The French Polar Institute is the national agency for means and skills in polar environments, including coastal and offshore contexts. Ifremer is one of its administrators, along with the CNRS. Through oceanographic measurements carried out during the operation of the supply ship the Astrolabe between Tasmania and the Antarctic coast, and through opportunity operations in the Dumont d'Urville Sea, the Institute contributes to a better understanding of the Southern Ocean, but also of its interactions with the cryosphere. It assists researchers in coastal studies in the vicinity of Dumont d'Urville, but also in the southern islands (Kerguelen, Crozet, Amsterdam/St Paul). It supports observation services such as the one dedicated to sea level measurements. In the Arctic, the Institute is helping to deploy researchers for studies on the coastal environment in Svalbard and facilitating cooperation with other foreign operators with ice-breaker-type resources. The Polar Institute is a national voice in many international bodies relating to the polar environment, including the oceanographic context.
