In what is turning out to be a week of naval diplomacy for the Colombo Port, the French Naval Signal Intelligence (SIGNIT) Ship, Dupuy de Lôme (A759) has called port today (21) for a six day official visit, days after Pakistani Frigate PNS Tippu Sultan (F263) was in port, and with Indian Navy submarine INS Vagir (S25) berthed. 

The visit by the Dupuy de Lôme to Colombo is the first publicly reported visit by a Signals Intelligence / Satellite Tracking vessel to Sri Lanka since the controversial visit to Hambanthota International Port in the south of the Island by the Chinese state- owned Yuan Wang 5 (IMO: 9413054) satellite tracking vessel. The visit of the Yuan Wang 5 caused a diplomatic spat between India and Sri Lanka, with the United State also reportedly expressing concern about the visit of a the Chinese vessel. Following the departure of the Yuan Wang 5 Sri Lanka decided to review foreign ship visit protocols.

Incidentally, the Indian Submarine INS Vagir which arrived in Colombo on Monday (19) is expected to depart tomorrow.

According to the Sri Lanka Navy, during its stay in the country, the crew of Dupuy de Lôme will visit some of the tourist attractions in the country. The Sri Lanka Navy described the Dupuy de Lôme as “a 102.40m – long Electromagnetic Research Vessel, with a crew of 107”. The ship is commanded by Commander Augustin Blanchet.

Dupuy de Lôme, is thought to be closely linked to and operated by the French Directorate of Military Intelligence (Direction du renseignement militaire, DRM). It was deployed on missions to Syria during the high of the internal conflict and more recently to navigate through the Fomorsa Strait (2021) between Taiwan and China.