Christening of the Abeille Bourbon today, by Madame Bernadette Chirac, wife of the french president Brest, April, 13th 2005 Scheduled to reinforce the French naval shoreline protection measures by taking charge of maritime safety off the headland of Brittany, the new tug ordered by Groupe Bourbon's subsidiary Les Abeilles International, the Abeille Bourbon, will be officially christened today in Brest. Madame Bernadette Chirac, wife of the French president, has been invited to name the new vessel. Co-presiding over the ceremony, held in the commercial port of Brest, will be vice-admiral of the fleet Laurent Mérer, maritime prefect for the Atlantic, and Mr Jacques de Châteauvieux, chairman of Groupe Bourbon. About Les Abeilles Les Abeilles SAS, which controls Les Abeilles and Les Abeilles International, is the Groupe Bourbon subsidiary which handles towage, assistance and salvage work. One of the world's foremost towage corporations, Les Abeilles owns a fleet of over 60 tugboats, including 22 recently-built additions. With a staff of some 1000 employees, the company has earned itself international recognition for its professional skills and operates in some twenty major French ports, in the Indian Ocean and in Africa. Under contract with the French Navy for the protection of the French shoreline and a member of the International Salvage Union, Les Abeilles International is responsible for salvage missions in the Atlantic, the Channel and the Mediterranean. With one new tug put into service in Cherbourg this autumn – the Abeille Bourbon's sistership the Abeille Liberté – the company fleet will comprise 5 vessels, including the very famous Abeille Flandre and the Abeille Languedoc. Drawing on the know-how and experience of its staff-members (over 100 at present), Les Abeilles International keeps this permanent watch with ships ready to move into action within 40 minutes, around the clock, seven days a week. Visuals on request or available on-line at www.groupe-bourbon.co. Groupe Bourbon Publicis consultants. Paris |