Austal hands over sixth Cape-class patrol boat to Australia

Austal has handed over the sixth Cape-class patrol boat, named Cape Leveque, to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS).

Named after the northernmost tip of the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, Cape Leveque is the sixth of eight Cape-class patrol boats being supplied to ACBPS as part of a $330m design, build and in-service support contract secured by the company in August 2011.

Austal CEO Andrew Bellamy said the company continued to demonstrate its credentials as a partner of choice for government defence vessel programmes with delivery of three quarters of the Cape-class fleet.

"The on-time delivery of Cape Leveque and continued efficiencies across the programme reinforce Austal’s capability to reliably build and sustain naval and border protection vessels.

"Delivering on time ensures that the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service can reliably continue to deliver on the Border Protection obligations it undertakes to the Commonwealth of Australia."

Mainly intended to replace ACBPS’ ageing fleet of Bay-class patrol vessels, the Cape-class patrol boats can be deployed across the Australian exclusive economic zone and perform a range of security and surveillance missions.

The vessels can also be deployed to thwart illegal maritime access, piracy, maritime terrorism, marine pollution, illegal foreign fishing, unlawful import or export and illegal activity in protected locales.

The CCPBs have the potential to undertake 28 day patrols and sail 4,000nm before being refuelled, and can carry more crew to more effectively and safely manage boarding missions, and launch two tender response vessels simultaneously.

Currently in the final stages of construction, the remaining two Cape Class vessels are scheduled to be delivered progressively throughout this year.

---

Image: Four Cape-class patrol boats docked at Austal Australia in Henderson WA. Photo: courtesy of Austal.