Austal 58 - Cape Class Patrol Boats
The maritime security policy governing patrol boat operations by Customs was established in the Australian Civil Maritime Security Capability Plan, which was endorsed by the Government in November 2009. The plan provided guidance for maritime security planning to 2020 and included a number of key performance requirements for patrol boat operations that were beyond the capabilities of Customs’ existing Bay Class patrol boat fleet. At that time, the Bay Class patrol boats were also entering the latter stages of their planned 10-year operational life.
In response to the planned capability requirements, in the context of the May 2010 Federal Budget the Government approved funding of $573.6 million over 10 years (2010–11 to 2019–20) for the acquisition and operating costs (including crew, maintenance and fuel costs) of new patrol boats to replace the Bay Class patrol boat fleet—the Cape Class patrol boats (CCPBs). Over the 10 year period, the Government required Customs to offset approximately 90 per cent of the additional operating costs associated with the CCPBs, compared to the Bay Class patrol boats, from within Customs’ internal allocations. The Government also required that the replacement vessels maintain a patrol function of 2400 sea days per annum across the fleet.
Customs issued through Austender an Requests for Proposal [RFP] seeking industry responses for each of the replacement options. The RFP opened on 23 June 2009 and closed on 17 September 2009. The cost to industry of responding to two capability options was considerable, with one company advising the ANAO that: "The bid cost for the RFP was in the seven figures, and was approximately five times the cost of a usual tendering activity. It was the largest tendering activity undertaken by the company to date." Overall, while the RFP exercise was useful, the low response rate (one response) diminished its value. The low response rate was attributed to the cost of participating in the RFP.
The Request for Tender was released through Austender on 30 July 2010 and closed on 22 October 2010. Three responses to the RFT were submitted by the closing date. Negotiations with the two shortlisted tenderers commenced in February 2011 and were planned for completion by early May, with a contract to be signed by late May 2011. Negotiations with one respondent progressed until April 2011, when the company advised Customs that it would withdraw from the process. This resulted in negotiations continuing with the remaining respondent.
A contract for the acquisition of eight aluminium patrol boats and in-service support (ISS) was signed on 12 August 2011 between the Commonwealth (represented by Customs) and the prime contractor (Austal Ships Pty Ltd, based at Henderson in Western Australia). The total budget for the acquisition was set at $316.5 million over the period 2011–12 to 2015–16. This included $277.7 million in acquisition contract milestone payments to the contractor. The remaining budget covers the costs of: government furnished material7; foreign exchange risk; and an allowance for design/equipment changes and rectification work.
The acceptance schedule included a break of more than 12 months between the first CCPB and the second vessel. This schedule incorporated a six month vessel build pause under the contract, which was intended to capture and address design issues arising from the operational test and evaluation of the first CCPB, before construction commenced on the second vessel. Data provided by Customs showed that, as at September 2014, the contractor’s vessel production schedule for vessels four to eight was generally in-line—within a few weeks—to meet the planned acceptance schedule.
Designed and built by Austal, the Cape Class is a 58 meter all aluminium monohull patrol boat specifically produced to combat the full range of maritime security threats. The vessel has a long 4000 nautical mile range and 28-day patrol cycle with a crew of up to 22. The vessel also supports two high speed 7.3 metre Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats used for intercepting other vessels.
The Cape Class Patrol Boats have greater range, endurance and flexibility in responding to maritime security threats than the previous Bay Class vessels. These boats also have enhanced capability to operate in higher sea states and survive in more severe conditions. The patrol boats have capacity to accommodate future upgrades in surveillance technology and response capability. The vessels are connected to the Australian Maritime Security Operations Centre via an Australian Maritime Identification System terminal onboard each vessel.
