Then, throughout the day, there were debates with listeners: François Gemenne (Sciences-Po, IPCC) on major climate issues, Jean-François Gaillaud (Ministry of Energy Transition) and Raphaël Danino-Perraud (IFRI) on the issue of rare metals, and Jean-Marc Rickli (Geneva Center for Security Policy) on the new technologies of conflict.
After a day of theory on these new challenges, the audience jumped on the TGV and headed for the Mediterranean to find out how they are being applied in practice by companies in the blue economy. The major themes on offer included the deep seabed, naval technologies and innovations, transport and maritime routes, submarine cables, data centres and yachting.
Welcomed at EXAIL from the crack of dawn on Friday 27 January, the listeners were immediately plunged into the depths of the ocean, whose knowledge and capacity for action represent a real strategic challenge for France. They were shown a whole range of robots and debated with Daniel ScourzicVice-President, Major Programmes and Partnerships, Philippe NovelliDavid Barre, Technical Director, Fabrice BoschMajor Programme Director Alain FidaniHead of Partnerships and Innovation Financing vice-admiral (2s) Stéphane BoivinCouncillor, and François FalcouManaging Director. The auditors were definitively convinced of the strategic importance of the deep seabed and EXAIL's ability to provide a sovereign French response to our country's needs with a complete range of very high-tech robots capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 metres.
In addition to this deep-sea immersion, the audience was also able to take part in a round table discussion on the major challenges of R&T, innovation and possible green breakthroughs in the naval industry with the ICA. Jean-Louis Morihead of the UM/NAV branch in Toulon, David Barre, Alain Fidani and Hugues Martelwho attended a previous session and is in charge of the new-generation aircraft carrier at Chantiers de l'Atlantique.
Then it was on to Marseilles, where listeners were able to visit the prestigious CMA-CGM tower overlooking the city to discuss the major challenges facing maritime transport. Patrice BergaminiVP Institutional, Guillaume LathéliseCEO CMA CGM AIR CARGO, Guillaume Col (Deputy CEO) and Claire MartinVP CSR, took turns to discuss with listeners the major issues in this sector, which is now at the heart of our societies' prosperity. The auditors paid close attention to the development of this family-owned group founded by Jacques Saadé as well as the Group's particularly proactive sustainable development policy, demonstrating that protecting the environment is fully compatible with economic development.
Interxion, now Digital Reality, the world's leading data centre operator, has turned its attention from shipping to the major challenges of digital technology. The audience was welcomed by Claire ChadourneMarketing Director at Interxion and Delphine NainaniOur team, led by our Communications Director, plunged them into another ocean, that of data and the world of Big Data, with its challenges of an unsuspected dimension.
None of the auditors had realised that the value of data had exceeded that of goods. They were impressed by the size and level of security of the installations, by the meteoric growth of this sector and, above all, by the future implications of the digital revolution, the scale of which they had never imagined.
On their return to Toulon late in the evening, the listeners quickly threw themselves into the arms of Morpheus to be in good shape for the following day, which promised to be just as busy as the one they had just experienced.
After a quick breakfast on Saturday morning, listeners were welcomed to the Salon Clémenceau in the town hall by Yannick ChenevardDeputy Mayor and Member of Parliament for the Var, who is also the French National Assembly's rapporteur for the Navy budget. They discovered the potential for economic development offered by one of Europe's most beautiful harbours and France's leading region in terms of maritime employment. But above all, they were able to appreciate the impressive support for the blue economy provided by this region and the Toulon-Provence-Méditerranée (TPM) urban community, particularly in the area of human resources, to provide the maritime industries with the talent they need.
The theory was quickly put into practice with a trip around the harbour in glorious sunshine and calm seas. The audience was surprised by an unannounced check by the Gendarmerie Maritime, followed by a dynamic demonstration of the team's intervention capabilities at sea, with Lucky the dog and his handler being hauled in to investigate suspicious luggage and to forcibly restrain a dangerous individual.
After this impressive demonstration, the audience docked at the Orange Marine dock, where they were welcomed by Cyril DefaisDirector of the Orange Marine site at La Seyne sur Mer. Thanks to his remarkable presentation and the fascinating debates that followed, listeners now know all about the major challenges of submarine cables, which account for more than 99 % of the world's Internet communications, and the high level of expertise and technical skills of the French industry in this strategic field.
With Nicolas Aubry, his commanding officer, listeners also had the chance to visit the cable yard. Raymond Croze for a possible cable repair in the Mediterranean. They were surprised to discover that some age-old techniques could be used alongside the most modern technologies.
After lunch at Orange Marine, Saturday afternoon was devoted to the presentation of the auditors' work in committees, in the work rooms provided by Orange Marine. This was an opportunity for the auditors to give an interim review of their work to the session supervisors, first and foremost among whom were Guillaume LasconjariasHead of the Studies and Research Department at the IHEDN, who accompanied the auditors throughout their seminar.
After two very busy days, during which they were able to take a very practical look at many of the strategic issues facing the maritime world, it was with a little tiredness but happiness that the listeners returned to their rooms to finish off a weekend that was already well under way.
