The Diplomat
The Army ship Ysabel, operated by the Navy, has arrived in Beirut with logistical support for the Spanish blue helmets integrated in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), as reported yesterday by the Ministry of Defense.
The Ysabel left Valencia on May 21 with a large cargo of material, such as various types of vehicles and force protection equipment, as well as spare parts and assemblies. This transport of material to the Miguel de Cervantes base means for the mission and for the Spanish contingent deployed in Lebanon an increase of its operational capabilities and a reinforcement of those already available, and it is the first time that the new Army ship carries out an operation in support of the Libre Hidalgo operation.
The Ysabel, in service with the Army since the end of 2020, replaces the logistics ships El Camino Español and Martín Posadillo, decommissioned in 2019 and 2020, respectively. It is a Ro-Ro type logistics vessel, an acronym of the English term roll on-roll off, with which all types of vessels carrying roll-on-roll-off cargo, both cars and trucks, are referred to. In mid-April, the Ysabel carried 200 tons of military equipment bound for Ukraine, especially ammunition, as well as thirty trucks and ten other light vehicles.