Morocco’s Naval Might Grows: Cutting-Edge Patrol Vessel Nears Completion

The construction of this patrol vessel started in early July 2023 with the cutting of the steel plates in the San Fernando shipyard in Cadiz. In September 2024, the keel of the patrol vessel was laid, which allowed the launch of the ship. The Avante 1800, in the final construction phase, has just been towed to the outfitting quay of the factory, located on the edge of the Caño de la Carraca, for the installation of weapons and external sensors, Defensa reports.

In September 2022, the Moroccan government announced the signing of a 95 million euro loan with the Spanish bank Santander to finance the construction of this patrol vessel, the estimated cost of which is 130 million euros. The Moroccan patrol vessel will have a loaded displacement of approximately 2,020 tons, a length of 87 meters, a width of 13 meters and a draft of 4 meters. It will have a helipad that will allow the operations of a helicopter or an unmanned aircraft system (UAS).

The Avante 1800 will also be equipped with two auxiliary semi-rigid or RHIB (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat) boats. It will be able to reach a maximum speed of 24 knots thanks to its combined diesel and diesel propulsion system or CODAD, equipped with four MAN 175D engines and five Baudouin 6 M26.3 generator sets. The ship will be equipped with a main 76 mm or 57 mm gun, remote-controlled weapon systems (RCWS) of 25 or 30 mm, as well as a wide range of missiles.

This is the first warship built by Navantia for Morocco since the early 1980s, when the company Empresa Nacional Bazán (now Navantia) had built the corvette "Teniente Coronel Errahmani" which was finally delivered to Morocco on March 28, 1983.