HMTSS Te Mataili II

Last updated
RSIPV Gizo at Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia, September 2019 01.jpg
A sister ship, under final construction for the Solomon Islands, in the Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia
History
Flag of Tuvalu.svgTuvalu
NameTe Mataili II
Builder Austal
Launched26 November 2018
Commissioned5 April 2019
Identification
General characteristics
Class and type Guardian-class patrol boat
Length39.5 m (129 ft 7 in)
Beam8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draft0.76 m (2.5 ft)
Propulsion2 × Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, 2 shafts
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range3,000  nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
ArmamentAustralia provides the ships without armament, but they are designed to be able to mount heavy machine guns, or an autocannon of up to 30 mm on the foredeck

HMTSS Te Mataili II (802) is the second Guardian-class patrol boat completed, and the first to be given to the small Pacific Ocean nation Tuvalu. [1] [2] [3] She was commissioned on 5 April 2019, replacing Te Mataili, a Pacific Forum patrol vessel, that had reached the end of her designed lifetime. [4] [2] [1]

Contents

Background

Following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extension of maritime nations' exclusive economic zones to 200 kilometres (108 nmi), Australia agreed to provide twelve of its neighbours with twenty-two Pacific Forum-class patrol vessels, so they could exercise sovereignty over their own territory using their own resources. [5] [6] The first vessel was delivered in 1987, and in 2015 Australia announced plans to replace the original patrol boats with larger and more capable vessels.

Design

Australian ship builder Austal won the $335 million Australian dollar contract for the project, and built the vessels at its Henderson shipyard, near Perth. [7] Guardian-class vessels were designed to use commercial off-the-shelf components, not cutting edge, military grade equipment, to make them easier to maintain in small isolated shipyards.

The vessels are 39.5 metres (129 ft 7 in) long, can travel 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). [7] Their maximum speed is 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). [8] Their design allows the recipient nations to mount a pair of heavy machine guns, on either flank, and possibly an autocannon of up to 30 mm (1.2 in), on the foredeck.

Operational career

In July 2019, Inspector Seleganui Fusi, commanding officer of Te Mataili II, hosted a delegation from Timor, letting them prepare for the arrival of their patrol vessels. [9]

Te Mataili II was severely damaged by a cyclone in Vanuatu in March 2023 and was sent to Australia for repairs. [10]

Related Research Articles

Pacific-class patrol boat Australian ship class

The Pacific class is a class of 22 patrol boats built by Australia and donated to twelve South Pacific countries. They were constructed between 1985 and 1997 and are operated by militaries, coast guards or police forces of twelve island nations. These boats are supported by the Pacific Patrol Boat Program and used primarily for maritime surveillance and fisheries protection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuvalu Police Force</span> National police force of Tuvalu

The Tuvalu Police Force is the national Police force of Tuvalu, it is headquartered in Funafuti and includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit, Customs, Prisons and Immigration. Police officers wear British style uniforms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austal</span> Australian defence company

Austal Limited is an Australian-based global ship building company and defence prime contractor that specialises in the design, construction and support of defence and commercial vessels. Austal's product range includes naval vessels, high-speed ferries, and supply or crew transfer vessels for offshore windfarms and oil and gas platforms.

Guardian-class patrol boat Class of patrol vessels built by Australia for Pacific nations

The Guardian-class patrol boats are a class of small patrol vessels designed and built in Australia and provided to small South Pacific Ocean countries as part of the Australian Government's Pacific Maritime Security Program.

HMPNGS <i>Ted Diro</i> Papua New Guinea Defence Force vessel

HMPNGS Ted Diro (P401) is the first Guardian-class patrol boat to be completed. Australia designed and provided four Pacific Forum-class patrol vessels to Papua New Guinea in 1987 and 1988, and in 2015 confirmed she would be replacing those vessels with four larger, and more capable, Guardian-class vessels.

Western Samoan patrol vessel <i>Nafanua</i>

Nafanua (04) is a Pacific Forum patrol vessel operated by Western Samoa's police. Like her 21 sister ships she was built in Australia. After the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas extended maritime nations' exclusive economic zones to 200 kilometres (110 nmi) Australia agreed to give its smaller neighbours in the Pacific Forum patrol vessels of their own, so they could police their own sovereignty. Nafanua is the ship Australia gave to Samoa.

