Casablanca, September 15, 2025 — The Europe Today: The French amphibious helicopter carrier Tonnerre arrived at Casablanca port on Saturday, marking the start of a four-day stopover before departing on September 16 for the Gulf of Guinea.
According to the French Embassy in Morocco, the visit offers “an opportunity for the French and Moroccan navies to strengthen their relations, particularly through organizing joint activities, seminars, and visits.”
The Tonnerre hosts the 2025 cohort of the SIREN program (Regional Digital Navy Training Course), comprising 39 participants from 21 African and Southern European countries, including one Moroccan trainer and one Moroccan trainee. The program develops theoretical and practical expertise in maritime operations such as rescue, pollution control, and anti-piracy, while also promoting regional cooperation and crisis management.
A reception ceremony was held aboard the vessel, attended by French Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier, ship commander Captain Arnaud Bolelli, the Royal Navy Inspector, senior officers of the Royal Navy Inspectorate, and the Deputy Commander of the Military Garrison in Casablanca.
Speaking to Morocco’s news agency (MAP), Ambassador Lecourtier emphasized that the stopover and scheduled joint exercises fall within the broader framework of French-Moroccan military cooperation, as highlighted in the joint declaration signed by French President Emmanuel Macron and King Mohammed VI during the state visit last October. “Defense issues remain a fundamental component of this partnership,” he said, citing training, education, and joint efforts to combat illegal fishing, maritime pollution, and piracy as priority areas.
Captain Bolelli noted that Morocco is the Tonnerre’s first port of call on its three-month mission, underscoring the “strong cooperation and trust bonds that unite the two countries.” He added that the visit provides “an opportunity to prepare for joint interoperability exercises before continuing the mission toward the Gulf of Guinea.”
Emmanuel Vinay, Director of the SIREN Naval Academy, explained that the training program addresses key aspects of state action at sea and praised the “highly valuable” partnership with the Royal Naval School in Casablanca.
The Tonnerre, a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship, is the second-largest vessel in the French Navy after the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. It is capable of carrying multiple helicopters and amphibious landing craft, accommodating up to 650 personnel, and housing a command center and field hospital, making it a versatile platform for high-level interoperability operations.
