New vessel RFNS Savenaca expected to help Fiji Navy battle international criminal networks

The new Fijian Guardian-Class Patrol Boat, RFNS Savenaca is expected to boost Fiji’s efforts of cracking down criminal networks particularly, drug trade.

Speaking at the handover ceremony for the RFNS Savenaca in Australia, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says most of the narcotics passing through our waters are bound for lucrative markets such as Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, and other hubs in Australia and New Zealand but the inevitable spill-over makes this an issue far larger than any one market or nation.

Bainimarama says it is on all of us to band together to keep these criminals out of our waters and keep hard drugs out of our people’s hands – particularly young people adding with the RFNS Savenca in the ranks of Fiji’s fleet, Fiji’s capacity to combat drug smugglers will be further bolstered for the benefit of our people and our society at large .

The Prime Minister says but it is not only drug traders they are worried about.

He says the crew of this vessel, alongside the Fijian Navy Fleet, will combat illegal fishing, dumping, and human trafficking as well, adding none of these are Fijian threats alone.

With room for 23 crew and a 3,000 nautical range, the naval ship is named after, Savenaca Naulumatua who served in World War II.

He had died in the vicious fighting at the Battle of Kolombangara in the Solomons.

The RFNS Savenaca is the first of the two patrol boats gifted to Fiji under the Pacific Maritime Security Programme, the second of which will be delivered in 2023.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Minister for Defence, Linda Reynolds says the new ship is another demonstration that the Vuvale Partnership is not just a piece of paper but a real commitment.

She says Fiji and Australia’s commitment, cooperation and partnership has now reached another level and it is in the spirit of ‘vuvale’, the RFNS Savenaca was built.

Reynolds says the new vessel will certainly enhance Fiji’s sovereign capability to protect its valuable maritime resources and to combat illegal activities that undermine economic prosperity.

The Minister adds they will further strengthen ties that will build even greater trust and respect between the two nations particularly, between the navies and defence organisations.

She says this is also a capability platform that will enable them to work together to address common challenges in the Pacific adding both their leaders have a shared commitment to build a Pacific region that is strategically secure, economically-stable and also politically sovereign.