Visitor from Vanuatu

Brisbane's Rivergate Marina and Shipyard welcomed an unusual visitor this week, the 31.5-metre Pacific class patrol boat, RVS Tukoro, which is owned by Vanuatu and operated by the country's police force.

Tukoro was donated to Vanuatu in 1987 by the Australian government, which commissioned the vessel, and has spent thousands of hours patrolling the waters around the island nation while engaged in search and rescue operations, drug detection and disaster relief.

Now, the 162-tonne vessel is back in Australia for a variety of refit works including structural and hull strengthening works. Andrew Cannon, the manager of Rivergate Marina and Shipyard says the works should not take more than six weeks to complete, despite all the structural work having to comply with Commonwealth Military Standards.

RVS Tukoro is part of the Pacific Patrol Boat program that is a defence co-operation project between Australia and 12 island nations in the Pacific. It is the largest and most complex defence co-operation project ever funded in Australia.

Cannon says Rivergate is more than happy to support the Vanuatu Government with the maintenance of its maritime assets.

Rivergate Marina and Shipyard, located in the Brisbane River adjacent to the Gateway Bridge, specialises in the maintenance of commercial vessels, sports boats and superyachts. Cannon says that being selected to undertake the structural modifications and upgrades to RVS Tukoro is a testament to Rivergate's ability to complete works professionally, on time and within budget.