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The SHOM traces its history back to the world's first official hydrographic service. Since 2007, the SHOM has been a public administrative institution under the direction of the Ministry of Defense.
The principal task of the SHOM is to guarantee the quality and availability of information relative to the physical environment of the seas, coastlines and oceans through coordination at the lowest possible cost of the gathering, storage and dissemination of data needed by public, military, and civil users.
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National Hydrographics Service
The SHOM acts for the state in respect to general hydrography on behalf of all maritime users. In particular, the SHOM ensures navigation safety and security in conformance with France's international obligations.
Serving National Defense
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Among its areas of competence, the SHOM provides expertise and operational support to the Defense Ministry through its knowledge of the aeromaritime environment. |
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Supporting Maritime and Coastal Public Policies |
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The SHOM supports maritime public policies in a number of areas: state action on the seas, expertise relative to maritime borders and frontiers, management of tidal observations and participation in alert networks for the prevention of risks and natural catastrophies, contributing to digital modeling of the world's oceans (Mercator Ocean), providing maritime geographic reference data needed by decision makers involved in coastline land use management.
Introducing the Functions and Roles of the SHOM at Saint-Mandé
The SHOM actively participates in French, European and worldwide research networks, maintaining close ties to numerous military and civil organizations.
The principal partners of the SHOM include the IGN, Météo-France, the ANEL, the CNES, the CNRS, the ministry responsible for transport, Ifremer, the IRD and the Centers for Mer Bretagne and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
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The SHOM maintains close relations with its foreign counterparts in respect to information and data exchanges used for navigation safety and security and defense missions.
Representing France, the SHOM contributes widely to projects under the direction of the OHI (Internation Hydrographic Organization) of which it is a founding member (1921).
The SHOM represents France on regional commissions concerned with international hydrographic and cartographic issues and with the promotion of technical cooperation between neighboring countries.
The Saint-Mandé branch of the SHOM is primarily responsible for the institution's strategy and external relations.
Among the personnel based at Saint-Mandé are the director of strategy, planning, and external relations; the manager of external relations; specialists in relations with other countries; the communications manager; and a legal aide for bilateral agreements.
Army general engineer Gilles Bessero, director general of the SHOM, is based at the institution's headquarters in Brest and maintains an office at Saint-Mandé where he spends about one-third of his time. |
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