The International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange Programme (IODE) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO was established in 1961. Its purpose is to enhance marine research, exploitation and development, by facilitating the exchange of oceanographic data and information between participating Member States, and by meeting the needs of users for data and information products.

The main objectives of the IODE Programme are (revision IODE-XXII, March 2013):
- To facilitate and promote the discovery, exchange of, and access to, marine data and information including metadata, products and information in real-time, near real time and delayed mode, through the use of international standards, and in compliance with the IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy for the ocean research and observation community and other stakeholders;
- To encourage the long term archival, preservation, documentation, management and services of all marine data, data products, and information;
- To develop or use existing best practices for the discovery, management, exchange of, and access to marine data and information, including international standards, quality control and appropriate information technology;
- To assist Member States to acquire the necessary capacity to manage marine research and observation data and information and become partners in the IODE network;
- To support international scientific and operational marine programmes, including the Framework for Ocean Observing for the benefit of a wide range of users.

The IODE network has been able to collect, control the quality of, and archive millions of ocean observations, and makes these available to Member States. The collected data ranges from physical oceanography data to chemical and biological data.