The INESCTEC.OCEAN proposal will create a Centre of Excellence in Portugal's Ocean Research and Engineering fields, synergistically addressing Marine Structures, Marine Robotics, Ocean Energy and Ocean AI Digitalization domains. It is envisioned as an unprecedented space of science, technology, and entrepreneurship for this region and an institution of global reference in ocean engineering in the medium term, reinforced with SINTEF OCEAN as the strategic advance partner. OCEAN.PLUS will be a lighthouse and a role model in this field, improving Portuguese R&I culture. The CoE will gather science, technology research, innovation and education/training to address the specific market needs, boosting the Blue Economy and fostering innovation and technology transfer to reinforce networking among academia, ocean R&D+I communities and Industries promoting the engagement of stakeholders in the field of sea technology as a global partnership. The anchor of the CoE will boost the attraction of human resources to the development of a sustainable regional ecosystem that allows for a large and diverse range of professional paths, ranging from the first education steps to a stage of maturity in a dynamic but stable professional career with a worldwide scope. INESCTEC.OCEAN will support early career and experienced talents through professional development and training on intersectoral mobility in the quadruple helix of the Sea ecosystem (academia & research, business, civil society and policymakers). Therefore, the creation of the CoE understood as a flagship for Portugal, is considered the logical next step in a consistent path of coordination in developing heterogeneous and complementary long-term national and international cooperative actions in OR&E.