The RFNS Savenaca was presented today by the Australian Government to the Government of Fiji during a handover ceremony at the Henderson Austal Australia's shipyard attended by the Fijian Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, Australian Defense Minister Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds CSC, Australian Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon.

Austal Chief Executive David Singleton said the first Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivery for 2020 illustrated the ongoing productivity and efficiency improvements from the Australian shipyard which delivers a new naval vessel every three months.

In May 2016, the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (PPB-R) was granted to Austal with an additional contract option approved in April 2018, bringing the plan to 21 vessels costing more than $ 335 million.

The vessels will be provided by 12 Pacific Island nations including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Micronesia Federal States, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Timor Leste until 2023.

The Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project offers national support for more than 200 specific jobs at Austal Australia and more than 200 indirect employment by nearly 450 Australian companies contracting.

The 39.5-meter steel monohull patrol boat, planned, built and maintained by Austal Australia, is based on a developed construction model consisting of 38-meter Bay-class, 56-meter Armidale-class and 58-meter Cape-class patrol boats serving with the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy.

Maritime Business World