The French organization of maritime safety

Gris-Nez MRCC is one of the seven "CROSS" (Centre régional opérationnel de surveillance et de sauvetage) held by the French maritime affairs administration. They belong to the Ministry of ecology, sustainable developement and energy and come under the autority of a Maritime prefect.
The CROSS are used to work with various administrations :
 French Navy
 Customs
 Martime affairs
 Police forces
 Civil defence helicopters
Their major partners for SAR operations are the volunteers of the French association Société nationale de sauvetage en mer (SNSM).

Their missions :

 coordination of Search and Rescue operations
 surveillance of navigation in the Traffic Separation Schemes (Dover Strait, Casquets, Ushant)
 broadcasting of Maritime Safety Information
 operational coordination of fisheries control
 coordination of maritime pollutions observations