MAURIC and Couach selected for 24-vessel VGMAR patrol boat programme for the French Maritime Gendarmerie
French naval architecture firm MAURIC has strengthened its partnership with shipbuilder Couach after the consortium secured a contract to deliver 24 new 22-metre coastal surveillance patrol vessels for the French Maritime Gendarmerie.
The contract was formally awarded by France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) on 29 June 2026, with the first vessel scheduled for delivery in 2029. The award follows the partners’ earlier success on the 35-metre VGC patrol vessel programme for French Customs.
MAURIC contributed its thorough knowledge of complex tender processes and its proven architectural mastery of semi-fast patrol vessel design. The naval architects drew on a portfolio of sea-proven hull forms developed through decades of dedicated programmes.
Couach, which operates an industrial facility unique in France for the construction of professional composite vessels, demonstrated its ability to optimise its production processes, combining high construction quality with cost optimisation. The complementary expertise in naval architecture from MAURIC and advanced composite industrialisation capabilities from Couach proved a decisive factor in the DGA selection.
MAURIC will leverage its expertise in semi-planing hull form design to optimise the VGMAR at their maximum speed of 22 knots as well as at intermediate transit speeds, reducing fuel consumption without sacrificing the seakeeping qualities essential for patrol missions in the best conditions of safety and crew comfort.
The patrol vessels will displace a maximum of 50 tonnes and accommodate up to 10 persons, crew included. They will be fitted with a rapid intervention craft deployed from a stern well deck. Designed for versatile operations, the vessels will conduct maritime policing, counter-illicit trafficking, environmental protection, and search and rescue missions.
The contract begins with a firm tranche of four vessels and will subsequently be completed through successive batches. Five of the 24 vessels are destined for overseas deployment in French Guiana, Mayotte and New Caledonia.
This second collaboration with Couach, following the VGC 35-metre customs vessel programme, confirms the strength of a partnership built on complementary capabilities and a shared commitment to delivering high-performance patrol vessels to French state authorities. The VGMAR programme, which provides for the delivery of up to four vessels per year over a six-year period, will constitute the largest renewal of the Maritime Gendarmerie coastal fleet in over two decades.
