Offshore Patrol Vessel P-46 'Furor' makes its first port call in Nouakchott, Mauritania

• As part of the first Coordinated Maritime Presence Gulf of Guinea (CMP-GoG) deployment of 2024, the 'Furor' will spend 7 days in the port of Nouakchott carrying out military cooperation activities and supporting the Spanish diplomatic delegation.

During its stopover, the OPV P-46 'Furor' was visited by the Commander of the Operations Command (CMOPS) Lieutenant General Francisco Braco Carbo, who had the opportunity to assess the development of military cooperation activities with the Mauritanian Navy. The Spanish ambassador to Mauritania was also received and took the opportunity to offer a reception on board attended by civil, military and diplomatic authorities.

Activities carried out in the port

In order to contribute to the development of littoral states' capabilities in the maritime domain, numerous collaborations and exercises have been conducted. The main areas of cooperation are maritime force protection (MFP), maritime interdiction operations (MIO), counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), use of unmanned systems, manoeuvring and navigation, diving, homeland security and health.

The great interest shown by the Mauritanian naval authorities and the staff involved in the programmed activities should be emphasized. This circumstance has allowed both the development and the result to be excellent.

The commander of the OPV ‘Furor’ visited the Naval Operations Centre in Nouakchott, where a formal reception was held with the authorities of the General Staff of the Mauritanian Navy. This activity allowed him to see at first hand the capabilities, means and detection and identification systems used for surveillance and maritime security tasks, as well as the knowledge of the maritime environment.

On Tuesday 27 February, during his visit on board, the CMOPS, Lieutenant General Braco Carbo, witnessed in situ the different theoretical practices on precision shooting from a naval platform and the use of C-UAS. In addition, a non-cooperative boarding exercise was carried out by the on-board Marine operational security team together with a team from the Mauritanian Navy. The CMOPS visit on board coincided with the 487th anniversary of the Marine Corps, to whom the General dedicated a few words.

On the 28th, after completing the intense program of activities, the Spanish ambassador to Mauritania, Miriam Alvarez de la Rosa Rodriguez held a reception on board. It was attended by Mauritanian civil and military authorities and ambassadors from various countries.