2 new patrol boats

New patrol boats for Samoa

The Australian vessel is set to be used for medevac and disaster response, later this year.

Samoa's first Guardian class patrol boat, which was gifted by Australia two years ago, was damaged in a grounding last August in Savaii.

Last month, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, announced Canberra would provide a replacement.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Government has offered to purchase a boat at a cost of $US6.6 million dollars.

This boat will be smaller than the Guardian vessel and will be used for coastal surveillance as well as search and rescue missions.