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Doha – Morocco’s Royal Navy marked a major milestone Tuesday as Navantia San Fernando shipyard in Spain launched a new Avante 1800+ offshore patrol vessel. The unnamed vessel, which bears the hull number 502, was floated at the shipyard’s dock in a traditional ceremony attended by officials from both countries.
The vessel represents the first warship built by a Spanish shipyard for Morocco in almost four decades. The contract, signed in September 2022, was financed through a €95 million loan from Banco Santander, with the total cost reaching €130 million.
Construction began with the cutting of the first steel plates in July 2023, requiring nearly two years of work, more than one million labor hours, and creating approximately 1,100 jobs across direct, indirect, and induced employment.
The patrol vessel, designated as construction number 565 at Navantia’s San Fernando facility, measures 87 meters in length with a 13-meter beam.
The Avante 1800 incorporates stealth design features that substantially reduce its radar signature, making it more difficult for enemies to detect. Its propulsion system consists of four diesel engines powering two variable-pitch propellers, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 48 km/h with a range of about 8,000 km at cruising speed.
The vessel can accommodate a crew of 60 personnel, including a core crew of 46 with capacity for 12 additional personnel, and can conduct patrols lasting up to 21 days.
Additional features include a stern landing pad for helicopters weighing up to 10 tons, two 8-meter semi-rigid auxiliary boats, and protection systems against nuclear, biological, and chemical attacks.
The Avante 1800 design allows for various weapons configurations, including a main gun of 76mm or 57mm, remote-controlled weapon stations of 25mm or 30mm, and a wide range of missile types.
Several dignitaries attended the ceremony, including San Fernando Mayor Patricia Cavada, Puerto Real Mayor Aurora Salvador, Government Sub-delegate in Cádiz Blanca Flores, and the Head of the Arsenal of Cádiz, Vice Admiral Rubén Rodríguez Peña.
Alberto Cervantes, Director of Corvettes and Maritime Action Vessels Business at Navantia, welcomed the attendees and spoke of the importance of successfully completing this order, noting that other projects are already in the pipeline.
Captain Mohammed El Fadili, representing the Royal Moroccan Navy, described the project as “an expression of the deep ties of friendship and cooperation that unite the Kingdoms of Morocco and Spain in general, the Royal Navy and the Navantia shipyard in particular.”
El Fadili also pointed to the vessel’s cutting-edge technological features, “which fully embody the Royal Navy’s ambition to acquire an effective, versatile and durable fleet as part of the modernization of all Royal Armed Forces decided by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to face the constantly changing maritime security challenges.”
Navantia President Ricardo Domínguez noted that the program represents “not only a construction milestone, but also the strength of a collaboration that is consolidated over time” and “testimony to the shared commitment between Spain and Morocco for security and technological excellence.”
The contract includes technical and logistical support, spare parts, tools, technical documentation, and training services for Royal Moroccan Navy personnel in Spain.
If everything proceeds according to plan, Navantia will deliver the vessel next year after completing systems integration and maritime platform tests.
This acquisition comes amid reports that Morocco is also exploring submarine options, having reportedly analyzed French Scorpène-class and German HDW Dolphin and Type 209 submarines, as it seeks to develop its underwater capabilities.
The last warship built by a Spanish shipyard for Morocco was the corvette “Teniente Coronel Errahmani,” constructed at Bazán (now Navantia) facilities in Ferrol and delivered on March 28, 1983.
