[10] To enforce law in these areas, the French Navy has deployed a number of ships suitable for low-intensity engagements and with flexible capabilities: BATRAL-class landing ships, P400-class patrol vessels and D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos, all Cold War designs, have been deployed in this role, and stop-gap measures such as Albatros were taken.

More recently, the French Navy has procured classes of ship specifically designed for law enforcement and public service in the EEZ, such as the Floréal-class frigates.

[11] In the 2010s, the aging BATRAL, Jacques Cartier, based in Nouméa, was decommissioned in April 2013[12] and the decommissioning of Albatros in May 2015 led to the need to procure replacements for the naval stations of Port des Galets (La Réunion), Nouméa (New Caledonia), Dégrad des Cannes (Martinique) and Papeete (French Polynesia).

[13][14] The design selected for the Bâtiment multi-mission eschews the amphibious capabilities of the previous BATRAL and the L-CAT design proposed by CNIM, similar to the Engin de débarquement amphibie rapide,[13] for a concept of platform supply vessel,[1] or anchor handling tug supply vessel.

[2] In line with most ship designs tasked for coastguard duty in the French Navy, the B2M will be built according to civilian standards;[13] this was already the case notably for the Floréal class.

[17] The hulls are built in Poland,[10] Piriou being tasked with the design of the ship proper and the finish in Concarneau, while DCNS work on the military aspects of the project.

[1] One of their main task is maritime law enforcement, particularly in the domain of commercial fishing and against illegal immigration, Drug trafficking and piracy.