The Pacific Patrol Boat former HMPNGS Rabaul has completed its final voyage to Port Macquarie in Australia from Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island, after 31 years of service with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.
The patrol boat was gifted to Papua New Guinea in May 1987 under the Pacific Patrol Boat Program, which ultimately delivered 22 vessels to Pacific Island nations.
Former Rabaul's commanding officer turned the vessel over to the Commonwealth in Port Macquarie on Sunday, October 21, to enable its environmentally responsible disposal. The crew will travel to the Defence International Training Centre and then to Western Australia for training before receiving the first of their four Guardian-class replacement vessels in late November 2018.
