The Port of Tema buzzed with activity on September 30, 2025, as the French Navy’s Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock, LHD Tonnerre, glided into berth under clear skies, marking the start of a four-day joint training program with the Ghana Navy.
Commanded by Naval Captain Arnaud Bolelli, the 199-meter vessel—capable of carrying 16 helicopters, 450 troops, and amphibious craft—symbolised more than naval might; it embodied a deepening partnership aimed at bolstering maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. This visit, the latest in a series of bilateral engagements, arrives at a time when regional threats like piracy, illegal fishing, and arms smuggling demand coordinated responses. With the Gulf of Guinea accounting for 95 percent of maritime attacks in West Africa in 2024, per the International Maritime Bureau, exercises like this one underscore the urgency of interoperability between European and African forces.
The Tonnerre’s arrival followed a ceremonial welcome, with Ghanaian naval personnel lining the quayside as the ship’s band played anthems of both nations. Captain Bolelli, stepping ashore with French Defence Attaché to Ghana, Colonel Grégoire Madelin, wasted no time in formalities. The pair paid a courtesy call on Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi, Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, at his office overlooking the harbor. The meeting reaffirmed longstanding ties, forged through shared interests in securing vital sea lanes that handle 80 percent of Ghana’s trade volume. Commodore Asiedu-Larbi, a veteran of Gulf patrols, hosted the delegation in a conference room adorned with maps of the region’s chokepoints, from the Bight of Benin to the approaches of Lagos.
Captain Bolelli opened the discussion by expressing appreciation for Ghana’s hospitality and outlining the exercise’s objectives. He emphasized the Tonnerre’s role in reflecting “the strong trust and long-standing partnership between the two countries in safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea,” adding that it reaffirms “the commitment of France to strengthening defence ties with the Ghana Armed Forces.” His words carried weight; the Mistral-class ships, commissioned in 2006, have evolved from expeditionary platforms into versatile hubs for multinational ops, hosting everything from Rafale fighters to landing craft in hybrid scenarios. The Tonnerre, with its 32,000-ton displacement and floodable well deck for vehicle launches, exemplifies this adaptability, having supported French operations in the Sahel and Mediterranean.
Commodore Asiedu-Larbi reciprocated warmly, welcoming the initiative as “a valuable platform to enhance professional exchanges and operational readiness.” He assured full Ghana Navy participation and expressed confidence that the collaboration “would further advance maritime security and regional stability.” The exchange set a collaborative tone, bridging the gap between France’s blue-water experience and Ghana’s littoral focus. Ghana’s navy, with assets like the patrol vessel GNS Cheetah and offshore support vessels, patrols 550 kilometers of coastline daily, often contending with under-resourced fleets against well-armed pirates. France, through its permanent presence in Gabon and Djibouti, brings global reach; joint drills like this one build on 2024’s Obangame Express, where Ghanaian and French sailors practiced vessel boarding against simulated hijackers.
The four-day program, running through October 3, blends practical drills with knowledge sharing to sharpen crisis response. Central is the 2025 Regional Onboard and Digital Training Course (SIREN), a cornerstone of French-led regional initiatives. SIREN covers maritime rescue techniques, pollution control protocols, anti-piracy tactics, crisis management frameworks, and mechanisms for regional cooperation. Participants will board the Tonnerre for hands-on sessions, simulating oil spill responses in the well deck or coordinating search-and-rescue via helicopter hoists from the flight deck. Digital elements include cyber hygiene training, vital as Gulf hackers increasingly target navigation systems; a 2025 Interpol report noted a 40 percent rise in maritime ransomware incidents off West Africa.
Medical exchanges form another pillar, with French naval surgeons demonstrating trauma care aboard the ship’s 69-bed hospital, equipped with operating theaters and X-ray suites. Ghanaian medics will reciprocate with tropical disease protocols, drawing from experiences in cholera outbreaks linked to smuggling routes. Professional interactions foster teamwork; mixed crews will run bridge simulations, practicing distress signal handling under International Maritime Organization standards. These sessions address real gaps; during a 2024 piracy spike, Ghanaian patrols delayed responses due to communication mismatches with international partners, a flaw SIREN aims to fix.
This exercise aligns with 2025 trends in naval cooperation, where biennial drills like Bright Star and Obangame evolve to counter hybrid threats. France’s pivot toward the Indo-Pacific leaves Atlantic commitments to allies like Ghana, with the Tonnerre’s deployment signaling sustained investment. Real-world examples abound; in March 2025, French-Ghanaian teams under Operation Corail disrupted a cocaine shipment off Togo, seizing 1.5 tons worth $50 million, thanks to shared radar feeds from the Charles de Gaulle carrier group. Similarly, joint patrols in 2024 deterred a Liberian-flagged tanker hijacking, with Ghanaian boarders supported by French overwatch.
Broader implications extend to economic security. The Gulf of Guinea lost $1.2 billion to piracy in 2024, per UNCTAD, threatening Ghana’s $15 billion annual oil exports. Enhanced interoperability via SIREN equips the Ghana Navy—bolstered by U.S.-gifted patrol boats—to lead multinational task forces, reducing reliance on external aid. Commodore Asiedu-Larbi’s assurance of full engagement reflects this; Ghana’s 2025 defense white paper prioritizes amphibious capabilities, eyeing Mistral-like acquisitions through partnerships.
As the Tonnerre departs Tema on October 3, bound for Senegal, it leaves behind more than goodwill. The program reinforces a framework where navies transcend borders, turning potential flashpoints into zones of cooperation. In an era of contested seas, such ties ensure the Gulf remains a conduit for prosperity, not peril. For Ghana and France, the Tonnerre’s visit cements a partnership as enduring as the Atlantic currents it sails.
