Piriou Delivers Patrol and Polar Logistic Ice-breaker L’Astrolabe
PIRIOU, the Austral and Antarctic French Territories (TAAF), the French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV), and the French Navy celebrated the launch of the new ice-breaker L’Astrolabe in Concarneau. The naming ceremony took place on Wednesday, July 12th, in the presence of Annick Girardin, Minister of the French Overseas Territories; Cécile Pozzo di Borgo, TAAF Chief Administrator Prefect and christener of L’Astrolabe; Yves Frenot, Director of IPEV; and Vice-Admiral of the fleet Denis Béraud, Chief of Navy. The event was held under the honorary sponsorship of the Ministers of Armed Forces and of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
Ordered in June 2015, L’Astrolabe will be formally delivered in early September in La Réunion, a French island. The vessel replaces two previous ships: the logistics vessel L’Astrolabe (1984–2017), chartered by TAAF and IPEV to resupply the French Antarctic base in Adélie Land, and the patrol vessel Albatros (1967–2015), formerly operated by the French Navy for sovereignty missions in the Southern Oceans.
Pascal PIRIOU, President of the PIRIOU Group, said:
“Building L’Astrolabe appeared to be an exciting experience where our teams could once again show our capacity to adapt to new markets. With a partnership with specialists of the sector, we are now delivering a hybrid vessel, a crossbreeding between an ice-breaker and an ocean-going patrol vessel, versatile and custom made, to answer various supply and sovereignty missions; a challenge we were able to meet in a very short period of 24 months. We are also very pleased to cosign this interministerial realization that may forecast the association of several administrations in charge of law enforcement to share resources.”
The vessel was built through an unprecedented partnership between TAAF, IPEV, and the French Navy, dating back to 2014. This partnership is based on the creation of a public interest group (GIP) involving TAAF (vessel owner) and the French Navy (vessel operator) under agreements with IPEV (in charge of Antarctic logistics) to implement two core missions:
Logistics and support for scientific bases in the Antarctic Ocean during the austral summer (120 days per year from October to March), coordinated from Australia by IPEV and TAAF.
Sovereignty missions led by the French Navy (245 days per year), especially within the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the French Austral territories.
In addition to building L’Astrolabe, PIRIOU provides a full-service package including delivery transit, crew training, and In-Service Support for three years at the homeport of La Réunion. PIRIOU also oversees operations and maintenance training for the two rotating French Navy crews.
Designed by Marine Assistance and developed by Aker Arctic (Finland), L’Astrolabe is already regarded as an iconic vessel. The 72-meter-long unit is classified ICE BREAKER 5 and capable of continuously navigating through ice between 60 to 80 cm thick. It accommodates up to 60 persons and can carry up to 1,400 tons of freight. Its high autonomy in fuel and provisions allows it to conduct 35-day missions at 12 knots. Equipped with a helideck, a 35-ton crane, and an aft gantry, it is adaptable for scientific missions.
L’Astrolabe will be operated by the French Navy and registered as a “polar patrol vessel” within the naval forces.
PIRIOU, established in 1965, specializes in shipbuilding, repair, naval engineering, and services. It delivers vessels up to 120 meters with high added value, combining advanced engineering with a global industrial network across Europe, Africa, and Asia. With over 420 ships built and delivered worldwide, PIRIOU offers both customized and standardized vessel solutions for private and public, civilian and military shipowners.
This article was originally published on Marine & Industrial Report newspaper Vol 39 No.4 Issue last August 31, 2017.
