PORT CALL OF THE FRENCH
SURVEILLANCE FRIGATE
FLOREAL IN CAPETOWN
6 to 12 March 2015
PRESS CONFERENCE
A press conference will be organized on Monday 9th of March at 15h30 on board French Frigate
Floreal. Journalists will be welcomed by the Ambassador of France and the Consul of France in
Capetown, Commander Marc WOODCOCK, commanding officer of the Floreal and Colonel Olivier
de CHARNACE, Defense Attaché.
Location
Waterfront Harbour, Quay 6
Sequence of events :
▪ Presentation of the frigate Floreal and its missions by CDR Marc WOODCOCK, Commanding
officer of the Floreal.
▪ Questions/responses.
PRESENTATION OF THE FRENCH FRIGATE FLOREAL
F
loreal is the first vessel of a series of six
surveillance frigates of the same class. She was
built by the “Chantiers de l’Atlantique” in SaintNazaire and then commissioned in 1992.
With an overall length of 93.5 meters and breadth
of 14 meters, the frigate Floréal displaces 2800
tons. She is armed with one 100mm and two
20mm multipurpose guns and four 12,7mm browning guns. The Floréal is also fitted with a
Eurocopter Panther helicopter. She is propelled by four 2200 hp diesel engines and fed with three
diesel generators. The crew is composed of 98 sailors: 14 officers, 65 petty officers and 19 seamen.
Main specifications
Length :
93.5 meters.
Width :
14 meters.
Draught
:
4.5 meters.
Head room
:
37 meters.
Displacement (full)
:
2800 tons.
Call sign
:
FAFR.
Hull number :
F 730.
Missions
The French surveillance frigates fulfil a specified range of operational needs, patrolling overseas
maritime areas under French sovereignty and in the deep sea to protect France’s interests. Equipped
with quality equipment including an onboard Panther helicopter, the Floréal has an optimal capacity of
detection and an armament allowing her to consolidate the French presence overseas.
This way the Floréal carries out several different tasks such as anti-piracy missions, the surveillance of
maritime area with ability for recognition and localization of illegal vessels in various weather
conditions, the navigation and fishing police in Austral and Antarctic French economic areas as well
as public service operations and the enforcement of France’s international defence agreements.
Previous vessels of the French Navy to be named Floréal
The first Floréal to be so called was one of the ten gun boats armed in 1795 during the French
Revolution in Toulon. It was fitted with three 24-pounder guns and was given coastal surveillance
missions.
The second one was a steam submarine commissioned in 1908, the fourth of the Pluviose class. As
soon as the war began, she was due to operate in the Channel, most of the time coming from
Cherbourg. She went through Brest in March 1916 and was then sent in Aegean Sea to participate in
the blockade of the Turkish Straits.
Her Excellency, Ms Elisabeth BARBIER – Ambassador of France in South Africa
Elisabeth BARBIER was born on 13th September 1954.
Diploma (Masters) Institute of Political Studies (Paris)
Diploma National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (litt
Arabic, Maghreb Arabic dialect, Hebrew)
Minister plenipotentiary, 1st class
Diplomatic career:
-
Vice-Consul in Jerusalem, 1977–1979
At MFA headquarters, (Nuclear and space issues), Paris, France, 1980-1982
First Secretary in Pretoria, South Africa, 1982-1986
Second Counsellor in New Delhi, India, 1986-1988
Second Counsellor in Rabat, Morocco, 1988-1991
At MFA headquarters (Asia and Oceania), head of Pacific sub-division, 1991-1992
MFA headquarters (Asia and Oceania) head of South Asia sub-division, 1992-1994
Consul General in Johannesburg, South Africa, 1994-1998
Deputy Permanent Representative, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
Vienna, Austria, 1998-2003
At MFA headquarters, Deputy Director General for Africa and Indian Ocean, Paris, France,
2003-2006
Ambassador of France in Kenya 2006-2010
Ambassador in charge of the Renegotiation of Franco-African Defence Agreements, 20112012
Director General Africa and Indian Ocean from February 2012
Honorary distinctions:
-
Officer of the National Order of Merit
Knight of the Legion of Honour
Languages:
-
English
Arabic
Hebrew
M. Xavier d’ARGOEUVES – Consul of France in Capetown
Born September 21st, 1967.
Graduation from French Business School in Grenoble (Sup de Co).
Swahili studies at the National institute of Oriental Languages (Paris).
Diploma in Business Analysis from Lancaster University (UK).
Professional experience
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Paris), Financial Division (1994-1996).
Vice-Consul in Kiev, Ukraine (1996-1998).
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Division (1998-2000).
First Secretary in Dar Es Salam, Tanzania (2000-2004).
First Secretary in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2004-2006).
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Strategic Affairs Division , Arms Control Unit (2006-2009).
Deputy Head of Mission, French Embassy in Yangoon, Myanmar.
Mr. d’Argœuves is the Consul of France in Cape Town as of August 30th, 2013. He currently resides
in Cape Town with his wife and their four children.
Biography of Commander Marc WOODCOCK
Commanding officer of the Frigate Floréal
Born in Stockport, United Kingdom, Commander Marc Woodcock joined the
Ecole Navale, in Brest, in 1994 at the age of 20. After his training deployment on
board LHD Jeanne d’Arc in the Middle East and Southeastern Asia, he chose to
specialize in above the water warfare.
As a sub lieutenant, he was first appointed to the landing ship Dumont d’Urville
based in French Polynesia. He took part in various operational transport and
public assistance missions. Back to metropolitan France in 1998, he joined the
SSN Casabianca for a year, then the frigate La Fayette as head of the EW and
combat management system department. He was deployed to the Indian Ocean
three times and took part in operation Khor Angar off the republic of Djibouti coasts.
Promoted lieutenant in 2001, he attended the Ecole des Systèmes de Combat et Armes Navales course
for a year. Then, he served on board frigate Vendémiaire in New Caledonia as operations officer and
navigator. Again, he was deployed to the Indian Ocean in the frame of operation Enduring Freedom.
Back to Toulon, he was appointed to frigates Surcouf then La Fayette as operations officer. He
returned, once again, to mission Enduring Freedom and took part in the operation Licorne off Ivory
Coast in 2004.
After a year on board the anti-air destroyer Jean Bart, he joined Reunion Island in 2006 to take
command of the patrol boat La Rieuse. During his command, he mainly carried out police missions,
including fishery control and clandestine immigration prevention off Mayotte Island.
Promoted lieutenant commander in 2007, he served in the navy staff in Paris. In the human ressource
division, he was specifically in charge of the military bonus policy. In 2009, he joined the Collège
Interarmées de Défense, the French Staff College.
After that, he served for two years on the Horizon-class anti-air Destroyer Forbin. He was deployed to
the Indian Ocean for Enduring Freedom, as escort of Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle, then took part
in operation United Protector off Libya, as well as several deployments in the eastern Mediterranean
Sea.
From July 2012 to July 2014, he served in the NATO section, in the foreign affairs division of the
French Chief of Defence Staff.
On July 10th, 2014, he took command of the Frigate Floréal based in Reunion Island.