Patrol boat

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa and Japanese Ambassador Keisuke Senta marked the launching of the boat with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Consecrated and named The Tilafaiga, the boat is valued at more than half a million US dollars.

According to the Japanese Government, the boat will help ensure the maritime safety of its neighbours and ocean territory.

The Government of Japan Monday signed the funding agreement for Samoa to have a boat to patrol its economic zone to await the replacement patrol and surveillance vessel already commissioned by the Australian Government.

Japan is providing JPY$150 million ($3million talā) for the cost of the boat and the agreement was signed today by Japans Ambassador, HE Senta Keisuke and the Minister of Police and Prisons, Faualo Harry Shuster.

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 Samoa Observer reports a salvage team from Australia and a guard boat are in Savai'i to remove the badly damaged vessel from the reef and to transport it to Australia for further assessment and repair.

Deputy Police Commissioner, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo said if the operation, which started yesterday, goes as planned the 30 million dollar boat will likely leave Samoan waters by next week.

He said a barge will be used to test if it can tow the Nafanua II to Australia.

The Samoa Observer reports the National Emergency Operations Centre is leading the response for the Samoan government which sought salvage assistance from Canberra.

An advance team arrived on Friday to stabilise the vessel and prepare it for salvage.

The police patrol boat, which was donated by Australia in 2019, ran aground while transporting police officers to boost the Savaii force after the former ruling HRPP party planned a rally on the island.

Photo file 

Police commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil said he was worried about an incident happening in the next four months.

Newsline Samoa reported police have warned fishers to take more care and carry emergency and survival kits.

It is unclear why the previous patrol boat was returned but it had reportedly been in service for 30 years.

The patrol boat is being arranged under the Pacific Maritime Security Programme.

The Nafanua II ship model was presented at Defence Cooperation Talks between Australia and Samoa this week.

Anna Koestenbaur presented the model of the vessel to Samoa’s Commissioner of Police Fuiavaililili Egon Keil on behalf of Australia’s Department of Defence.