Morocco, a maritime power? The corsairs of Salé built its legendary reputation… and the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) have undertaken to restore this glorious past by equipping the Navy with a fleet worthy of that ambition. To the point that the American data platform Wisevoter has ranked Morocco among the 25 largest naval fleets in the world, placing it 4th in Africa.
An impressive maritime force that operates from five naval bases — along with their complementary logistical infrastructures — hosting around 121 warships.
Multifaceted Missions
“The Royal Navy lags behind the other branches of the Moroccan military (air and land) in the strategy for strengthening defense capabilities.”
Despite these impressive figures, the Moroccan fleet faces multiple challenges. The Royal Navy is responsible for guarding the Kingdom’s 3,500 km of coastline across two maritime fronts: the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. It is tasked with securing 1.2 million square kilometers of economic zones, especially its 38 ports and the potential locations of oil and gas discoveries. Not to mention, it also controls the southern part of the Strait of Gibraltar, through which more than 150,000 ships pass each year.
« The Royal Navy is responsible for several missions: securing the coasts, controlling access to national maritime space, including the exploitation of natural and fishery resources, and protecting ports and coastal infrastructure, as well as the merchant fleet and fishing boats. The future gas exploitation platforms on the Atlantic coast will also be strategic sites that the Royal Navy will need to protect, » explained Nizar Derdabi, an analyst in international strategy, defense, and security, in a previous interview with TelQuel.
These missions far exceed the resources allocated to the maritime branch of the FAR. « The Royal Navy lags behind the other branches of the Moroccan military (air and land) in the strategy for strengthening defense capabilities to respond to the threats and challenges posed by the geopolitical and security situation in the region, » Nizar Derdabi acknowledged.
And yet, in 2022, Morocco was part of the exclusive club of countries that allocate 4% of their GDP to military spending, according to the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). With a defense budget reaching over 55 billion dirhams in 2023, the kingdom aims to quickly achieve the goals of its ambitious modernization program launched in 2012.
This plan aims to renew the FAR’s arsenal with cutting-edge equipment and also strengthen the army’s personnel. However, the allocation of the budget leaves the Royal Navy as the underfunded branch of the Moroccan military, despite a significant gap to close compared to some of its counterparts on the continent.
On the African scale, the Royal Navy ranks just off the podium in terms of maritime assets. It is ranked 4th, behind Egypt (245 warships and 8 submarines), Algeria (201 warships and 6 submarines), and Nigeria (136 warships), according to Wisevoter. This position does not align with Morocco’s historically glorious presence on the seas and oceans.
Once a Naval Power
“Unfortunately, Morocco’s maritime potential has never been given strategic importance in the eyes of its governments”
Until then focused on internal succession conflicts, Morocco embarked on dominating the seas starting in the 18th century. Under the reign of Sultan Mohammed Ben Abdallah, the kingdom initiated an ambitious policy of openness. This policy, extended and consolidated by Sultans Moulay Rachid, Moulay Ismaïl, and Moulay Slimane, was marked by the opening of numerous ports.
Notably, between the 16th and 19th centuries, Morocco saw the flourishing of significant corsair activity under the Almoravids and Almohads, which led to the creation of the famous Republic of Salé (1627-1668), reigning over the mouth of the Bouregreg River. Serving the sultans or opposing them, corsairs of Andalusian, Turkish, or local origin built Morocco’s maritime reputation as a feared and respected power on the seas and oceans.
« Unfortunately, Morocco’s maritime potential has never been given strategic importance in the eyes of its governments. This lack of interest has led to the deterioration of the national flag and a huge loss of wealth that Morocco could have generated in terms of industry, logistics, tourism, and leisure, » noted a military expert who requested anonymity, in a previous TelQuel article on the Moroccan Navy last May.
