Austal secures fast patrol craft fleet order

Austal has just announced the contract to build six 30-metre aluminium fast patrol craft for the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

This significant order includes additional contracts for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and crew training services. The all-aluminium fast patrol boats will support the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard in providing sustained surveillance in the country's internal waters, the archipelagic territorial sea and its exclusive economic zone. Each vessel will have a small 12-man crew, a maximum speed of 40 knots and will be armed with three general-purpose machine guns and a 20mm cannon. All six vessels will be constructed at Austal's facilities in Henderson, Western Australia and are scheduled for delivery by early 2010. During the construction period, Austal will provide a training programme including familiarization of vessel operation, ship based engineer training as well as maintenance training for shore-based support personnel. The fast patrol craft will play a major role in ensuring the safety of shipping, as well as the preservation of the marine environment. Each patrol boat is to be powered by two MTU 16 cylinder 2000 series diesel engines driving a Kamewa waterjet propulsion system, allowing a maximum speed of 40 knots and a maximum range of more than 1000 nautical miles at 10 knots.

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