 RFNS Puamau at the Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Fiji | |
| Name | Puamau |
| Builder | Austal |
| Acquired | March 2024 |
| Commissioned | 7 March 2024 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Active |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Guardian-class patrol boat |
| Length | 39.5 m (129 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 8 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draft | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 × Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, 2 shafts |
| Speed | 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Range | 3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Armament | Australia provides the ships without armament, but they are designed to be able to mount heavy machine guns, or an autocannon of up to 30 mm on the foredeck |
RFNS Puamau is a Guardian-class patrol boat donated to Fiji (for the Fijian Navy) by Australia as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project. The vessel entered service on 7 March 2024. The ship is used to patrol Fijian waters.
Puamau is a Guardian-class patrol boat, a design based on previous patrol boat types constructed by Austal for Australia.[1] The vessel is 39.5 metres (129 ft 7 in) long overall with a beam of 8 m (26 ft 3 in) and a draft of 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) when loaded. Puamau is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines with two ZF7600 gearboxes turning two fixed pitch propellers creating 4,000 kW (5,400 hp). The ship has a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and has a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph). The ship has berths for up to 23 crew and is equipped with one fast rescue rigid-inflatable boat with two 90 hp (67 kW) Yamaha engines capable of operating with up to 15 people aboard. There is a 16 m2 (170 sq ft) cargo deck serviced by a crane and is fitted for but not withanautocannon of up to 30 mm (1.2 in) and a 0.50-calibre machine gun on both the port and starboard sides of the ship.[2]
Australia ordered the Guardian-class patrol boats as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, an Australian government initiative to provide patrol vessels to the surrounding island nations of the Pacific. Twenty-two ships were ordered in all, and Fiji received its first vessel, RFNS Saveneca in 2020. Puamau was the nineteenth vessel constructed under the program, at Austal's shipyard in Henderson, Australia.[1] The future crew of Puamau left Fiji on 2 January 2024 aboard RFNS Kikau for training on the new ship.[3] Puamau was delivered to Australia on 7 March, who then gifted the vessel to the government of Fiji and the Fijian Navy with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in attendance.[1][4] Puamau sailed for Fiji, arriving on 4 May.[3]
On 11 June 2024, Puamau grounded on a reefatFulaga Island during its maiden voyage.[4][5] No one was hurt in the grounding and Australia is aiding in the salvage of the ship.[4]