HMTSS <i>Te Mataili</i>

HMTSS Te Mataili (801) was a Pacific Forum-class patrol vessel provided by Australia to Tuvalu, and operated by the Tuvalu Police Force. Tuvalu has a 900,000 square kilometres (350,000 sq mi) exclusive economic zone, and Te Mataili was its sole long range patrol vessel, until it was retired, and replaced by the larger and more modern Te Mataili II.

VOEA <i>Ngahau Koula</i> (P301) Ship built in 2019

VOEA Ngahau Koula (P301) is a Guardian-class patrol vessel designed and built for the Tonga Maritime Force by Australia. After the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea established that all maritime nation were entitled to exercise control over a 200-kilometre (120 mi) exclusive economic zone, Australia agreed to give small patrol boats to Tonga and eleven other neighbours in the Pacific Islands Forum.

PSS <i>Remeliik II</i> Patrol boat

PSS Remeliik II is a Guardian-class patrol boat in the service of Palau's Division of Maritime Law Enforcement, built, and provided by Australia to replace the Pacific Forum patrol boat PSS Remeliik. In the late 1980s and early 1990s Australia helped its smaller neighbours, in the Pacific Forum by building small patrol boats so they could protect their own sovereignty. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), had extended an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) 200 kilometres (120 mi) off the shores of all maritime nations, and for small Island nations in the Pacific protecting their EEZ would be an overwhelming problem.

RSIPV <i>Gizo</i> Guardian-class patrol boat

RSIPV Gizo (05) is a Guardian-class patrol boat in service with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Maritime Department. She was the fifth boat of her class to be completed. Australian officials officially handed her over to representatives of the Solomon Islands on 8 November 2019, at the Austal shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.

RKS <i>Teanoai</i>

RKS Teanoai (301) is a Pacific Forum-class patrol boat operated by the Republic of Kiribati Police. Teanoai is one of twenty-two small patrol vessels Australia designed and built for smaller fellow members of the Pacific Forum, after the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extended control of a 200-kilometre (108 nmi) exclusive economic zone for all maritime nations.

RFNS <i>Savenaca</i>

RFNS Savenaca (401) is a Guardian-class patrol boat, being built in Australia for Fiji's Navy. She will replace RFNS Kula, a Pacific Forum patrol vessel provided by Australia in 1994. She will be the seventh vessel of the class to be completed, and the second of two to be delivered to Fiji. She will be commissioned in March or April of 2020.

RKS <i>Teanoai II</i> Patrol boat of the Kiribati Maritime Police

RKS Teanoai II (301) is a Guardian-class patrol boat in service with the Kiribati Maritime Police. She was given to the Republic of Kiribati by Australia as part of the Pacific Maritime Security Program, in which Australia donates patrol boats to neighbouring Pacific Island nations in order to improve regional maritime security. She was the eighth boat of her class when launched in April 2020, but became the eleventh to be delivered due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. She was officially handed over to the Kiribati police crew at the Austal shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia on 18 June 2021, replacing the 27-year-old Pacific-class patrol boat RKS Teanoai as the small island nation's sole maritime security craft.

VOEA <i>Pangai</i> Patrol vessel

VOEA Pangai (P202) was a Pacific Forum patrol vessel operated by Tonga.

VOEA <i>Ngahau Siliva</i> Tongan naval vessel

VOEA Ngahau Siliva (P302) is the second of Tonga's two Guardian-class patrol vessels. She is the eighth vessel of the 21 vessels in her class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia–Tuvalu relations</span> Bilateral relations

Diplomatic relations between Australia and Tuvalu were established in 1978, with the independence of Tuvalu, and both countries are members of the Commonwealth of Nations which share a head of state, King Charles III. Australia has had a High Commission in Funafuti since 2018. Tuvalu is not currently represented in Australia at the high commissioner or consular level.

RVS <i>Takuare</i> Guardian-class patrol boat

RVS Takuare is a Guardian-class patrol boat in service with the Vanuatu Police Maritime Wing. She was given to Vanuatu by Australia as part of the Australian government's Pacific Maritime Security Program on 30 July 2021. Her predecessor, the RVS Tukoro, was the second vessel of the first iteration of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program, and served in the same role from 1987 to 2021. The Takuare is currently the only naval or law enforcement vessel operated by the Pacific Island nation.

The Pacific Maritime Security Program is a program initiated by Australia to aid the neighbouring Pacific Island nations, such as Timor-Leste, Fiji, Palau, Kiribati and Tonga. The program includes the maintenance of port facilities, training, and the transfer of 21 Guardian-class patrol boats. The program was initiated under the 2018 Boe Declaration on Regional Security.

