Australia Delivers New Patrol Vessel to Tuvalu in Strengthened Maritime Partnership

The Australian federal government has officially handed over a state-of-the-art Guardian Class patrol boat, named the HMTSS Te Mataili III, to Tuvalu. The handover ceremony took place at Fleet Base West in Western Australia, with the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo OBE, receiving the vessel on behalf of his country.

The provision of this patrol boat comes as part of the enhanced security collaboration between Australia and Tuvalu, outlined in the Falepili Union. This strategic partnership aims to bolster Tuvalu’s maritime capabilities and its capacity to protect its crucial maritime resources.

Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Development, Pat Conroy, commended the delivery, stating, “The delivery of HMTSS Te Mataili III to Tuvalu demonstrates Australia’s commitment to enhancing the capabilities of our Pacific partners.” He emphasized the importance of working towards a “peaceful, prosperous and resilient Pacific.”

The HMTSS Te Mataili III is the latest of 21 vessels delivered under the Pacific Maritime Security Program, part of Australia’s long-standing commitment to maintaining robust engagement with its Pacific allies. “It is an honour to hand over HMTSS Te Mataili III to Tuvalu with their prime minister, the Honourable Feleti Teo OBE,” said Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh. Keogh further noted, “Australia is proud to be Tuvalu’s primary security partner and we greatly value the enhanced partnership between our nations.”

The vessel replaces the HMTSS Te Mataili II, which Tuvalu had operated since 2019 until it suffered irreparable damage from twin cyclones in 2023. Austal, an Australian shipbuilder, constructed these vessels under contract as part of a broader initiative to supply Guardian-class patrol boats to Pacific Island countries including Fiji, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea, and future orders are valued at AUD400 million.