OPV ‘Furor’ wraps up deployment in the Gulf of Guinea and the West African Coast

The offshore patrol vessel (OPV) returns to the Arsenal of Cartagena after a successful security and cooperation mission.

OPV ‘Furor’ has just returned to Cartagena after completing a four and a half month deployment in the Gulf of Guinea and the West African coast, where she has carried out maritime surveillance and military cooperation activities, and support to the State's Foreign Action.

The Maritime Action Commander (ALMART), Vice Admiral Victoriano Gilabert, presided over the welcoming ceremony, congratulating the ship's Commanding Officer Jaime Márquez de la Calleja, and the crew for the success of their mission. During the deployment, the OPV ‘Furor’ covered more than 17,312 nautical miles and made port calls in eight countries, strengthening the maritime security in a priority region for Spain.

The deployment of the ‘Furor’ has served to test the M5D ARIFOX UAV system, a Spanish-designed unmanned aerial vehicle, for maritime surveillance tasks. In addition, a logistic port call was arranged for maintenance, assuring the high operability and readiness of the ship throughout the mission.

The activities of the Spanish OPV included exercises and joint patrols with navies of ten nationalities, highlighting the cooperation with the Yaoundé Architecture, an African initiative to combat illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea. The presence of the ‘Furor’ has been crucial in confronting threats such as piracy and illegal fishing in the area, protecting Spanish maritime interests.

In port, the ‘Furor’ supported the local Spanish diplomatic delegations and carried out civil-military activities, such as improvements in local infrastructures and donations of different materials and goods. Sixty-eight military cooperation activities and exercises were carried out with regional and other European navies present in the zone, focused on maritime security and the fight against asymmetric threats.

The deployment of the OPV ‘Furor’ has reinforced the European Union's Coordinated Maritime Presences initiative, contributing to maritime security in the region and demonstrating Spain's and the EU's commitment to West Africa.