Spanish Sahara 1884-1986

Officially known as the Spanish Possessions in the Sahara between 1884-1958 and Province of the Sahara between 1958-1976. Between 1946-1958 formed the Spanish Sahara with the Spanish protected Cape Juby and Spanish Ifni  the colony Spanish West Africa. In 1976 forced international pressure amd internal Spain to give up her colony.The native Sahrawi population represented by the Polisario Front claimed the territory nowdays known as the Western Sahara just like Mauretinia and Morocco did. The latter two countries invaded the territory in 1976 but Mauritania was forced to retreat by the Polisario Front, Morocco captured 2/3 part of the Western Sahara, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controls the remaining 1/3 part. Spain finally possesses the jure administrering power. 

Gambia-flagged fishing vessel (ex-Xarabal 1973-1983, Axexo 1983-2005) Dida 2005-2019 (Nangham 2019-2025, Bauka 2025-)

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain 23 February 2017

Since October 2025: Gambia-flagged, IMO 7327902, MMSI 629009756 and call sign C5J858. Earlier Guinea-Bissau flagged. Built by Maritima del Musel, Gijon, Spain in 1973. In 2025 Mauritanian registered. 

Mauritania-flagged fisheries research vessel Al-Awam 1997-

Port of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Islas Canarias, Spain 2 February 2017

Mauritania-flagged, IMO 9152442, MMSI 61388900 and call sign FTFC. Built by Niigata Engineering, Niigata, Japan in 1997. 

Mauritanian (ex-Polarfart 1960-1981, Clayton M. Johnson 1981-1985, Prowess BF50 1985-2020) Sindibad 2020-

At the Logiscrap scrapyard, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria about end October 2025

Mauritania-flagged, homeport Nouadhibou, IMO 5280758. Launched as a sealer by Kaarbøs Mek. Verksted A/S, Harstad, Norway on 16 January 1960, completed in February 1960. Between 1985-2020 also operated or sold from Etosha Fisheries Holding, Walvis Bay, Namibia (Namibia-flagged between 2014-2020, homeport Luderiz, MMSI 659012000 and call sign V5PO). 

Mauritanian coast guard vessel Awkar 2011-

Lasl Palmas de Gran Canarias, Canary Islands, Spain 28 November 2024

Mauritania-flagged, MMSI 654042240 and call sign 5TNY. Laid down by Chinese State Shipbuilding Company on 10 November 2011, launched in 2012 and completed in 2013. 

Mauritanian coast guard vessel Awkar 2011-

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain 2 November 2017/

Mauritania-flagged, MMSI 654042240 and call sign 5TNY. Dull load displacement below 600 tons and as dimensions 61 x 8 metres. 2 shaft 2 diesel propulsionLaid down by CSSC, China on 10 December 2011, launched in 2012 and completed in January 2013. 

Mauretanian trawler (ex-Tronderhav 2001-2018) Wafa-4 2018-

Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Islas Canarias, Spain 20 November 2023

Cameroon-flagged, IMO 9029243, MMSI 613003622 and call sign 5TGF. Norwegian owned 2001-2015, Cameroonian owned sice 2015 and anno 2023 Mauretanian owned. Hull built by Ustka Stocznia, Ustka, Poland and completed by Tronddheim Verft, Trondheim, Norway in 2001. Earlier Norway-flagged, homeport Trondheim and call sign LLJN. 

Mauritania developing her fishery according to the Commercial Fisheries Review dated July 1967 No. 2

An item reported that Mauritina with financial support of France and Spain planned to bring the fishery on a higher level. At Port Etienne were a 1,800 ton cold storage plant with a freezing capacity of 75 ton, a fish meal plant with a daily processing capacity of 300 ton fish and a fish unloading wharf with a length of 280 metres to be stablished. Initially was a fleet of 16 fishing vessels to be built of which 14 already onder construction namely 2-52 metres/170 feet trawlers and 6-33 metres/108 foot trawlers fitted out with 1,300 hp engines, 6-21 metres/69 foot purse seiners with 360 hp engines and finally 2-2,000 ton refrigerated fish carriers. France paid for building of the vessels and plants. 

French protected cruiser Chasseloup-Laubat 1891-1926

Part of the Friant-class protected cruisers, preceded by Alger class and succeeded by Linois class, building ordered under the 1890 program on 17 November 1890, laid down at Arsenal de Cherbourg, France on 29 October 1891, launched on 17 April 1893, commissioned on 25 June 1895, decommissioned on 22 February 1910, stricken on 20 February 1911, hulked in 1911, converted into a distilling ship, recommissioned on 16 June 1915, sold to the French fishery Sociétè Industrielle de la grande Pêche on 25 November 1920 and abandoned in the Nouadhibou Bay, Mauritania in 1926.

Displacement 3,771 tons and as dimensions 97.5 (over all) x 13.24 x 5,84 metres or 319.11 x 43.5 x 19.2 feet. The propulsion consisted of 2 triple expansion steam engines and 20 coal fuelled water tube boilers supplying via 2 screws 9,000 ihp allowing a speed of 18.86 (trial) knots and a range if 6,000 nautical miles/10 knots. Crew numbered 331 men. The armament consisted of 6x1-16.4cm/6.5” guns, 4x1-10cm/3.9”guns, 4x1-4.7cm/1.9” guns, 11x1-3.7cm/1.5”/3pd guns and 2x1-35cm/14” torpedo tubes. The armour consisted of a 3cm/1.2”-8cm/3.1” thick deck and the conning tower was protected by 7.5cm/3”.