Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – The design of a high-rise patrol boat by Navantia group which is destined for Morocco is making good progress following delays over the past two years.
Named “Avante 1800,” the boat includes systems with the most up-to-date Royal Navy technologies; it has received funding from Spain’s bank branch Santander.
Navantia Group began manufacturing the vessel in Spain in January 2021, but the project has since experienced some setbacks. Some of the delays in manufacturing are said to have been due to strained diplomatic relations between Spain and Morocco following Spain’s decision to host Polisario leader Brahim Ghali in 2021 for hospitalization.
However, government officials have confirmed the manufacturing of the boat is now moving at a “good pace.”
The total cost of Avante 1800 has not been disclosed, however, Spanish newspaper Vozpopuli recently wrote that Rabat has received 90 million euros (around $95) from Santander to progress with the manufacturing of the boat.
According to the same source, the estimated total for the navy boat range between 130-150 million euros (approximately $138-$156).
The Spanish far-right political party Vox posed the question to the Congress of Deputies to determine the current manufacturing stage of the boat.
In an ambiguous response, the government replied: “The contract is in force.”
The statement added that Avante 1800 has “undergone its contractual obligations,” and that the ship has “begun the process of acquiring its main equipment.”
A dossier on the ship’s design showed the boat will be 89 meters long with a capacity for 46 crew members. In addition, the plan detailed a missile firing operator and modern radar sensors.
Navantia has also detailed that the ship will take “a million working hours” and has involved employing nearly 250 people.
Read Also: Spain Satisfied with ‘Positive Results’ of New Diplomatic Roadmap With Morocco
