Spain changes Ceuta patrol rules over ships' "innocent passage"
The Spanish Navy has changed its protocol in response to the innocent passage of Moroccan vessels through the waters off Ceuta or Melilla, acting now without requiring higher authorisation.
Spain has altered its Ceuta patrol rules in response to incidents involving Moroccan ships, focusing on those with "innocent passage" under maritime law. This change came into effect after July 30th, when Spain began to monitor and, if necessary, intervene with ships flying the Moroccan flag. Previously, the Maritime Action Operations and Surveillance Centre (COVAM) handled monitoring, but now, patrol vessels are actively engaged to protect Spain's maritime interests, detect unusual activity, and enforce compliance with international law.
The Spanish Navy has deployed the Atalaya and Isla de León patrol vessels to Ceuta and Melilla, with the latter vessel also operating off Ceuta and Perejil Island. This shift in policy aims to distinguish between legitimate innocent passage and actions that could threaten Spain's sovereignty or security, using patrol vessels as a tool for both surveillance and deterrence.
Brief written by urgent.news from Euronews's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
