The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS), now Australian Border Force, initiated a procurement process in mid-2009 to select a vessel suitable for providing a patrol service through to 2016. The area of operations was Australia’s entire Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the Antarctic waters.

CAPDA Consulting was engaged by the ACBPS to deliver the $180 million project, and managed procurement of the Australian Customs Vessel (ACV) Ocean Protector through the project’s entire lifecycle.  

The project’s requirements included determining and finalising the vessel’s capabilities, developing the request for tender to source a suitable vessel, evaluating tender responses, and negotiating the contract.  

Once delivered, the project’s remaining requirements included managing a $20 million modification program of the vessel, which had a length overall (LOA) of 106 metres, a beam of 21 metres and a 16,000 nm range.  

CAPDA Consulting managed the modification program, which included design reviews and assisting with meeting regulatory obligations stipulated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).  

As part of the program, CAPDA Consulting’s project team led testing and trials of modifications that added to the base ship, including an extensive medical facility, a preparation and suiting area for Marine Enforcement Officers, accommodation for irregular maritime arrivals such as illegal foreign fishing crew, and installing a launch, recovery and storage facilities for Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs).  

The final stage of the project transitioned the vessel successfully into in-service operations to be managed by a separate area within ACPBS.  

The project received an Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) award in 2011.