Austal Names Third-in-Series Cape Class Patrol Boat

Austal Limited announces the third-in-series Cape Class Patrol Boat has been officially named Cape Nelson during a ceremony today at the Company’s Australian Defence Facility in Henderson, Western Australia.

Cape Nelson is the third of eight boats being provided by Austal for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) under a design, construct and in-service support contract. The vessel was launched at Austal’s Henderson shipyard in May 2014 and has since undergone final fit out, sea trials and was handed over to ACBPS in September. ACBPS are currently undertaking final crew training before the vessel enters operational service.

The naming ceremony was attended by Nigel Perry, acting DCEO Border Enforcement, and Ms Kelly Cartwright OAM, Australian Paralympian who officially named the vessel after Cape Nelson in her home state of Victoria.

Cape Nelson is a state of the art maritime defence capability that will play a significant role in protecting Australia’s borders from multiple maritime threats. It has been designed to have greater range, endurance and flexibility – as well as enhanced capability to operate in more severe sea conditions and across longer range – than the current fleet of Customs and Border Protection vessels and indeed the Royal Australian Navy Patrol Boat fleet.

Cape Class is a program of work that underpins Austal’s strategy as a global defence prime contractor of Ships, Systems and Support. It is a Program that has also enabled Austal to reposition and strengthen its Henderson facilities as a defence-focused operation.

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Press release, Image: Austal