Morocco commissions final SIGMA frigate

Dutch shipbuilder Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding transferred the last of three SIGMA light frigates to the Royal Moroccan Navy (RMN) at a ceremony in Rotterdam on 8 September.

RMoNS Allal Ben Abdellah (615) was commissioned by the Inspector RMN, Vice Admiral Mohamed Laghmari, who said the navy was very satisfied with the ships and was looking forward to working with Damen on the provision of in-service support.

Ordered under a contract worth almost EUR600 million (USD773 million) in February 2008, the three ships - which are also known as Frégates Multi-Missions Marocaine (FMMMs) - were delivered on schedule, to specification and within budget.

First of class RMoNS Tarik Ben Zayid (613) was commissioned on 10 September 2011. It has an overall length of 105.1 m, displaces 2,335 tonnes and can serve as a command platform with a ship's company of 110.

The follow-on ships are 7.2 m shorter than the first unit, measuring 97.9 m in length and displacing 2,075 tonnes with a complement of 91 personnel. The second frigate, RMoNS Sultan Moulay Ismail (614), was commissioned on 10 March 2012.