After more than a week at sea, 629 migrants aboard the Aquarius and two Italian vessels are due to sail into Spain's port city of Valencia.
A diplomatic row over the fate of the refugees was settled between Italy and France after both insisted that EU migration policy needs to be overhauled.
Italy's denial of a safe harbour led to an international outcry earlier this week.
Al Jazeera’s Karl Penhaul joins reports from Valencia.
