Marine environmental monitoring
• Ecological research services
• Oceanographic data management
• Pollution assessment services
• Biodiversity monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Odessa

HQ country

Ukraine

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Budget Funding: Primary funding from the State Budget of Ukraine through the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources under the program 'Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activity in Environmental Protection and Natural Resources' for 2025-2029.
2. EU Project Grants: Funding from international programs including Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin, EU-funded projects such as Black Sea SIERRA, ANEMONE PLUS, ALGAWA, and other multilateral environmental initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology (UkrSCES) is a state research institution under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine that conducts marine ecological monitoring, environmental assessment, and scientific research of the Black Sea and adjacent waters. It provides satellite and field-based environmental monitoring, laboratory analysis of water/sediment/biological samples, manages long-term oceanographic databases, and delivers scientific expertise to support Ukraine's implementation of EU environmental directives.

Product overview

Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology (UkrSCES) operates as a research institution offering a unified suite of marine ecological products and services centered on environmental monitoring and data management. The core offerings include the Black Sea e-DataPlatform (a comprehensive ecological database with over 100 years of observations), marine environmental monitoring services, satellite monitoring using Sentinel and Copernicus data, laboratory analysis, scientific research expeditions, and GIS tools. Additional specialized modules include the Strategic Toolbox WebGIS platform for ecological assessment and the Floating Wetland Biofilters technology for pollution remediation. The center functions as Ukraine's National Oceanographic Data Centre (NODC) and integrates with European data systems including EMODnet, SeaDataNet, and OBIS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Black Sea e-DataPlatform Ecological database for the Black Sea covering over 100 years of continuous observations, integrated with European marine data systems (SeaDataNet, EMODnet) and used by researchers, government bodies, and international environmental organizations for environmental research and reporting.
• Marine Environmental Monitoring Services Comprehensive marine ecological monitoring covering eutrophication, toxic contamination, biodiversity, cetacean populations, and oil spill monitoring using satellite data and field observations, delivered to Ukrainian government ministries, state environmental agencies, and international bodies.
• Scientific Research Expeditions Field research expeditions aboard research vessels such as 'Borys Alexandrov' collecting water, sediment, and biological samples for laboratory analysis of nutrients, plastics, metals, and pollutants including military-related contamination; provided to government and international project partners.
• Laboratory Analysis Services Laboratory testing and analysis of water, sediments, and biological samples covering hydrochemical indicators, biogenic substances, petroleum hydrocarbons, toxic substances, microphytobenthos, and ecotoxicological assessment using biotesting and bioindication methods; delivered to government agencies and research partners.
• Satellite Monitoring Services Remote satellite observation using Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, PAZ radar imagery, Copernicus Marine Service, and NASA EOSDIS data for monitoring oil spills, pollution spread, water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a distribution, and water bloom events in the Black Sea.
• GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Services Geographic information system tools and spatial data analysis for marine environmental research, supporting mapping and visualization of ecological data across the Black Sea region, delivered through ESRI-based GIS capabilities.
• BRIDGE-BS International Database Interdisciplinary database based on WQDB/EMBLAS, compliant with MSFD/WFD and FAIR principles, with a web interface (MVC, PHP/JS/Ajax, Bootstrap, interactive maps) covering 5,755+ monitoring stations across the Black Sea region, serving international research and policy reporting.
• Strategic Toolbox (WebGIS) WebGIS platform for evaluating ecological challenges including biodiversity, pollution monitoring, eutrophication assessment, Blue Carbon analysis, and cumulative impact assessment of war-related environmental damage, developed under the ANEMONE PLUS project.
• Floating Wetland Biofilters Technology Nature-based floating wetland biofilters combining macrophytes and macroalgae for removal of pollutants including biogenic elements and metals from aquatic ecosystems, developed under the ALGAWA project (BSB01314) for Black Sea wastewater treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Satellite monitoring coverage of Black Sea pollution events including 520-600 sq km oil spill assessment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and moderate.

