French coast protection vessel delivered

Abeille Bourbon is the first of two identical coast protection vessels designed and equipped by Rolls-Royce. These multipurpose vessels are intended to prevent disasters such as the Erika and Prestige pollution incidents happening in the future.

Les Abeilles International in Groupe Bourbon will operate the new UT 515 design vessels on long term charter to the French navy. Abeille Bourbon was completed by Myklebust Verft (part of the Kleven Maritime Group) on the west coast of Norway, and the hull was fabricated in Poland. The second vessel is scheduled for delivery later this year.

The ships will be stationed at strategic locations on the French coastline, one in Brest, and the other in Cherbourg. For more than 25 years coast protection has been provided by two well-known ocean-going salvage tugs, Abeille Flandres and Abeille Languedoc, which were designed and built in Ulsteinvik in Norway in 1978 and 1979 respectively and are also a UT-Design from Rolls-Royce, type UT 507. The old tugs have successfully undertaken many difficult rescue operations over the years and will remain in service, moving to other locations.

The 80 metre long UT 515 design was developed to meet a tough set of requirements set by the owner. The vessels are multipurpose salvage tug, coastguard and standby vessels and among their principal roles will be assistance to vessels at sea, deep sea towing, salvage of vessels in distress, fire and flooding control and anti-pollution activity. On trials, a bollard pull of just over 201 tonnes was achieved, together with a speed of 19.8 knots at maximum continuous engine rating. The high speed will enable Abeille Bourbon to move quickly to an incident and its powerful pull should enable the tug to prevent a stricken vessel grounding and tow it to safety.