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Glorious French boat
By LCDR Mick Gallagher
Volume 50, No. 10, June 14, 2007 |
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VISITOR: La Glorieuse alongside at Garden Island. Onboard PO Emilien Duluard explains ship operations to pupils from a Sydney school.
Photo: LCDR Mick Gallagher |
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The 55 metre, 480 ton French patrol boat La Glorieuse (LCDR Arnaud Berthet) spent five days alongside at Garden Island Sydney, as part of her goodwill voyage to Australia visiting Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane.
La Glorieuse was expected to visit Sydney earlier in May, but due to her involvement in the capture of a Taiwanese vessel fishing illegally in French waters on Saturday May 12, the visit was postponed until Monday, May 21.
“It has been a most enjoyable time,” said SMN Anaid Agopian, who made full use of her time visiting Sydney Tower, the Aquarium, Maritime Museum, NSW Art Gallery, and the Botanical Gardens.
During her stay Glorieuse was open to visitors which included Ms Christelle Hart and her pupils from the French School of Sydney Lycee Condorcet.
“Our main tasks are fishery patrol, scientific work and transport of personnel,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Emilien Duluard who escorted the school group aboard.
Based in Noumea New Caledonia, Glorieuse has four officers, 18 POs, and eight Seaman. Her main armament is a 40mm forward gun and a 20mm aft.
Recent operations include assistance and cooperative humanitarian maritime surveillance with Fiji and Vanuatu.
In 2006 La Glorieuse also visited Sydney having participated in the multilateral exercise Croix du Sud which involved some 1,500 personnel from PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, New Zealand and Australia.
La Glorieuse departed Sydney on Saturday, May 26 to resume her patrol duties. |
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