Belgian coastal patrol vessel BNS Pollux conducts exercise with France


According to a tweet published by the Belgian Navy on July 5, 2022, the Belgian coastal patrol vessel BNS Pollux conducted a replenishment at sea training with the French FS Flamant.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Belgian coastal patrol vessel BNS Pollux and French Flamant-class patrol vessel FS Flamant (Picture source: Belgian Navy)


The BNS Pollux (P902) is a Belgian coastal Patrol Vessel of the Navy component of the Belgian Armed Forces. The tasks of this patrol vessel or Ready Duty Ship (RDS) include the fishing watch, participation in multinational fishing controls, participation for the European control agency in fisheries control in European Union waters, sampling of oil pollution, and combating pollution.

The one-man bridge vessel is equipped with a secure communication system "ASTRID" which enables the crew to communicate with coast guard partners and the emergency services.

She is powered by 2 MTU diesel engines with a top speed of 40kts and is armored with portable weapons and 1 SeadeFNder (stabilized and remote-controlled gun)on the turret made by the Belgian company FN.

About the patrol vessel FS Flamant

The Flamant-class patrol vessel is a series of three Type OPV54 patrol boats of the French Navy used for fishery monitoring, search and rescue, and patrolling France's exclusive economic zone out to 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi).

In addition to their usual facilities, the boats are also equipped with two 8 m3 (280 cu ft) tanks for anti-pollutants, and a water cannon for fire fighting. They have a plant capable of producing 15 tonnes of fresh water per day by reverse osmosis. The boats have an area for vertical replenishment.

Each boat carries a 6.7 m (22 ft) Zodiac "Hurricane" rigid-hulled inflatable boat, powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) water jet engine that gives a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).