Announcing on 30 December, the French Ministry of Defence (Ministère des Armées) has awarded french shipbuilder Socarenam a contract for the construction of six offshore patrol vessels (patrouilleurs outre-mers: POMs) in a series. The new patrol ships will be built at its facilities in Boulogne sur Mer in the north of France and Saint-Malo in Brittany for delivery between 2022 and 2025. That time frame is two years ahead of the schedule laid out in the 2019-2025 Military Program Law. The value of the order has not been disclosed. The vessels will be operated by the French Navy out of the overseas territories of New Caledonia, La Reunion, French Polynesia, and a yet unnamed fourth location.
Each offshore patrol vessels will have a length of approximately 70 metres, a draught no greater than 3.8 metres, maximum speeds in excess of 22 knots and can carry a crew complement of 53. The vessels features include a stern ramp and lateral davit as well as a flight deck for the launch and recovery of unmanned aerial vehicles. Armament will include a remotely operated gun and machine guns. The vessels have been designed in collaboration with Marseille-based naval architecture and marine engineering company MAURIC. The design is based around a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. The current contract is for the construction of six POMs, with options for maintenance services for up to six years that will be carried out together with partner company CNN MCO.
Socarenam (Société Calaisienne de Réparation Navale et Mécanique) is a French employee-owned shipbuilding company that operates shipyards in multiple ports in northern and western of the country. Socarenam was founded in Calais in 1961 by Société Navale Caeannaise for repair and maintenance of its commercial fleet. SOCARENAM has an extensive experience with the construction of several 50m and 60m vessels. Intended for long patrols in the Exclusive Economic Zone and international waters, these vessels can comfortably accommodate a crew of more than 20 people for several weeks. Entirely dedicated to their patrol missions, these ships are equipped with all the necessary equipment: fast intervention boats, intelligence instruments and sensors, rooms dedicated to their missions, light or heavy weapons
