On Tuesday, November 4, Fabien Boileau, Director of Protected Areas and Marine Issues at the French Biodiversity Office (OFB), and François Houllier, CEO of Ifremer, reminded attendees that the health of the economic world depends directly on the state of the environment.
Addressing maritime economy stakeholders at the Sea Economy Forum in La Rochelle, Boileau and Houllier delivered a clear message: pitting economic concerns against environmental ones is a mistake.
Economic life is intimately linked to environmental conditions, stresses Olivier Thibault, referencing a report from the French Court of Auditors which estimates that maintaining the status quo on climate efforts could result in an 11.4% GDP loss by 2050.
Sail-Powered Propulsion
In this context, François Houllier highlighted that the French Oceanographic Fleet (FOF), operated by Ifremer via its subsidiary Genavir, employs over 400 seafarers across 17 vessels. With missions lasting up to 45 days, crew members work closely with the sector—for example, the vessel Atalante cooperates with fishermen on monitoring missions. The FOF is set to undergo significant changes, notes Houllier, as three of its four offshore vessels will soon need replacement.
Presented at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in June, the Atalante’s future replacement—expected to be around 40 years old by 2030—could be a hybrid sail-powered vessel. This would be a first for the French research fleet and align with its environmental protection missions. The impact of navigation on ecosystems is monitored through the OFB’s Poolpe portal, which tracks potential effects of human activities on marine habitats and species.
Funding this modernization of the FOF remains unresolved, though Emmanuel Macron’s speech at the forum that morning suggested that the French state is willing to support national science. The question remains whether action will follow words.