Samoan patrol vessel <i>Nafanua III</i> Patrol boat of the Samoan Police Service

Nafanua III (04) is a Guardian-class patrol boat entering service with the Samoan Police Force. She was given to Samoa by Australia as part of the Pacific Maritime Security Program, in which Australia donates patrol boats to neighbouring Pacific Island nations in order to improve regional maritime security. She is the 2nd boat given to Samoa under the program, as she was ordered by Australia on 2 November 2022 as a replacement for her sister ship Nafanua II, which was damaged beyond repair when she ran aground on 5 August 2021. Nafanua II had only two years earlier replaced the 31 year old Pacific-class patrol boat Nafanua as the small island nation's sole maritime security craft. Although she was ordered as the 22nd and ultimate boat of her class, she was delivered on 22 November 2023 as the 18th.

RFNS <i>Puamau</i>

RFNS Puamau is a Guardian-class patrol boat donated to Fiji by Australia as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project. The vessel entered service on 7 March 2024. The ship is used to patrol Fijian waters.

References

  1. 1 2 Christopher Pyne (2019-04-07). "Guardian Class Patrol Boat gifted to Tuvalu". Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2019-04-07. Te Mataili II was received by the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the Right Hon Enele Sosene Sopoaga at a handover ceremony attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism, Environment and Labour, the Hon Taukelina Finikaso, the Minister for Natural Resources, the Hon Dr Puakena Boreham, and the Commissioner of the Tuvalu Police Service, Commissioner Luka Falefou.
  2. 1 2 "Australia hands over Guardian-class patrol boat to Tuvalu". Naval Today . 2019-04-06. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2019-04-07. The 39.5 meter steel hulled patrol boat was built by Australian shipbuilder Austal under an AUD 335 million program that will see 21 boats gifted to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste.
  3. ↑ Ridzwan Rahmat (2019-04-08). "Tuvalu receives Guardian-class patrol boat from Australia". Jane's Navy International . Singapore . Retrieved 2019-11-25. The vessel, which has been named Te Mataili II , was handed over to the Tuvalu Government on 7 April in a ceremony at Western Australia. The vessel will be operated by the maritime surveillance unit of the Tuvalu Police Force.
  4. ↑ "Papua New Guinea receives first Guardian-class patrol boat". Naval Today . 2018-11-30. Archived from the original on 2018-12-02. The next vessel will be gifted to Tuvalu in April 2019 and the last will go to Timor-Leste in October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Austal Pacific Patrol Boat 40" (PDF). Austal . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2018-01-21. Austal will design, construct and deliver the 19 steel-hulled patrol boats (valued at $280 million) to 12 Pacific Island nations. The contract includes an option for two additional vessels.
  6. ↑ "Australia's Defence Engagement in the Pacific: 2016 Defence White Paper". Australian Navy . 2016. Archived from the original on 2018-01-22. Retrieved 2018-04-22. The Pacific Patrol Boats are gifted by Australia as sovereign assets, and have enabled Pacific Island countries to take an active role in securing their own borders and resources – to the benefit of the region overall. The PPBs are used to undertake a wide range of tasks, from fisheries enforcement, to Search and rescue, to movement of ballot boxes.
  7. 1 2 Hamish Hastie (2018-05-30). "Wrapped up with a bow: First Pacific patrol boat hits the water". The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-07-09. The $335 million Pacific patrol boat program was awarded to Austal in 2016 and will see 21 'Guardian Class' boats built in WA and gifted to 12 Pacific Island countries and East Timor as part of the Pacific maritime security program.
  8. ↑ Gabriel Dominguez (2018-12-03). "Papua New Guinea receives first Guardian-class patrol boat". Jane's Defence Weekly . London. Archived from the original on 2018-12-03. Retrieved 2018-12-03. The steel-hulled boat was built with space and weight considerations for a 30 mm naval gun as a primary weapon, as well as port and starboard mounts for 12.7 mm general-purpose machine guns.
  9. ↑ "Timor receives Guardian Class preview". Defence Connect . 2019-07-24. Retrieved 2019-11-25. Members from the Falantil Forcas Defesa de Timor Lorosae (F-FDTL) were able to see first-hand the second Guardian Class Patrol Boat built by West Australian shipbuilder Austal, which is part of the contract that will see 23 ships built for Timor-Leste and 12 Pacific island nations over four years.
  10. ↑ "Tuvalu joins forces with Sea Shepherd Global to Combat Ilegal Fishing in Pacific Waters". Department of Foreign Affairs - Government of Tuvalu. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
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