#CommandShip – A French Navy command and supply ship BCR Somme (A 631), one of a series of oil tankers serving the fleet, is currently on a visit to Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Somme belongs to the Naval Action Force (Fan), Organic command of surface ships of the navy and is under the operational command of the commander of the maritime area of the Atlantic.

Laid down in 1985 at the Naval Yard in Brest, Brittany, the Somme which has a displacement of 7,800 tons and 18,000 tons at full load, was commissioned five year later. She is primarily used to be deployed in serving naval forces away from their bases during overseas missions.

The provisioning of supplies carried out by Somme involves various fuels (oil, diesel and jet fuel) in addition to water, food, drugs and ammunition and alternative materials. Heavy loads ranging from food, munitions and materials are transferred by sea cable support or by helicopter.

She is sponsored by the city of Amiens since 1990 and that of the Somme department was made the following year. In more recent years, her homeport has been based in Brest.

A departure from Dublin Port is scheduled for Tuesday morning.