French Naval ship to visit Ghana

A French Naval ship “Mistral”, which has a LHD (Landing Helicopter Deck) would arrive at the Tema Harbour, on Thursday, for a routine port call and cast off, scheduled for Tuesday, October 27.

The purpose of the visit is to reinforce the existing ties between the French Navy and the Ghanaian Navy, Madam Delphine Adenot-Owusu, the Press attaché if the French Embassy, said in a press statement issued to the Ghana News Agency.

According to the statement, “Interactions between the Ghana Navy and French Navy might also be organised in the framework of the Nemo Multilateral Exercise, which aims to develop the coordination between the main Navies in the area of the Gulf of Guinea.

“The ambition of this exercise is to enable and facilitate the sharing of information, the monitoring of suspicious activities and the coordination of the appropriate actions,” the statement said.

“Under the command of Captain Benoit du Guibert, since September 2013, the French Landing Helicopter Deck (LHD) “Mistral” has a staff of 25 officers, 131 petty officers and 62 seamen.”

The landing helicopter decks (LHD) of the “Mistral “Class were conceived to answer as best as possible to operational requirements, the statement said.

Its capacities reinforce significantly the French and European means in the areas of force projection, both inter-army and inter-allies commandment at sea.

“It can be involved in a wide variety of operations, such as population rescue interventions, helicopter or amphibious operations, flagship and command of a force, troops and freight transportation, and health support,” the statement said.