Law and order at sea in the South Pacific: the contribution of the Pacific Patrol Boat project

Under the Pacific Patrol Boat (PPB) program, Australia has supplied twenty-two 31.5 m patrol boats to 12 island countries in the South Pacific. While the primary task of these boats is fisheries protection, they have also been used for a range of other national tasks, including search and rescue, medical evacuations, hydrographic surveying, anti-smuggling and sovereignty patrols. As well as the boats themselves, the program comprises resident maritime surveillance and technical advisers, crew training and through-life logistic support. The PPB program has proven to be highly successful with the benefits of the program exceeding those originally sought by the Australian Department of Defence in establishing the program.