RFA Fort Rosalie has paid a rare visit to Moroccan port of Tangier.
The oldest ship in the naval service with nearly 42 years under her belt, Fort Rosalie was launched as Fort Grange at Greenock in 1976 with a guard of honour of local Sea Cadets who included one Gerry Patterson.
Four decades later he’s now her commanding officer – bringing her home to the UK for a refit so she can continue her service.
The stores/supply ship’s visit to the North African metropolis was the first by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in more than two years say the Royal Navy; Rosalie is returning to the UK from the Gulf region where she’s helped sustain the ongoing naval clampdown on smuggling, trafficking and terrorism.
“This visit was very successful in further cementing relationships with the Moroccan Armed Forces,” said Capt Patterson.
“Morocco has a long tradition of economic and diplomatic relationships with the UK and this is just one more aspect of our existing close friendship which we seek to strengthen.”
She’s in good nick for a 42 year old!
Joined at her in the builders yard in Greenock and did all the trials and whathave you and stayed or should i say served on her for the following two years
She is still the Fort Grange to me and always will be
Barry were you the ship’s chippy (carpenter ) ?
Anybody know why they changed her name
The name was too similar to the Fort George and the phone switch bored was getting them mixed up. Hence the change to Rosalie.
It was too similar to the Fort George so top brass changed it.
Fort Grange sounded too close to the newer replenishment ship Fort George.
I served on this ship when it was the Fort Grange I was captains tiger looking after Commodore Sam Dunlop what a character never a dull moment I remember all the official parties held on board great Times.
I think you need to take another look, as it is Crombie jetty in Scotland at the moment. I know cos my son is on there.
She was my first ship, fresh from gravesend . Had two trips on her . Happy sailing .
The fort class were a great design. Really capable and durable.
Lets hope the coming MARS design is built in the UK and proves as durable and capable
Was just looking at that photo and thinking what a good looking ship?
Great to see her again
What does the French Navy do for replenishment? From looking at Wikipedia it would appear that their supply ships are 3 Durance Class 17,800 tonne (fully loaded) replenishment oilers and nothing else. Compare that with the UK’s soon to be 4 x 39,000 tonne Tide Class tankers and, once the SSS part of MARS has delivered its first 2 ships, 2 x 40,000-ish tonne new MARS SSS plus the 33,675 tonne Fort Victoria still in service (maybe at some point to be replaced by a third new MARS SSS ship) and presumably also the two fairly young Wave Class tankers… Read more »
One issue to factor in is that their carrier is nuclear powered hence less of a requirement for an accompanying task group tanker (other than for escorts). Med focus too, less so in Atlantic of recent years. My best guesses, but coincidentally something I was thinking about lately as well given the current UK/French joint working and state of the RFA fleet.
The French are Med focused, so mostly only days away from home or other NATO bases.
Thanks guys. I wonder whether the Med focus and fewer long stints away from home ports vs the RN means the French have less of a problem, or maybe no problem at all, with shortage of personnel particularly engineers.
Its interesting really, France built the Charles De Gaulle when outside of NATO.
One option might be, considering their med focus and the amount of NATO air bases throughout the area, half the reason for her build has ceased to exist.
Also, considering she’s getting on for 20 years in commission, I wonder if thoughts have turned to a replacement, after all it takes about 10 years to get from decision to ocean waves with these hugely complex warships.
John, you may know this already, but the French bought the design for the QE carriers. They were going to build one, to compliment the CDG, so that they were a two carrier fleet. Lots of opposition from the French military establishment (didn’t like buying a British design, wanted another nuclear powered carrier etc) and then the financial crisis led to the plan being scrapped. As far as I know, no further plans have emerged..