Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia announced the keel-laying ceremony for the offshore patrol vessel being built for the Royal Moroccan Navy on Friday in San Fernando, according to Iberian news outlet La Voz De Cadiz.
The keel-laying took place on Slipway 3 at the San Fernando shipyard, marking the official start of construction. Cranes placed the block on the slipway, where the vessel will begin to take shape, while fabrication of additional blocks continues in various workshops.
The ceremony was attended by Moroccan Navy Colonel Mohammed Sallouh, who was welcomed by Navantia President Ricardo Dominguez, Operations and Business Director Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero, and Business Director for Corvettes and Maritime Action Ships Alberto Cervantes.
The patrol vessel, set to be the 565th ship built at Navantia San Fernando, will measure 87 meters in length and 13 meters in beam, with space for a crew of 60.
The Spanish media noted that its construction will require over one million work hours and create around 1,100 jobs, including direct, indirect, and induced roles, over a three-year period.
The construction of this patrol vessel for Morocco also includes a technical-logistical support package—covering spare parts, tools, and technical documentation—as well as technical training services for Royal Moroccan Navy personnel in Spain.
Navantia emphasized that the patrol vessel is built for extended deployments at sea with minimal operating and lifecycle costs. Its systems are designed to ensure operational capability, ease of maintenance, and reliability, all while being managed by a reduced crew, according to the same source.
Navantia noted that in January Rear Admiral Mohamed Tahin, the Inspector of the Royal Moroccan Navy, visited to oversee the construction of the patrol vessel, which commenced in July of the previous year.
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