VOEA Neiafu

VOEA Neiafu (P201) was a Pacific Forum patrol vessel operated by Tonga since 1989.^[1] It was decommissioned in 2020.^[2]

VOEA Neiafu in 2016
History
Tonga
Name	Neiafu
Launched	1989
Decommissioned	2020
Identification	MMSI number: 570210000 Callsign: A3CB
Status	Decommissioned
General characteristics
Class and type	Pacific Forum-class patrol boat
Displacement	162 tons
Length	103 ft (31 m)

Background

When the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea extended maritimes nations' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to 200 kilometres (110 nmi), Australia designed and built 22 patrol vessels for 12 of its fellow members of the Pacific Forum.^[1][3] Australia provided the patrol vessels free of charge, and helped build port facilities and provide training. This allowed its neighbours to exercise sovereignty over their EEZ, intercept smugglers, poaching fishers, and provide emergency services.

Australia will replace Neiafu and her two sister ships with two slightly larger and more capable vessels between 2019 and 2020.^[4]

Design

The 31.5-metre (103 ft) vessels displace 162 tonnes, and are built using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment, instead of more expensive, high-performance, military-grade equipment, to ease the maintenance burden, since local maintenance will be performed in small, isolated shipyards.^[5]

Operational history

In 2009, after 20 years of service, Neiafu returned to Australia for a major refit.^[1]

In 2015 Neiafu traveled to Vanuatu to provide aid following a typhoon.^[6]

In 2016 Neiafu participated in a joint exercise with vessels of other nations.^[7]

Neiafu completed another Australian refit in 2017.^[8]

References

1. "Maritime Surveillance Adviser -- Tonga". Nautilus Institute. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
2. "VOEA Neiafu arrives in Australia". Loop Tonga. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
3. Dave Morley (2015-12-03). "Lifelines across Pacific" (PDF). Navy News. Vol. 58, no. 23. p. 8. Retrieved 2018-08-12. The program involves 22 Australian-gifted patrol boats to 12 Pacific island countries, the majority of which are operated by police services.
4. "Tonga to receive new patrol boats from Australia". Tonga Broadcasting. 2017-08-22. Archived from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2018-06-26. According to Component Commander of the Navy, Commander Haisi Fonohema, Tonga will receive the 2 new patrol boats by 2019-2020.
5. "Pacific Patrol Boat upgraded". Australian Defence. 2009-09-29. Retrieved 2018-06-26. The 31.5-metre PPBs are built to a commercial standard and are used by Pacific nations for maritime surveillance and response, in particular fisheries patrols.
6. "Tonga's patrol boat to assist with transportation of relief and humanitarian supplies in Vanuatu". Relief Web. 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2018-06-26. Speaking to Radio Tonga, Lieutenant Colonel Lord Ve'ehala said the Voea Neiafu will be deployed to Vanuatu for three weeks and will assist with the transporting of relief supplies to outer islands.
7. Tony White (2016-09-29). "Cooperating in the South Pacific". Australian Navy. Retrieved 2018-06-26. Involving more than 100 personnel from Tonga, the Cook Islands and Samoa, New Zealand and Australia, this year's iteration involved Cook Islands Police Patrol Boat Te Kukupa, Samoan Patrol Boat Nafanua and Tongan vessels Voea Late and Pangai.
8. "Completion of VOEA NEIAFU Refit by Australia". Government of Tonga. 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2018-06-26. On completion of the refit package, the boat was handed over to the crew under the command of Lieutenant Commander Semisi Tapueluelu for work-up on upgraded systems and preparations for passage back to Tonga.