New Police Guardian Glass Patrol Boat Nafanua III Welcome

By Lagi Keresoma

Apia, Samoa – 19 January 2024: After a seven week journey, the new Police Guardian Glass Patrol Boat Nafanua III was welcomed in a brief ceremony at the Police Maritime complex at Matautu wharf late this morning.

The replacement patrol boat funded by the Australian Government was welcomed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, the Ministry of Police and families of the 22 crew members who have been in Australia since October 2023. The boat set sail from Perth, Australia in November last year after the boat was handed over to the Samoan Government. The official service to christen and handover the boat to the Ministry will take place next week.

Today’s welcome service was led by Reverend Dr. Salesulu Siaosi who said that the boat may be new and looks nice, but the greatest asset of all is in our hearts. “We were brought here by our parents using different vessels but we all need to row together,” he said.

The new Patrol Boat Nafanua III is a third of a series of patrol vessels that have been offered to the Government of Samoa from the Australian Government, to monitor and protect Samoa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Families of the officers welcome them home after being away since October 2023.

The boat replaces Nafanua II which was a write-off when it ran aground on the reef outside the Salelologa wharf in May 2021 after delivering extra police officers to help keep order during an HRPP political rally on Savaii Island.

In November 2023, the Australian Government handed over the patrol boat Nafanua III to the Samoan Government in Perth Western Australia, then it started its long journey stopping at three ports before arriving in Samoa today.

Prior to the handover ceremony in Australia, 22 crew members were already in Australia since October 2023 and underwent training in manning the new patrol vessel.

Of the 22 crew members, two are female.

Nafanua III Captain Inspector Maioa Amosa acknowledged his team during the 3 months they were in Australia for training.

He said there were challenges especially on the journey home through bad weather, but working as a team got them through some challenging times.