« This disinterest in the sea was even perceived by researchers and historians in Morocco as one of the main reasons for the decline of the kingdom’s power and influence starting in the 18th and 19th centuries, leading to Morocco’s fall into the hands of the Protectorate… while the powers of the time, who dealt with the Sherifian Empire as equals, invested in the seas and oceans to become masters of the world, » continued our source.
Reconnecting with the Past
To reconnect with this prestigious past, Morocco began modernizing its naval fleet in the 1970s. Initially, the focus was on vessels primarily used for troop or equipment transport, followed by warships that gradually strengthened the fleet.
Today, this fleet is aging, and the gap between Morocco and its immediate neighbors, particularly in the Mediterranean, continues to widen. Contacted by TelQuel, Abdelhamid Harifi, an expert in defense and security issues, explains that the slow renewal of the fleet is due to occasional budgetary constraints.
« Since the creation of the Royal Navy, there have been projects aimed at giving more weight to this defense tool. But often, priority has been given to other branches of the military. First, because the Navy has fewer personnel compared to other branches, and also because its leaders kept a low profile to allow aviation and the army to take precedence. After independence, King Mohammed V undertook many actions to restore the Navy’s role, building an important fleet for both the merchant and national navy, as well as for maritime surveillance, » recalls Abdelhamid Harifi.
« The reign of King Hassan II saw, for the first time in the 1990s, the integration of air-naval capabilities into the FAR’s naval tool. However, this project could not be continued because we had just come out of the Sahara War, which impacted military budgets, » the researcher continued, noting that the arrival of King Mohammed VI marked a turning point in the operational capabilities of the Royal Navy.
« King Mohammed VI undertook efforts to strengthen the defensive and military capacities of the Royal Navy. But it was also necessary to have a tool for the state’s action at sea (AEM) because the bulk of the Navy’s work on the ground is not war, but coastal surveillance, fighting illegal immigration, combating illicit trafficking, and preventing illegal and overfishing. Morocco then equipped itself with medium-tonnage ships, with very light armament, for intervention missions and to maintain a respectable maritime presence. »
New Suppliers
“For a maritime space that far exceeds the size of its national territory and involves numerous stakes and threats, Morocco has a modest navy”
Initially, Morocco’s naval equipment mainly came from the United States and France, but under the reign of Mohammed VI, the country began diversifying the suppliers of its naval vessels. As a result, the Netherlands and Spain have added Morocco to their order books. Additionally, several defense publications have recently speculated about new acquisitions from Turkey and Israel. However, the modernization of the Navy is far from complete.
« For a maritime space that far exceeds the size of its national territory and faces numerous threats, Morocco has a modest navy. Over the past twenty years, we have gone from having barely two frigates and one aging corvette with non-functional combat systems, to a navy with four heavy combat units, equipped with ultra-modern systems and cutting-edge technology, and recently, the introduction of maritime patrol aircraft, » says Abdelhamid Harifi.
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia announced last May the start of construction on the Avante 1800 patrol vessel, ordered by the Royal Moroccan Navy. The 89-meter-long, 13-meter-wide corvette can accommodate 46 crew members.
In the configuration ordered by Morocco, it will feature a helipad, electronic sensors, and optometric equipment to accompany its 76mm cannon and missile launch system. The patrol vessel is expected to be delivered in 2026. « This is the first order for a combat unit for the Royal Navy in 15 years! » Abdelhamid Harifi remarked in TelQuel at the time.
The researcher also offered some suggestions for elevating the Royal Navy to become one of the world’s major naval forces. « First, there is a legal framework that needs modernization to strengthen the national navy by boosting the merchant navy, as this is one of the few laws still dating back to the Protectorate era. We intend to purchase equipment and ships without having the maintenance capabilities, which urgently need development, particularly in terms of training and technology transfer, to become shipbuilders ourselves. Lastly, the state could focus on developing all activities related to the Navy, including rescue operations, coastal services, commercial transport, and security, » he concluded.
Written in French by Ibrahima Bayo Jr., edited in English by Eric Nielson
