To celebrate its 70th anniversary, the P.P.Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) is hosting the International Symposium, “70 years of World Ocean Research.” The main objectives of IO RAS lie in researching the World Ocean and the Russian seas in a broad sense, including the investigation of physical, chemical, biological and geological processes, laying scientific foundations for forecasting the Earth’s climate variability, marine resource use and safeguarding ecological security in the interests of sustainable development. In keeping with the Institute’s broad oceanographic research remit, the symposium programme features a variety of presentations spanning sustainable development, physical oceanography, biological oceanography, education, perception and capacity building, as well as acoustic studies and marine technology. The European Marine Board is represented by Chair, Jan Mees, who is presenting the work of the EMB in Advancing Seas and Ocean Science for Europe.