Austal Australia has delivered the 13th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defence as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, which was awarded to Austal in mid-2016.
The vessel, NUSHIP Francis Agwi, was subsequently gifted to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force at a certificate signing ceremony held at Austal’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.
NUSHIP Francis Agwi is the third of four Guardian-class Patrol Boats to be delivered to Papua New Guinea under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement project, and the fifth delivered by Austal Australia in 2021.
Austal CEO Paddy Gregg said the successful delivery of NUSHIP Francis Agwi saw Austal maintain its successful track record of on-time and on-budget deliveries for the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project.
“The Austal Australia PPB-R team, CASG’s SEA3036 Project Team and our trusted supply chain partners are to be congratulated on the delivery of the fifth Guardian-class Patrol Boat this year – and maintaining an outstanding track record of deliveries throughout the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project,” Mr Gregg said.
“Indeed, the Project teams’ successful collaboration has been formally acknowledged at the recent Essington Lewis Awards, for excellence in defence project management.
“The Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project was announced as a finalist for the Major Acquisition Project Award for 2021, which is a great recognition of the fantastic effort by stakeholders from Defence, Austal and across the National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise.”
The Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project supports more than 200 direct jobs at Austal Australia and more than 200 indirect jobs nationally through Australian businesses contracted by Austal.
