Who we are
The French Oceanographic Fleet is a very large research infrastructure (TGIR – Très Grande Infrastructure de Recherche). Centred on IFREMER, it comprises all the naval resources deployed by four founding organizations: CNRS, IFREMER, IPEV, IRD.
Its main components are surface vessels (deep-sea, coastal, assigned to marine research stations), manned and autonomous submersibles, and other underwater devices.
The Fleet is a resource for numerous fields of scientific research and observation related to every aspect of oceanography, in particular earth sciences and environmental science, such as:
- Marine geosciences
- Physical and biological oceanography
- Ocean chemistry and biogeochemistry
- Palaeoclimatology
- Marine biodiversity
The Fleet is also tasked with surveillance, surveys and other public service missions on behalf of the government, relating to themes such as:
- Hydrography
- Coastal environment
- Fish stocks
- EEZ limits
- Seismic, volcanic and gravitational hazard assessments
The Fleet is also called upon for charters and partnerships between research and industry in the socio-economic world, in particular in the field of mineral and energy resources.
Additionally, it participates in research training in collaboration with universities.
The French Oceanographic Fleet is a world class organization recognized for the quality of the publications resulting from its oceanographic cruises, its high-performance resources and the significant advance it enjoys in certain innovative segments, such as submarine systems and deep core sampling of sediment.
