Feature 1 | PATROL & RESCUE BOATS Lightning strike


Forget cumbersome, complex patrol ships – ‘smaller and faster’ has become the current trend for police authorities, coastguard agencies and even navies. Ship & Boat International speaks to LeisureCat Australia / Malaysia


vessels, albeit concentrated in larger fleets. When covering vast stretches of coastline, larger naval / patrol ships, for all of their benefits, are simply not equipped to compete with the capability of smaller, high-powered patrol boats to quickly zip between locations – an essential feature when it comes to search and rescue, pollution detection and moving in on crimes in progress. The ability to ‘swarm’ the coastline


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is seen as a major advantage in this respect. Tis operational model has most notably been witnessed in Latin America, although the influence has spread to the Middle East, Asia and southern Europe. Additionally, budgetary concerns


have proven a driving factor in leading to a reassessment of patrol vessel size. In the face of cut-backs in government spending, many navies and security forces have opted for smaller vessels that can deliver the goods with a higher rate of efficiency than can previous, ‘warship’- inspired designs. As Kevin Horsley, marketing and


sales director at patrol craft builder LeisureCat Australia / Malaysia, tells Ship & Boat International: “Te sensible trend in patrol boats is shifting from large, somewhat cumbersome and expensive to maintain patrol vessels, of over 25m loa, back to light, fast strike boats. Tese days, with good quality inboard and outboard engines, 10-12m loa strike boats, with ranges of around 200nm at cruising speed, are able to offer an increased visible presence on the water for countries determined to secure their waterways and ports.” The key requirement for many


security agencies is to locate the problem and effect a fast attack / response plan. Horsley continues: “Using spotter planes and drones to direct six-man, fast strike


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ne of the more notable trends in the market has been an increase in demand for smaller patrol


A fuel capacity of 1,100litres grants LeisureCat’s Interceptor 40 class a range of more than 200nm


boats to a threat, to shadow or arrest suspects quickly, is a bigger deterrent to criminals than a large boat capable of, maybe 30knots, situated 20nm away and trying to cover a thousand square kilometres of ocean. As with the highways, an increased visible presence warns would-be smugglers that they may be caught and have less chance to outrun the enforcement agencies armed with the task.”


Malaysian foothold Despite its name, LeisureCat tends to have more dealings with police and rescue groups than it does with the recreational boating market, although it is well-stocked to serve the latter. Having formed in Australia in 1999, the company has gone on to secure an impressive number of deals with law enforcement agencies and coastguards across the globe, with a special focus on South East Asia. In late 2007, LeisureCat opened a facility in Malaysia to help consolidate its foothold in this sector, and the group has subsequently forged close ties with government-linked companies such as Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM), granting access to some of the country’s most skilled boatbuilding personnel.


Horsley says: “We have had up to 50


people [at the facility] and hover around 38 at most times, as demand fluctuates. Our move was in direct response to the lack of available shipping out of Western Australia, through its only port in Fremantle. Te lack of space for out of gauge cargo, along with the apathy of the state government to do anything about it, forced our hand. “Coupled to that, the mining boom


in Western Australia, at the time, was dragging our apprentice shipwrights into the mining industry in droves, also making it difficult to find and retain staff.” Whereas some Australian designers,


particularly those dedicated to offshore wind farm support vessel production, have found the relocation of their construction activities to South East Asian yards (especially in locations such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia) an excellent means of lowering overheads, this is not necessarily true of operations in Malaysia, Horsley attests. “Malaysia is not the cheapest place


in terms of Asian workforces, and is structured around Australian law; our workers are offered accommodation if they are displaced from their home towns, and clinic facilities and lunches are included as part of the package,” he says.


Ship & Boat International May/June 2013


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