Spain launches the patrol vessel ordered by the Royal Moroccan Navy

As expected, the Navantia shipyard in San Fernando, Cadiz, launched the new offshore patrol vessel for the Royal Moroccan Navy yesterday, following the order placed in September 2022. The event featured speeches by Ricardo Domínguez, president of Navantia, and Captain Mohammed Al Fadili of the Royal Moroccan Navy, according to an Iberian media outlet.

The construction of this vessel was made possible by a €95 million loan granted by Banco Santander, finalized six months after Pedro Sanchez expressed his support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara. The patrol vessel, measuring 87 meters in length and 13 meters in width, is designed to accommodate a crew of 60.

With a total investment estimated at €130 million, this represents Morocco’s largest order from the Spanish military industry. The vessel's construction, which took two years, required approximately one million hours of work and created 1,100 direct, indirect, and induced jobs. The contract also includes technical and logistical support, as well as training for Royal Moroccan Navy personnel in Spain.