Kership delivers final B2M multi-mission ship to French Navy

The French defense procurement agency has accepted delivery of the fourth and final d’Entrecasteaux-class multi-mission ship from the Kership joint venture.

Dumont d’Urville, as the unit is called, was delivered to the French Navy in a ceremony on April 5.

Like its predecessors, the ship will sail from its current homeport in Brest to one of France’s overseas territories.

B2M ships are constructed to carry out overseas missions of sovereignty, law enforcement and logistic support missions. The first ship in the class, FS d’Entrecasteaux, has been operating from Noumea, New Caledonia, since July 2016. Bougainville and Champlain, the third and fourth units in the class, are based in Tahiti and Réunion, respectively.

The final ship will be based in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

The 65-meter units displace 2,300 tons and are crewed by 20 sailors. They are capable of operating for up to 30 days before returning to port and achieve some 200 operational days a year.

The vessels were delivered by Kership, a joint venture between DCNS and Piriou, under an initial three-ship contract from December 2013. A contract option for Dumont d’Urville was announced by DGA in 2015.