The French Institue of Navigation (IFN) was established in 1953 under the joint umbrella of the French Secretaries of State for sea and air matters.

It gathers 250 individual members and 40 collective members : companies, French official entities and business associations.

IFN is at the same time

• a knowledge society meant for participating to the development of science and techniques related to sea, land, air and spatial navigation;

• a discussion forum between users, manufacturers, regulation makers and researchers, allowing to work out a transverse vision between the diverse stakeholders interested in navigation and in the applications of localisation; 

• a think tank working for the French authorities;

• the French link with the European and the international organizations dedicated to navigation;

• a privileged interface with the foreign navigation institutes. 

It acts through :

• editing a termly magazine;

• executing studies for national (e.g. Ministery of Environment), European (European Commission) or foreign (Port of Tangiers) authorities. These studies are steered by a Scientific Committee;

• organizing seminars, conferences, forums,...

• taking part to the work of the two international organizations of which IFN is member

  • the European Group of Institutes of Navigation (EUGIN) – 14 members,
  • the International Association of Institutes of Navigation (IAIN) - 21 members.