Vanuatu patrol boat RVS Takuare recommissioned in Cairns after being damaged in cyclone
A two-year project to fix up a cyclone-damaged Guardian-class patrol boat has ended with the handing back of the RVS Takuare to the Republic of Vanuatu at a ceremony in Cairns.
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A two-year project to fix up a cyclone-damaged Guardian-class patrol boat has ended with the handing back of the RVS Takuare to the Republic of Vanuatu at a ceremony in Cairns.
In 2023, one year after being gifted to Vanuatu, the Pacific Island nation’s only naval vessel crashed into a pontoon during the category 5 Tropical Cyclone Kevin.
The $39m ship, operated by the Vanuatu Police Maritime Wing, was transported to Cairns where the vessel underwent repairs to the hull and an internal fit-out at the Norship facility in Portsmith.
On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles used the recommissioning of the vessel to further bilateral relations and announced a new pact aimed at the strengthening of ties between the two Pacific nations.
“This will be an overhaul of the relationship between Australia and Vanuatu in terms of security, but in terms of the economic relationship between our two countries,” he said.
“We seek to be Vanuatu’s partner of choice, Vanuatu’s security partner of choice.
“And the Nakamal agreement will give expression to that, and we’re really excited about the prospect of that and very grateful for the conversations that we’ve been able to have with the minister.”
Mr Marles described the agreement as an “overhaul” of relations following an intention of Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat to “revisit” the security agreement with Australia.
“(The Nakamal agreement) will take Australia and Vanuatu as a bilateral relationship into the future,” he said.
At a function held at HMAS Cairns, a delegation of Vanuatuan officials was joined by Royal Australian Navy officers, defence leaders and staff from the Pacific Maritime Security Program to officially hand over the RVS Takuare.
Following a traditional dance by the 19 crew members of the Guardian-class vessel, Vanuatu Internal Affairs Minister Andrew Napuat gave a speech during which he stated the ship’s handover was a symbol of an emerging partnership.
“This moment marks not just the return of the vessel, but the reaffirmation of the strong and enduring partnership between Vanuatu and Australia, a partnership building on trust co-operation and a safe commitment to regional security,” he said.
“I wish to express our sincere gratitude to the government of Australia, the Australian Defence Force, and all those whose expertise contributed to the successful restoration of RVS Takuare.”
The gifting of RVS Takuare to Vanuatu was done under the Australia’s Pacific Maritime Security Program that also provides training, aerial surveillance and a marine capability to 13 Pacific Island countries, along with the supply of 24 Guardian-class patrol boats.
The RVS Takuare is not the first Pacific Island vessel to be brought to Cairns for repair.
The latest fix up job follows the Samoan-flagged Guardian-class ship Nafanua II that crashed into a reef in 2022.
After an assessment at the Norship yard, the ship was considered beyond economical repair and later converted into a training simulator.
Addressing the promised home-porting of Arafura-class patrol boats at HMAS Cairns recommended under the Defence Strategic Review in 2023 Mr Marles said the future of the larger offshore patrol vessels was a “matter to be determined”.
“As we invest in HMAS Cairns to make this base a place which is a maintenance hub, a logistics hub, we are investing in HMAS Cairns to make sure that it is Arafura-class ready,” he said.
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Originally published as Vanuatu patrol boat RVS Takuare recommissioned in Cairns after being damaged in cyclone
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