Australian Customs Service National Marine Unit
Encyclopedia
Operations
The CMU and the Border Protection Division (formerly known as Coastwatch) make up the Customs contribution to Border Protection CommandBorder Protection Command (Australia)
The Australian Government's Border Protection Command is a multi-agency command which was established in 2005 to coordinate the protection of Australia’s offshore assets...
, a joint command
Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
with the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
and incorporating assets from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority
Australian Fisheries Management Authority
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority is the Australian Government statutory agency responsible for the management and sustainable use of fisheries resources and for combating illegal fishing activities in Australian waters .-History:The Australian Fisheries Management Authority was...
, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is the Australian government agency responsible for enforcing Australian quarantine laws...
, and state-level agencies. Border Protection 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.
Ships
The primary vessels operated by the CMU are the eight s. The 38 metres (124.7 ft) oceangoing patrol boats (ACVs Roebuck Bay, Holdfast Bay, Botany Bay, Hervey Bay, Corio Bay, Arnhem Bay, Dame Roma Mitchell, and Storm Bay) are used to patrol the northern extension of the Australian EEZ and Australia's offshore territories. These vessels were due to be replaced in 2010, but it was not until June of that year that a request for tenderRequest for tender
A request for tender, commonly abbreviated to RFT, is a formal, structured invitation to suppliers for the supply of products or services. In the public sector, such a process may be required and determined in detail by law to ensure that such competition for the use of public money is open, fair...
was issued for eight larger patrol boats designated the Cape class, which are expected to enter service from 2013 onwards.
Several larger vessels are chartered by the CMU to supplement the Bay class boats in the patrol and protection roles. The 98 metres (321.5 ft) trimaran ACV Triton
RV Triton
The Research Vessel Triton is a trimaran vessel owned by Gardline Marine Sciences Limited and a former prototype British warship demonstrator for the UK's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency...
operates in northern waters in an individual capacity, but can also be used as a command vessel for Border Protection Command operations. ACV Ashmore Guardian is a 35 metres (114.8 ft) vessel converted to patrol and monitor the Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
The Territory of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands is an external territory of Australia consisting of two groups of small low-lying uninhabited tropical islands in the Indian Ocean situated on the edge of the continental shelf north-west of Australia and south of the Indonesian island of...
and their attached marine reserve
Marine reserve
For the United States Marine Corps Reserve see: Marine Forces ReserveA marine reserve is an area of the sea which has legal protection against fishing or development. This is to be distinguished from a marine park, but there is some overlap in usage...
s. MV Oceanic Viking
MV Oceanic Viking
The MV Oceanic Viking is an armed patrol vessel of the Australian Customs Service. Originally built in 1996 as the offshore supply vessel Viking Lady for Norwegian shipping company Eidesvik Shipping AS, the ship was converted into a cable layer in 2000 and renamed Oceanic Viking...
, a 106 metres (347.8 ft) former cable layer
Cable layer
A cable layer or cable ship is a deep-sea vessel designed and used to lay underwater cables for telecommunications, electricity, and such. Cable ships are distinguished by large cable sheaveshttp://atlantic-cable.com/Cableships/Monarch%284%29/ | History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea...
was used to patrol the Southern Ocean, Australian Antarctic Territory
Australian Antarctic Territory
The Australian Antarctic Territory is a part of Antarctica. It was claimed by the United Kingdom and placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1933. It is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation...
, and the territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
The Heard Island and McDonald Islands are an Australian external territory and volcanic group of barren Antarctic islands, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. The group's overall size is in area and it has of coastline...
until mid- 2010. Oceanic Vikings replacement, ACV Ocean Protector (the former Norwegian vessel MV Skandi Bergen), entered service in November 2010 following modification. 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.
Ships operated by the CMU are referred to as Australian Customs Vessels (ACVs).