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Spanish Navy diver support vessel marks turning point for national underwater training fleet.
The Spanish Navy has laid the keel for a new diver support vessel at Freire Shipyard in Vigo, marking a key step in modernizing its underwater training fleet. The project underscores Spain’s push to boost coastal security and strengthen its military diving capability.
On 19 November 2025, the Spanish Navy announced a significant milestone with the keel laying of its new diver support vessel at Freire Shipyard in Vigo. The development comes as Spain accelerates the renewal of its auxiliary fleet and strengthens the capabilities of its military diving units. The program reflects a broader effort to modernize underwater intervention assets at a time when coastal security, infrastructure protection and maritime resilience are gaining greater strategic importance. The unveiling of this new phase captures attention as it reinforces Spain’s determination to remain a reference in military diver training and underwater operations.
The keel laying of the NC 739 is therefore more than the start of a hull: it signals a shift in the way Spain approaches underwater training and intervention (Picture Source: Spanish Navy)
The new Embarcación de Apoyo a Buceadores, designated NC 739, is designed as a compact but highly specialized platform dedicated to the Spanish Diving School. At 32.9 meters in length, with a 9-meter beam, a range of 500 nautical miles and accommodation for 15 personnel, the vessel is purpose-built for highly controlled training missions and coastal operations. Its design revolves around advanced underwater systems, including DP-2 dynamic positioning for precision station-keeping, a hyperbaric chamber for safe decompression and medical support, and a wet bell enabling divers to conduct complex tasks at depths approaching 90 meters. The platform can support side-scan sonar and unmanned underwater vehicles, enabling it to conduct inspections, search and recovery and seabed surveys with a level of autonomy previously unavailable to the Navy’s diving schools.
This project is the result of a structured development cycle shaped by operational experience and the wider renewal of the Spanish Navy’s auxiliary fleet. The decision to field a dedicated diving support vessel followed the aging of existing platforms and the need for a modern training ship that could relieve larger units of routine diving tasks. The ship’s specifications were refined in cooperation with national engineering teams to ensure that it met the requirements of the Diving School and the Navy’s underwater intervention centers. Its construction, entrusted to a shipyard with experience in advanced research and support vessels, marks a new partnership in Spain’s naval industrial landscape, with delivery scheduled for 2026 after a carefully phased build period.
The NC 739 delivers a distinct advantage over general-purpose vessels or auxiliaries not designed for diving operations. Its compact size and DP-2 dynamic positioning system allow it to maneuver effectively in constrained coastal zones, port approaches, and shallow waters where precision is critical. Equipped with hyperbaric facilities, a wet bell, and support for unmanned systems, the vessel provides a fully integrated platform for deep-water training, hull inspections, underwater repairs, and post-incident investigations.
Unlike larger auxiliary ships, the NC 739 achieves lower operating costs and reduced emissions by incorporating ecological technologies and an optimized power configuration. From a strategic perspective, it enhances Spain’s preparedness for underwater security missions while reinforcing its credibility in multinational exercises. In doing so, it positions Spain as a key contributor to diver training and operational readiness within allied frameworks.
The financial scale of the program highlights how a relatively modest investment can yield substantial operational and industrial advantages. The initiative was launched under a dedicated naval support project focused on renewing the auxiliary fleet, with the diver support vessel identified as a key priority. Following a competitive tendering process, a Spanish shipyard was awarded the contract, marking its debut as a supplier in defense-oriented naval construction. This effort supports the growth of the national shipbuilding sector, fosters technological advancements in underwater systems, and helps sustain a resilient industrial base capable of delivering specialized naval assets.
The keel laying of the NC 739 is therefore more than the start of a hull: it signals a shift in the way Spain approaches underwater training and intervention. By investing in a platform tailored specifically to diving operations, the Navy is strengthening safety standards, improving training realism and freeing larger surface units for higher-end missions. As the vessel progresses toward launch and sea trials, its impact will be defined by the depth of capability it adds to Spain’s underwater operations, consolidating the Navy’s position as a leader in military diving within both national and allied environments.