More than 3,000 tonnes of equipment used by the Defence Forces in Chad were unloaded at Dublin Port today to close the largest logistical operation in the force’s history.
The MV Grande Senegal left the Cameroonian port of Douala on July 13th and completed its voyage of 9,600km at around 9am today. Its cargo included 208 shipping containers and 75 vehicles. Attending Dublin Port today were Minister for Defence Tony Killeen and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Sean McCann.
Before being loaded onto the Italian-owned ship, the mission’s equipment was transported around 2,500km over land, first from the force’s facility in Goz Beida, eastern Chad, to the capital of N’Djamena, and from there to Douala via Ngaoundere.
“It sounds straightforward, but the lack of infrastructure, the lack of roads, and the lack of host nation support made it very difficult,” said logistics staff officer Capt James Hourigan. “You appreciate the sheer size of it not only when you see the wheeled units, but we also have all these containers with the life support, cookers, water sanitation, sewage, waste disposal, fridges – basically everything to sustain guys overseas is on that vessel.”
The Irish site in Goz Beida was built on a greenfield location in the middle of the desert, and required all life support systems to be flown in or built on-site. This included accommodation, water wells and sanitation facilities.
Lieut Gen McCann paid tribute to logistics personnel’s contribution to the mission to Chad. “The successful deployment, sustainment and recovery of all necessary equipment to facilitate the conduct of operations in one of the most remote areas of the world, is testament to the expeditionary skills of the organisation,” he said.
The equipment will be taken to the National Stores Reception Centre near the Curragh for refurbishment and preparation.