The Cape Class Patrol Boats are able to:
- Undertake 28 day patrols;
- Sail 4,000 nautical miles before having to refuel;
- Sail to 50 degrees south, in Southern Ocean waters;
- Combat the full range of maritime security threats;
- Carry a larger crew than the Bay Class vessels to more effectively and safely manage boarding operations;
- Identify, track, intercept additional threats in the maritime domain and gather intelligence and store evidence for matters that may proceed to the courts; and
- Launch two Tender Response Vessels simultaneously.
Australian Border Force patrol boats may be deployed according to aerial surveillance, community reports and/or radar sightings. They may be used to:
- Counter people, drug and weapons smuggling;
- Apprehend foreign fishing vessels;
- Gather information and intelligence;
- Monitor environmental pollution; and
- Assist management of offshore nature reserves and marine parks.
Australia has 36,000 kilometres of coastline and an offshore maritime area of nearly 13 million square kilometers. The new Cape Class Patrol Boats will play a significant role in border security by maintaining a presence around Australia’s coastline and responding to reported or suspected border incidents and illegal activity. Australian Border Force vessels perform strategic patrols and tactical surveillance and enforcement for various agencies to address maritime security threats within and beyond Australia’s 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
These threats are:
- unauthorised maritime arrivals;
- bio-security;
- illegal exploitation of natural resources;
- illegal activity in protected areas;
- import or export of prohibited items;
- maritime terrorism;
- piracy, robbery or violence at sea; and
- marine pollution.
The Cape Class Patrol Boats and crew are capable of operating to the full extent of the Australian EEZ, other than in the deep Southern Ocean, and have the capacity to conduct operations in all environments in which Australian Border Force now operates andwill be required to operate in the future.
In the 2010-11 Budget, the Australian Government reaffirmed its commitment to improving maritime border security by investing in building and supporting eight new enhanced patrol boats to replace the Bay Class vessels, which were nearing the end of their planned operational life. In March 2010, Customs and Border Protection (now Australian Border Force) released a tender for the design and construction of these boats. Austal emerged as the winner of the contract to design, build and provide in-service support to Australia’s next generation of border protection vessels.
The in-service support contract extends for a minimum period of eight years and encompasses a full range of intermediate and depot level maintenance activities. Further options can be exercised by Australian Border Force for in-service support for the life of the fleet. This contract was Austal’s second significant contract with the Australian government for border protection vessels, having designed and constructed the previous fleet of eight Bay Class vessels.
The new Cape Class Patrol Boats represent a significant investment in Australia’s long term security and is the biggest maritime acquisition project ever undertaken by Australian Border Force. The first Cape Class Patrol Boat came on line in early 2013, and the last vessel, Cape York, was delivered in September 2015.
Austal received a $63m contract from the National Australia Bank in December 2015 for two more Cape Class patrol boats. The first vessel was delivered to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in April 2017 and the second vessel was handed over in May 2017.
The support contract extends for a minimum period of eight years and encompasses a full range of intermediate and depot level maintenance activities. Further options can be exercised by the Australian Border Force for In-Service Support for the life of the Cape-class Patrol Boat fleet.
Austal Limited reported 30 July 2018 that the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) has announced its intention to purchase two Austal Cape Class Patrol Boats. The vessels will enhance the border protection capabilities of the country in conjunction with the existing Coast Guard fleet, and will join six Austal Fast Patrol Craft acquired in 2009.
This announcement is further to a comprehensive proposal submitted by Austal to GORTT in recent weeks. The sale is likely to be supported by the Australian Government via the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC), and follows a demonstration by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) of the capabilities of the Cape Class vessel to a delegation of senior Trinidad and Tobago officials, which included the Chief of Defence Staff. The order is likely to be valued at circa AU$100m plus a multi-year ongoing maintenance and support package. Austal expects to establish a Service Centre in Trinidad to support these vessels, the Austal supplied Fast Patrol Craft, and any additional vessels requiring maintenance as determined by GORTT.
The new Cape Class vessels will be built in Austal’s Henderson shipyard based in Western Australia. Austal had already built 10 Cape Class vessels in Henderson for the Australian Border Force and RAN. Delivery is expected to be in mid-2020.
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