Ships boost navy’s capabilities
The Fiji Navy’s operational capabilities are expected to be boosted this year. This is after it receives a new vessel and it takes delivery of another vessel undergoing a refit.
A new surveillance and hydrographic vessel from the People’s Republic of China named the RFNS Kacau will join the navy’s fleet this year.
Chief of the Fijian Navy Captain (Navy) Humphrey Tawake said the new vessel would boost their work. When asked about the RFNS Kikau, he said the refitting work had been completed in Cairns, Australia.
Twenty sailors are currently studying at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania and will bring back the RFNS Kikau to Fiji. After the sea trial the RFNS Kikau and the sailors will take part in Exercise Kakadu.
A release from the Australian navy said: “It is Australia’s premier international maritime exercise, bringing together navies and air forces from the Asian, Pacific and Indian Ocean regions to test integration and war fighting abilities.” Exercise Kakadu is one of the largest exercises of its type in the Indo-Pacific region. Captain (Navy) Tawake said the RFNS Kikau returns home in the first week of October. Meanwhile, the Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace arrived in Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby on Wednesday.
This is the first stop of the Ark Peace’s current Mission Harmony 2018 after a 14-day voyage starting from the port of Zhoushan, eastern China.
It is set to sail to other countries including Vanuatu, Fiji, Venezuela, Grenada and Ecuador.
It will be open to the public during its stopover in Suva to further promote cultural understanding and friendship between the two countries.
The vessel will conduct joint medical diagnoses, treatment and academic exchanges with local hospital staff.
Since 2008, the vessel has visited 37 countries and provided free medical services to more than 180,000 people. Edited by Epineri Vula