Marine Unit (Australian Border Force)

The Marine Unit, formerly the Australian Customs Service National Marine Unit, is a division of the Australian Border Force which acts as a Coast Guard in guarding Australia's coast. The Marine Unit focuses on surveillance and response activities within the Australian Economic Exclusion Zone, and the operation and training of ships and crews to do so.

ABF Marine Unit
ABF Flag
Active2015 (2015) – present
Country Australia
AgencyAustralian Border Force
TypeCoast guard
Role
Part ofMaritime Border Command
HeadquartersCanberra, Australia.
AbbreviationABF MU
Commanders
Current
commander		Commander Claire Rees (Acting)[1]
Equipment
Boats10 major ships
13 patrol boats
Website
https://www.abf.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/border-protection/maritime

Operations
Cape-class patrol boat ABFC Cape St George Patrols an offsore oil platform
See also: Maritime Border Command (Australia)

The CMU and the Border Protection Division (formerly known as Coastwatch) make up the Customs contribution to Maritime Border Command, a joint command with the Australian Defence Force and incorporating assets from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, and state-level agencies. Maritime Border Command is responsible for protecting Australia's maritime areas, offshore assets, and external territories from threats, including the exploitation of natural resources, people smuggling, importation or exportation of drugs and other illegal items, piracy, and terrorism.

Facilities

Australian Border Force maintains a permanent base of operations for the Marine Unit at the Port Darwin East Arm Wharf.[2]

Ships

Ships operated by the CMU were referred to as Australian Customs Vessels (ACVs) until the creation of the Australian Border Force in 2015 when the prefix of vessels operated by the CMU was changed to Australian Border Force Cutter (ABFC).

Current ships

The largest ship in the Australian Border Force fleet is the 110.9-metre (364 ft) offshore patrol vessel ABFC Ocean Shield, which entered service in June 2012 and is a sister ship to ADV Ocean Protector.[3] ABFC Thaiyak is a unique 40-metre (130 ft) vessel delivered in June 2014[4] intended to replace the ACV Ashmore Guardian for use around the Ashmore and Cartier Islands. In addition, charter arrangements give Customs access to an additional twenty vessels of various sizes and types; these are called on when required to transport apprehended foreign fishermen and illegal entrants, or tow captured vessels.

Current fleet[5]
ImageClassNameTypeEntered serviceDetails
ABFC Ocean Shield, Ocean Shield
ABFC Ocean Shield, Ocean Shield
N/AOcean ShieldSealift, offshore patrol2012Previously operated by Royal Australian Navy.
N/AThaiyakLong term Ashmore capability (LTAC)2014Primarily stationed at the Ashmore and Cartier Islands.
ABFC Cape St. George, Cape St. George
ABFC Cape St. George, Cape St. George
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape St. GeorgeOffshore patrol2013
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape ByronOffshore patrol2014
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape NelsonOffshore patrol2014
ABFC Cape Sorell, Cape Sorell
ABFC Cape Sorell, Cape Sorell
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape SorellOffshore patrol2014
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape JervisOffshore patrol2015
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape LevequeOffshore patrol2015
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape WesselOffshore patrol2015
ABFC Cape York, Cape York
ABFC Cape York, Cape York
Cape-class Patrol BoatCape YorkOffshore patrol2015

Small boats

In 2017 Australian Border Force signed contracts to acquire 13 new harbour and costal patrol boats.[6] These vessels are stationed around the country and are used for a variety of operations including costal patrol, surveillance and drug interdiction.[7]

  • ABF Boat Rottnest Island, Fremantle
    ABF Boat Rottnest Island, Fremantle
  • An ABF harbour patrol vessel, Pilbara Coast, Fremantle, 2020
    An ABF harbour patrol vessel, Pilbara Coast, Fremantle, 2020
  • Australian Border Force rigid-hulled inflatable boat Rottnest Island near Kwinana Bulk Terminal, August 2021
    Australian Border Force rigid-hulled inflatable boat Rottnest Island near Kwinana Bulk Terminal, August 2021

Future ships

The Royal Australian Navy has procured 6 Evolved Cape-class patrol vessels to act as a stopgap replacement for the Armidale-class patrol boat as they await the completion of the Arafura-class of patrol vessels.[8] It remains unclear if these Evolved Cape-class patrol vessels will be transferred to the Australian Border Force once all Arafura-class vessels have been commissioned into RAN service.

The Defence Strategic Review (DSR) due in 2023 is reportedly considering removing the Arafura-class from Royal Australian Navy service and transferring them to the Australian Border Force Marine Unit, this is being considered as the Arafura class lacks the capabilities required in high-end warfighting.[9][10] Under that plan, the RAN would instead acquire a fleet of corvettes .

Former ships
Former Bay class Australian Customs Vessel Botany Bay (ACV30) returns to Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin, Australia

References
  1. "ABF Organisational Chart" (PDF). Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  2. VANOVAC, NEDA. "'No port security fear': Border Force head". NT News. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  3. "Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Ocean Shield - Naval Technology". Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  4. "Strategic Marine Delivers MV Thaiyak".
  5. "Patrol vessels". Australian Border Force. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  6. "New fleet of ABF Port and Coastal Vessels on the way". Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  7. "ABF launch new patrol boat in Melbourne to crackdown on drug smugglers". Herald Sun. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  8. "Evolved Cape-Class Patrol Boats, Australia". Naval Technology. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  9. Felton, Benjamin (20 December 2022). "What does Australia's Strategic Review hold for the RAN?". Naval News. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  10. Greene, Andrew (9 October 2022). "'97 years late': Expensive problems on major defence projects concern federal government". ABC News. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  11. "First of Two Bay Class Patrol Boats Gifted to Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency". 26 March 2015.
  12. "Bay Class Gifting – Flag Transfer Ceremony - Australian Border Force Newsroom".
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