Vice Admiral Christophe Lucas took up his duties on Monday, September 2, replacing Gilles Boidevezi. He has served the French Navy for 34 years.
The Figaro Nice
Back to school and taking up of duties for the new maritime prefect of the Mediterranean at the end of a protocol ceremony in the port of Toulon (Var), Monday. Vice-Admiral Christophe Lucas succeeded Gilles Boidevezi, who had been in office for three years, assuring that he wanted to register “in the continuity of its predecessor”.
Previously, Christophe Lucas was Deputy Director General for International Relations and Strategy at the Ministry of the Armed Forces, but he “already knows the Mediterranean region and its challenges well, having served there for part of his career in the surface forces and naval aviation”the prefecture stressed in a press release. The ceremony took place in the morning in the presence of various civil authorities, the prefects of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region and Var, as well as Didier Lallement, the former police prefect of Paris and now secretary general of the sea.
The “Mediterranean” prefect has jurisdiction over almost all the waters of the south-east, which is equivalent to nine departments and a coastline of 1,900 kilometres. In addition to regulating boats (anchorages) and protecting the marine environment, particularly the Posidonia meadows, the maritime prefect also has the role of commander of the zone and ensures “the collection of intelligence and the maintenance of international relations with the riparian countries”recalls the authority.
34 years in the Navy
Christophe Lucas has served the French Navy for 34 years with initial training as a pilot officer (3,000 hours of flight time since). On board the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle, he became an instructor and head of human training as head of the “flights” department. In 2011, as commander of an anti-submarine frigate, he still trained students before his ship was integrated into an operation in Libya. “He took part in several offensive actions, some of which resulted in retaliation.”reports the maritime prefecture of his CV. In 2018, the soldier took command of the units of the special forces of defense and security of the navy, in Lorient.
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Training, field work and international relations have punctuated a busy career in the French Navy which will continue over the coming years in the popular and strategic area of the Mediterranean Sea.
