According to a tweet published by the Indian MoD on January 28, 2023, the French Durance class replenishment oiler Marne is on a visit to Mumbai, India.
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French Durance class replenishment tanker Marne. (Picture source: Indian Navy)
The fourth tanker of the Durance class was laid down on 4 August 1982 by Brest Arsenal at their yard in Brest, France. She was launched on 2 February 1985 and given the pennant number A 630. Marne was commissioned into the French Navy on 16 January 1987.
The French Durance-class replenishment oiler and command ship has a standard displacement of 7,900 tons (7,800 long tons) and a full load displacement of 18,800 tons (18,500 long tons).
She is 157.2 meters (515 feet 9 inches) in length and 21.2 meters (69 feet 7 inches) in beam. The standard draught is 8.65 meters (28 feet 5 inches) and the full load draught is 10.8 meters (35 feet 5 inches).
The replenishment oiler is powered by two SEMT Pielstick 16 PC2.5 V 400 diesel engines, has a maximum speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) and a range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 miles) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).
The crew complement is 162 and she is equipped with 2 DRBN 34 radars. The ship has armament including 1 Bofors 40 mm (1.6 inch)/L60 gun, 4 12.7 mm (0.5 inch) M2 Browning machine guns and 3 Simbad Mistral missile launchers. Marne has a medium helicopter pad for aviation facilities.
