ISO certified and Fleet

Ifremer is committed to an ISO 9001-certified quality approach. This concerns the French Oceanographic Fleet for, on the one hand, the development and provision of naval resources and, on the other hand, the programming and operation of naval resources.

 Questions to Goulwen Peltier, in charge of quality for the programming and operation of naval assets.

To sum up, how does this quality process translate into everyday life?

The aim of this quality process is to optimise the implementation of the Fleet's resources, both in its programming and the execution of campaigns, and in the contractual management with our operator or agreements with our partners). It is therefore at the crossroads of multiple interlocutors with sometimes very diverse interests: the scientific community, national and international authorities (via the MEAE), within the framework of programming specifications that define objective numbers of days for the scientific activity being evaluated, public service missions or research-industry cooperation. All this must be done in close collaboration with our operator according to strict budgetary rules. Programming is therefore constantly seeking an optimum between multiple constraints.

Can you give an example of an improvement brought about by the implementation of this quality process?

The multiplication of different international regulations in recent years linked to scientific missions (acoustic impacts, ABS, etc.) means that we have to prepare and define the precise needs of a scientific campaign well in advance. This anticipation is essential in the processing of campaign requests. The progressive implementation of the Campaign Management System (SGC), the adjustment of the dates of the national evaluation commissions and the numerous steps taken by the DFO, in conjunction with the heads of mission concerned, to publicise the campaigns of the French Oceanographic Fleet in various countries are all points that must contribute to improving anticipation and the quality of programming.

What other avenues for progress are envisaged?

Within the framework of ISO 9001, the French Oceanographic Fleet is not exempt from the "customer feedback" criteria. This notion is even the basis of the process. Via the end-of-campaign evaluation sheets, the users of our naval resources have the opportunity to point out areas for improvement, which we then integrate for future campaigns in order to provide the scientific community with an ever more reliable and efficient service.