VESSEL REVIEW | PCG Rozel – New coastal patrol boat for France's National Gendarmerie

French shipbuilder Socarenam has delivered a new patrol vessel to France’s National Gendarmerie police force.

PCG Rozel is the first unit in a new class of coastal patrol vessels to be operated by the Maritime Gendarmerie, the National Gendarmerie's maritime law enforcement arm. The vessel was built by Socarenam to a design by naval architecture firm Mauric.

The newbuild is classed as a next-generation coastal patrol boat (PC-NG) designed for state maritime operations. The hull design has been optimised for improved seakeeping and sustained operational effectiveness.

The IMO Tier III-compliant diesel propulsion and “cleanship” notation meanwhile provide reduced environmental impact whilst maintaining reliable performance for extended patrols, according to Mauric.

Capable of fast transits even in rough seas

Rozel has a steel hull, an aluminium superstructure, an LOA of 46 metres (150 feet), a beam of 8.5 metres (28 feet), and a displacement of 350 tonnes at full load. She also incorporates a stern ramp to be used for the launch and recovery of a 6.5-metre (21-foot) high-speed rigid inflatable boat to enhance the larger patrol vessel's enforcement and rescue capabilities.

The propulsion arrangement consists of two 1,640kW (2,200hp) diesel engines driving fixed-pitch propellers. This configuration can deliver a maximum speed of 21 knots, a patrol speed of 15 knots, and a range of 1,600 nautical miles at 12 knots.

Initial trials confirmed the vessel's seakeeping qualities, particularly in rough seas. Mauric said this performance demonstrates the effectiveness of the hydrodynamic studies developed by the company and validates the architectural choices made.

Accommodation is available for 15 gendarmes and up to four additional personnel, who will be able to stay out at sea for seven days thanks to the vessel's endurance.

Multi-role platform with long endurance

The vessel’s electronics include radars and an electro-optical sensor. The armament will meanwhile consist of manually-operated 12.7mm and 7.62mm machine guns. Space will also be available for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can further expand the vessel’s surveillance coverage.

Rozel will be operated out of Cherbourg, where she will replace the Maritime Gendarmerie’s coastal patrol boats Athos and Aramis.

The contract between the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) and Socarenam covers the construction of Rozel and the second boat in the class. If all options are exercised by the DGA, up to four additional PC-NGs will be delivered between 2026 and 2029.

Rozel and her sisters are also set to replace the Maritime Gendarmerie’s Geranium-class and Jonquille-class patrol boats. Their missions will include protection of coastal infrastructure, maritime border control, fisheries enforcement, and search and rescue.

As with the Maritime Gendarmerie’s other vessels, the PC-NGs are under the ownership of the French Navy.