| Agency Name: | French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea |
| Formed: | 1984 |
| Preceding1: | CNEXO: fr|Centre National pour l'Exploitation des Océans|National Centre for the Exploitation of the Oceans|break=yes |
| Preceding2: | fr|Institut Scientifique et Technique des Pêches Maritimes|Scientific and technical institute for marine fisheries|break=yes |
| Headquarters: | Brest, France |
| Employees: | 1,593[1] |
| Budget: | 213 million euros |
| Chief1 Name: | François Houllier |
| Chief1 Position: | French: Président directeur général (CEO) |
| Website: | https://www.ifremer.fr/ |
The fr|'''Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer'''|French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea or Ifremer is an oceanographic institution in Brest, France. A state-run and funded scientific organization, it is France’s national integrated marine science research institute.[2]
Ifremer focuses its research activities in the following areas:
In 1985, Ifremer partnered with Dr. Robert Ballard for an ultimately successful expedition to locate the wreck of the RMS Titanic. In 1994 Ifremer assisted in the salvage of the cargo from the SS John Barry.
Ifremer operates a number of vessels, including the submarine Nautile.
In 2008, Ifremer partnered with Dr. Bruce Shillito for the testing and initial operations of the PERISCOP, a deep sea fish recovery device.[3]
In 2023, Ifremer sent the Atalante ship and the Victor 6000 ROV to the rescue operation of the Titan submersible.
Ifremer is located at 26 sites, including five main centres (Boulogne, Brest, Nantes, Toulon and Tahiti), with headquarters at Brest. About twenty research departments are associated to these centres :