Spain to launch Royal Moroccan Navy patrol vessel next week

The Spanish state-owned company Navantia is set to launch the Avante 1800 patrol vessel, ordered by the Royal Moroccan Navy, on May 27, according to an announcement made Friday by a Spanish media outlet. The vessel, currently under construction at the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz, is scheduled for delivery in 2026.

In September 2022, the Moroccan government signed a €95 million loan agreement with Banco Santander to finance the construction of the patrol vessel. The contract with Navantia includes a comprehensive technical and logistical support package, covering spare parts, tools, technical documentation, and training for Royal Moroccan Navy personnel in Spain.

The patrol vessel will be 87 meters long and 13 meters wide, with capacity for a crew of 60. The total investment is estimated at €130 million, making it the largest defense contract Morocco has ever signed with the Spanish military industry.

Between 1991 and 2020, Morocco signed defense contracts with Spain totaling approximately €385 million, €165 million of which was allocated to military transport vehicles.