History
Palau
NamePSS President H.I. Remeliik
NamesakeHaruo Remeliik
BuilderAustralian Shipbuilding Industries
AcquiredMay 1996
DecommissionedMarch 13, 2020
Statusretired
General characteristics
Class and typePacific-class patrol boat
Displacement162 tonnes full load
Length31.5 m (103 ft 4 in)
Beam8.1 m (26 ft 7 in)
Draught1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Propulsion2 Caterpillar 3516TA diesel engines, 2,100 kW (2,820 hp), 2 shafts
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range2,500 nmi (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Endurance10 days

PSS Remeliik is a Pacific Forum-class patrol boat, designed and built in Australia, and donated to Palau, to help the nation patrol its exclusive economic zone.[1]

In 1982, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea increased all nations' exclusive economic zones (EEZs) to 200 kilometres (120 mi).[1] After the agreement Pacific Forum meetings triggered Australia to design a class of small patrol boats to give to twelve small nations, including Palau, that were suddenly dwarfed by their EEZs.

Remeliik was designed for a lifetime of 20 years, and Australia was scheduled to replace it with a Guardian-class patrol boat in 2019.[1][2] Remeliik II is expected to be handed over in June 2020.[3]

Operational history

In February 2016 The New York Times Magazine published an account of Remeliik's pursuit and boarding of Shin Jyi Chyuu, what the article called a "Taiwanese pirate ship."[4] In December Remeliik seized a vessel authorities described as the mother ship for a squadron of smaller poaching vessels.[5][6] They found the mother ship using an "aggregation device" and holding 30 tons of illicitly caught fish in her holds. The mother ship had no fishing license, and had kept no catch log.

In March 2018 Remeliik intercepted a Filipino fishing vessel engaged in poaching.[7] Normally poachers are set free after confiscating their catch, but, in this case, the fishing vessel suffered engine failure, and the poachers crew had to be rescued.

Retirement

The vessel's retired ceremony was held on March 13, 2020 at the Melusch Melachel, Malakal Island.[8]

Remeliik is scheduled to be replaced by the larger and more capable Remeliik II in June 2020.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Operation Kaukledm". 2017-05-08. Archived from the original on 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  2. ↑ Bernadette H. Carreon (2016-03-03). "Palau's maritime surveillance gets boost with new patrol boat". Post Guam. Koror, Palau. Retrieved 2018-04-22. Palau currently has a lone patrol boat, PSS H.I Remeliik, that is about 31.5 meters long. The Remeliik was donated by the Australian government in 1996. The vessel is scheduled to get an upgrade funded by the Australian government by 2018.
  3. 1 2 Rhealyn Pojas (2019-10-03). "Australia to give new ship to Palau to replace Remeliik 1". Island Times. Retrieved 2019-10-05. President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. divulged during a press conference on October 2 that the guardian class patrol boat Remeliik 2, which will replace its predecessor, the PSS Remeliik, will arrive in Palau in June next year.
  4. ↑ Ian Urbina (2016-02-21). "Palau vs the Poachers". The New York Times Magazine. Koror, Palau. pp. 40–49. Archived from the original on 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2018-04-22. Nearly 9,000 miles away, the Remeliik, a police patrol ship from the tiny island nation Palau, was pursuing a 10-man Taiwanese pirate ship, the Shin Jyi Chyuu 33, through Palauan waters.
  5. ↑ "Palau seizes Philippine vessel". Radio New Zealand. 2016-12-05. Archived from the original on 2018-04-24. Retrieved 2018-04-23. According to their preliminary investigation, there was no valid Palau fishing permit on board, although the officers found at least 30 tons of fish onboard.
  6. ↑ "Palau seizes suspected illegal 'mother ship'". Marianas Variety. Koror, Palau. 2016-12-05. Archived from the original on 2018-02-10. Retrieved 2018-04-23. Palau's marine law officers aboard the PSS Remeliik seized a suspected Philippine illegal fishing vessel that is believed to be 'a mother ship.'
  7. ↑ Bernadette H. Carreon (2018-03-13). "Palau's PSS Remeliik rescues 15 Filipino fishermen". Pacific Note. Koror, Palau. Archived from the original on 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2018-04-22. However the motorbanca suffered engine trouble, forcing PSS Remeliik to tow the vessel to the nearest shore to allow the captain to fix the engine.
  8. ↑ Leilani Reklai (2020-03-17). "PSS H.I. Remeliik I retired after 24 years of service". Island Times. Retrieved 2020-03-18. After 24 years of service, PSS H.I. Remeliik, a Pacific Class patrol boat which was commissioned into marine law enforcement service in 1996, was finally retired in a fitting ceremony held at the Melusch Melachel, Malakal on March 13, 2020.
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