Dongara Marine Awarded Large Patrol Vessel Contract

Dongara Marine has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to build the Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's new large patrol vessel.

The 24-meter fisheries patrol vessel will be built to a design from WA naval architecture firm Southerly Designs.

The government is investing $13.7 million into the project to replace the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's ageing PV Walcott.

The new patrol vessel will have a longer fuel range to conduct extended voyages, low engine emissions, and improved living conditions compared to the existing 25-year-old PV Walcott.

The vessel will be able to conduct extended voyages of up to 14 days with accommodation and food storage for 10 people, has a more efficient hull design with twin keels to provide improved stability and reduced roll, the latest navigation equipment, and infra-red night vision to support search and research and night-time patrols.

It will also have a 5.5-meter tender to conduct inspections and boardings at sea.

When completed the patrol vessel will be based in Broome and used for a range of core government roles including domestic fisheries compliance, marine park management, shark incident response, marine safety, sea search and rescue, whale disentanglement and illegal foreign fishing interception.

Work is expected to commence this month with the aim of being completed by September 2025.

Established in Port Denison in 1975, Dongara Marine opened a purpose-built shipyard in Geraldton earlier this year. It currently employs over 60 staff. The company expects to complete 11 new vessels and two major refits this year.