Construction begins on Australia’s sixth CCPB

Construction on the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service’s sixth Cape Class Patrol Boat (CCPB), Cape Leveque, has been marked with the keel laying by Austal at its Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.

In August 2011, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service had awarded $330m contract to Austal to design and construct eight CCPB and also to provide through-life support.

Under the contract, the company also will provide eight-year in-service support comprising full range of intermediate and depot level maintenance activities.

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service received the first Cape Class Patrol Boat, Cape St George, in April 2013 while the second ship, the Cape Byron, is scheduled to be delivered in the next two months.

Austal Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bellamy said that the company’s shipbuilding yard at Henderson is at full Cape Class production levels.

"Through superior design and skilled workmanship we are providing vessels on time and within budget, and, according to feedback from Customs and Border Protection, that class of vessel is exceeding their high operational expectations," Bellamy added.

"In addition, the construction of the Cape Class vessels underpins both Austal’s domestic/export demand model for Australian shipbuilding and the 500 skilled employees at our Henderson operation."

Designed to replace the ageing fleet of Bay-class patrol boats, the Cape Class Patrol Boats can be deployed across the Australian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to conduct security and surveillance operations.

The fleet can also conduct missions including preventing unauthorised maritime access, piracy, maritime terrorism, marine pollution, illegal foreign fishing, unlawful import or export and illegal activity in protected areas.