Austal Limited (Austal) is pleased to announce Austal Australia has delivered the sixth of eight Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (ECCPB’s) to the Royal Australian Navy. The vessel, ADV Cape Pillar, was officially accepted by the Commonwealth of Australia at Austal’s Henderson, Western Australia shipyard. The Evolved Capes feature new, larger amenities to accommodate up to 32 people, improved quality of life systems and advanced sustainment intelligence systems that further enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s ability to fight and win at sea. The patrol boats will be utilised for a wide variety of constabulary and naval missions and play a critical role in Australia’s national security, as a high-performing, reliable and effective maritime asset.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said,“Cape Pillar was the third Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat delivered to the Royal Australian Navy in CY2023, continuing an enviable track record of Australian shipbuilding efficiency and productivity.The Austal Australia team, collaborating with the Department of Defence, the Royal Australian Navy and our valued supply chain partners, are very clearly demonstrating what the National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise is capable of – delivering sovereign capability for Australia. ADV Cape Pillar is the sixth Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat Austal delivered in just over 18 months, effectively providing a new capability for the Royal Australian Navy every three months”.

Austal is on track to deliver the remaining two Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats currently under construction at Henderson, Western Australia in 2024; completing the fleet of eight vessels that are enhancing Australia’s maritime security. The Cape class is a ship class of 20 large patrol boats operated by the Marine Unit of the Australian Border Force, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. The project to construct the eight, 58-metre aluminium monohull patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy commenced in May 2020. The ‘Evolved’ Cape-class has several enhancements and has increased crew capacity from 22 to 32 people.

The first five Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats, Cape Otway, Cape Peron, Cape Naturaliste, Cape Capricorn and Cape Woolamai were delivered within an eighteen-month period, from March 2022. Austal Australia continues to employ approximately 400 people (directly) in Western Australia and is engaging more than 300 supply chain partners across Australia, to deliver the Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat Project (SEA1445-1) for the Royal Australian Navy. In-service support for the Cape, Evolved Cape and Guardian-class Patrol Boat fleets operated by the Australian Border Force, Royal Australian Navy and Pacific Island nations is provided by Austal Australia through dedicated service centres located in Henderson, Western Australia; Cairns, Queensland; and Darwin, Northern Territory.