Abeille Bretagne

Abeille Bretagne is a high seas emergency tow vessel (salvage tug), 80 metres (260 ft) long with a tractive power of 200 tonnes-force (2.0 MN), a crew of 12, designed by Norwegian naval architect Sigmund Borgundvåg. She was originally christened Abeille Bourbon (French pronunciation: [abɛj buʁbɔ̃]), by Bernadette Chirac on 13 April 2005 in the presence of sponsor Jacques de Chateauvieux. She is based in Brest, France. Abeille Bourbon was owned by Abeilles International, a unit of Groupe Bourbon. She has been chartered to the French government since 2005 and can be called upon by the Maritime Prefect of Brest at any time. She was commissioned to replace the older Abeille Flandre, which was reassigned to the French Mediterranean coast. In 2024, the Spanish group Boluda Towage acquired Abeilles International resulting in the name change for the ship in the following year. Abeille Bretagne is a sister ship of Abeille Liberté. Abeille means bee in French. Tow vessels are traditionally named according to their activities around the ships they assist; in this case, like a bee around a flower.