Samoa's Nafanua II remains in dry dock in Australia

Questions have been raised in Australia over the fate of the damaged multi-million dollar patrol boat, Nafanua II which is now in dry dock in Cairns.

The patrol boat remains "high and dry" at Portsmith shipyard allegedly "amid an international stalemate about who is going to pick up a multi-million-dollar repair bill."

An Australia Defence spokesman is quoted by the Samoa Observer saying that Samoan authorities had been provided with an assessment of the damage but he did not say if the Australian taxpayers would pay the bill.

Samoa Minister of Police, Faualo Harry Schuster, told the Samoa Observer that government was still awaiting a report from Australia on the Nafanua II maintenance status.

The Nafanua II was donated by the Australian Government in 2019 through the $2 billion Pacific Maritime Security Program after being built in Western Australia.

     

Photo file  Caption: Samoa's patrol boat Nafanua II