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.

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