• Basin Management of Water Resources of the Black Sea Region and Lower Danube (БУВР)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2025Memorandum of cooperation signed September 10, 2025 for joint scientific research, environmental monitoring, development of conservation projects, exchange of technical information and monitoring data, and implementation of innovative technologies in environmental monitoring.
• National Nature Park KuyalnytskyimajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 August 2025Memorandum of understanding signed August 20, 2025 for cooperation in environmental protection, water ecosystem conservation, biodiversity preservation, and monitoring of Odesa Bay, Kuyalnytskyi Liman, and adjacent territories.
• Nizhniodnistrovskyi National Nature ParkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2025Memorandum of understanding signed July 22, 2025 for joint research, environmental monitoring, conservation projects, specialist training, and public awareness activities regarding Dniester Delta ecosystems.
• Odesa State Agrarian University (ОДАУ)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2025Memorandum of cooperation signed July 14, 2025 for scientific-educational partnership including joint research, student internships, educational programs, and implementation of innovative environmental monitoring technologies.
• UNESCO IOC - International Oceanographic CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrSCES serves as Ukraine's National Oceanographic Data Centre (NODC) within the IODE network, participating in global oceanographic data exchange, long-term data storage, and standardization initiatives.
• ANEMONE PLUS ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject BSB00949 under Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin focusing on vulnerability assessment of Black Sea marine ecosystem to anthropogenic impacts, involving partners from Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine.
• ALGAWA ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject BSB01314 under Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin developing floating wetland biofilters using macroalgae for wastewater treatment. Total budget 549,911.88 EUR, EU funding 494,920.68 EUR. Led by International Hellenic University.
• Black Sea SIERRA Project ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project on sustainable management response to civilian and military pollution in the Black Sea region. Includes deployment of prototype mobile filtration systems and training programs for stakeholders.
• BRIDGE-BS ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultidisciplinary project developing forecasting tools for climate and anthropogenic stressors on Black Sea ecosystem services, with focus on blue economy development.
• EMB LAS/ EU4EMBLAS ConsortiummoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project supporting environmental protection of the Black Sea through technical assistance for modern environmental monitoring systems in Georgia and Ukraine.
• EMODnetmoderateTechnology or IntegrationEuropean Marine Observation and Data Network providing access to marine biological data. UkrSCES contributes data through EMODnet Biology project.
• Black Sea e-DataPlatform / SeaDataNetmajorTechnology or IntegrationEnvironmental database of the Black Sea with over 100 years of observations, compatible with regional and European systems. Data published through SeaDataNet CDI metadata.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Institute of Marine Geology and Geoecology (GeoEcoMar): Romanian government marine research institute focused on Black Sea and Danube Delta environmental monitoring. Comparable as a state-funded research body providing Black Sea scientific support to its parent ministry and EU institutions.
• Middle East Technical University Institute of Marine Sciences (METU-IMS): Turkey's leading Black Sea marine research institution, conducting oceanographic monitoring, biodiversity assessment, and MSFD-aligned research. Most direct regional peer in the northwestern Black Sea monitoring niche.
• Institute of Oceanology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IO-BAS): Bulgaria's primary state oceanographic research institute, based in Varna on the Black Sea. Direct peer in Black Sea monitoring, EU MSFD implementation, and a named consortium partner in the ANEMONE PLUS project alongside UkrSCES.
• National Oceanographic Centre (NOC), UK: UK's National Oceanographic Centre, operating the British Oceanographic Data Centre (NODC) and integrating with the same IODE/SeaDataNet/EMODnet infrastructure as UkrSCES. Direct peer in NODC functions, deep-sea monitoring, and autonomous platform-based observation.
• Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Belgian marine data and research coordination institute, an IODE-recognized data centre and major contributor to EMODnet. Direct peer in marine data management, NODC functions, and EU marine data infrastructure integration.
• Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR): Greek government marine research organization operating research vessels, monitoring stations, and EMODnet-contributing data infrastructure. Direct peer as a state-backed institution providing multi-disciplinary marine research and EU directive compliance support.

Broad incumbents

• Ifremer: France's national research institute for marine science and technology, operating research vessels, oceanographic data centres, and extensive EU project portfolios. Comparable as a much larger state-backed marine research body covering monitoring, lab analysis, and EU policy support.
• Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML): UK marine research laboratory specializing in satellite oceanography, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem monitoring. Comparable as a Copernicus Marine Service contractor and a peer in remote sensing-based water quality assessment.
• Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI): Germany's Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, operating polar and marine research vessels and NODC functions. Particularly relevant peer given the May 2026 announcement of UkrSCES's merger with the National Antarctic Center, signaling a future combined marine-polar mandate.
• GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel: Large German marine research centre operating research vessels, deep-sea observation systems, and major EU project portfolios. Comparable as a much larger state-funded marine research institute that competes for the same EU funding pools and is a potential consortium partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ukrsces

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ukrainian Scientific Center for Marine Ecology