Secret Samoan patrol boat stuck in international stand-off

A patrol boat badly damaged after hitting a Samoan reef remains high and dry at a Portsmith shipyard amid an international stalemate about who is going to pick up a hefty repair bill.

A SAMOAN Navy patrol boat badly damaged after hitting a Pacific Ocean reef remains high and dry at a Portsmith shipyard amid an international stalemate about who is going to pick up a multimillion dollar repair bill.

The Guardian-class patrol boat, the Nafanua II limped up Trinity Inlet in October 2021 on the back of a ship-carrying barge towed by tug, PT Monto.

She was hauled out of the water and chocked at Norship Marine’s shipyard.

Gaffer tape and plastic has been used to cover the ship’s identification numbers.

Employees have been sworn to secrecy according to sources inside the shipyard, and it’s understood one worker has been sacked for disclosing information about Nafanua II.

Business development manager at Tropical Reef Shipyard Andrew Wagner was limited in what he could say but confirmed the ship’s location.

“It’s in Norship’s yard,” he said.

“There is a lot of work that has to be done to it and it comes back to the governments to decide what to do with it.”

Guardian-class patrol boat, the Nafanua II being towed up Trinity Inlet in October last year. Picture: Supplied

The Samoan flagged ship was donated by the Australian Government in 2019 through the $2 billion Pacific Maritime Security Program after being built in Western Australia. .

The 40m vessel is the Pacific nation’s only patrol boat.

A Defence spokesman said Samoan authorities had been provided with a damage assessment report, but would not be drawn on whether the Australian taxpayer would contribute to the repair bill.

“Australia values its security partnership with Samoa, and is committed to continuing to support our partner to respond to this incident,” he said.

Nafanua II arrived in Cairns on October 5 last year after the Guardian-class patrol boat ran aground off Samoa on August 4.

At the request of the Government of Samoa, Australia hired Pacific Tug to salvage the Nafanua II, after it ran aground off Savai’I Island on August 5 2021.

Following successful salvage and tow operation, the Nafanua II arrived in Cairns on October 6 last year.

Portsmith-based firm Austal Australia overseeing locally contracted teams to maintain the Guardian-class fleet would be best placed to take on repair work needed by the Nafanua II, however declined to comment.

Norship Marine also refused to comment on the ship in their yard.

It’s unclear what caused the accident last September, but an investigation into the grounding of the vessel has begun.

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Originally published as Secret Samoan patrol boat stuck in international stand-off