The French Navy has recently shared photos and video of the multi purpose salvage, coast guard and stand by safety vessel L’Abeille Bourbon, based in Brest, France.
Whenever strong winds are announced, the 80-meter, high seas emergency tow vessel is called upon and ready to act in less than forty minutes.
L’Abeille Bourbon is owned by shipowner Groupe Bourbon and chartered to the French government and can be called upon by the Maritime Prefect of Brest at any time.
The Navy said that three merchant vessels with propulsion damage off the coast of Brittany, France were towed by the Abeille Bourbon in 2015, while four others were escorted due to concerns about their ability to navigate safely.
The video below shows the vessel in action.
Image, video: French Navy