Spain’s New Gibraltar Patrol Boat Falls Short of Speed Claims, Outpaced by Moroccan Vessel

Intended to fight against drug trafficking, human trafficking and organized crime in the strait, the new Civil Guard patrol boats will not be able to properly carry out this mission because they are not the fastest in the world, as announced in great fanfare a month ago in Cadiz. According to its manufacturer, the 18-meter long, 4.5-meter wide Aister HS60 patrol boat can reach a speed of over 60 knots (110 km/h) thanks to its two 1800 HP engines, propelled by two water jets.

With this speed, the Aister HS60 will not be able to compete with the inflatable boats used by criminals, which can reach speeds between 60 and 70 knots. The commissioning of the first model of this patrol boat, called "Río Flumen", in Algeciras, was supposed to change the situation, but this is not the case, says La Razón, specifying that the speed of the patrol boat does not exceed 57 knots, according to the first tests carried out. However, the characteristics of the patrol boat are in line with the technical specifications contained in the call for tenders which required a maximum speed of over 55 knots.

The Civil Guard would have already raised the speed problem with the manufacturer Aister who would have replied that the engines are limited to 70% for safety reasons. But the concern remains, because over time, the maximum speed of 60 knots of the patrol boat will gradually decrease and the device will no longer be able to chase criminals. Spain wanted a patrol boat like the Metal Shark of the Moroccan gendarmerie which can reach 72 knots, the HMC "Sentinel" of Gibraltar which reaches 62.5 knots, or the ST60 and ST50 of the Italian Guardia di Finanza, which reach 70 knots.

Costing 1.8 million euros, the new patrol boat acquired by Spain can carry a crew of four, and is built in fiberglass-reinforced polyester, proof of its resistance, and covered with a recyclable aluminum hull. The Aister HS60 is equipped with a navigation radar, a satellite communication system, a 1,200-meter range spotlight and a 40-millimeter automatic grenade launcher. A second model will arrive in Huelva next September.