Navy Commissions Caffeine-Fuelled Arafura

The Royal Australian Navy has officially commissioned HMAS Arafura, one of the new Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) into operational service, as we recently reported. The moving ceremony took place at Fremantle’s Passenger Terminal on Saturday 28 June.

Lieutenant Commander Marc Beecroft. Credit Jean Hudson

Lieutenant Commander Marc Beecroft RAN, who has taken command of the ship, proudly conducted a media tour of the magnificent new vessel on Friday 27 June, and Fremantle Shipping News was delighted to be there. So here is a ‘sneak-peak . . .’ The vessel was not open to the public but we understand she will be in the future.

HMAS Arafura will be home ported at Fremantle, and based at HMAS Stirling, so expect to see lots of her in the coming months. She will be a common sight in the ocean off Fremantle for several months while conducting trials prior to full deployment.

HMAS Arafura, Fremantle, 27 June 2025. Credit Jean Hudson

Arafura was built by Luerssen Australia at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. Marc and his crew of 43 took four days delivering the vessel to Fremantle. Commissioning of a warship is, of course, a major milestone for Navy.

HMAS Arafura arrives in Fremantle. Credit Jean Hudson

The 80 metre long Arafura warship has a displacement of 1,640 tonnes and is smaller than a Frigate. She is built for speed and stability, her specially shaped hull and bulbous bow designed to slice through the roughest of seas. The vessel has the capability to operate across 4,000 nautical miles deep into the Indo-Pacific region.

Looking at her hull

From the foredeck, we had an impressive view of the Main Armament designed for close-range threats.

The gun

The large Mission Deck is located at the stern and is a signature feature of the Arafura-class and allows the vessel to adapt to various roles, such as surveillance, military assistance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. There are crane systems for launching and recovering equipment, scrambling mats, rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) and space for containerised mission modules. An additional 50 people can be carried in this part of the ship. The vessel does not carry a helicopter but has a landing pad at the stern.

Mission deck

The mission deck

Midships, the Boat Bays house two RHIBs, used for boarding operations, search and rescue, and surveillance. These boats are rapidly deployable while underway.

HMAS Arafura is a crew-focused vessel. Below decks we visited the Crew Living Quarters. HMAS Arafura has improved living quarters compared to previous RAN patrol vessels. The accommodation is modern, with comfortable ten, six, four and two berth spacious rooms each with a shower and head. There is comfortable berthing for 40 crew – but she can accommodate up to 60-crew. At the moment there is a 50/50 female to male ratio of trainees on board.

Bunks

The Galley and Mess and recreation areas are designed for longer deployments to maintain crew welfare. We visited the kitchens, fridges and food storerooms. The vessel carries enough food for six-weeks at sea. The huge kitchens produce 50 meals 3-times a day. Marc described the food as ‘better than what you’d get in Fremantle’s top restaurants’. And he’s a Freo fella, so he knows what he’s talking about! He said the ship ‘runs on coffee’. Impressive coffee machines feature in each of the mess areas.

Food stores and kitchen

The Medical Centre is fully equipped to provide first aid and treatment at sea. The Royal Australian Navy explains it is committed to provide high-quality working conditions to retain skilled personnel in an increasingly competitive defence workforce environment.

In the Operations Control Room, the chief engineers and marine technicians monitor the ships control systems, engine, power, radar, damage control or fire or gas incidents. This room has dual controls with the ship’s bridge and from here secure communication takes place between both military and civilian agencies.

Operations room

Also below decks, we visited the gleaming Engine Room. B16 diesel engines drive twin propeller shafts and four massive stabilizers, the propulsion system allowing Arafura to operate across vast distances typical of Australia’s maritime area of responsibility, while maintaining a steady speed of 22+ knots.

Engine room

Our tour finished up on the Bridge, the nerve centre of HMAS Arafura. From here, the ship is navigated and operational decisions are made. The layout is modern and ergonomic with radar, navigation and comms systems. Fly bridges on either side are fully equipped and used when coming alongside and docking. Pilots are not required on-board naval vessels in Australian waters when entering and leaving ports, the ships navigators are trained pilots.

The Bridge

Lieutenant Commander Beecroft also showed us the Commander’s Quarters near the bridge — very flash with wooden furniture and a leather office chair. His uniform hung at the ready for the commissioning ceremony.

Commander’s Quarters

By mid 2026, HMAS Arafura will travel to the SW Pacific on multi-role operations including:
• Maritime border patrols
• Counter-narcotics and illegal fishing enforcement
• Search and rescue operations
• Disaster response
• Environmental protection

HMAS was commissioned on Saturday 28 June. It was a moving event. Here is a selection of our photos from the day.

Lieutenant Commander Marc Beecroft. Credit Jean Hudson

Fremantle Shipping News extends our deepest respect and best wishes to Lieutenant Commander Marc Beecroft RAN as he takes the helm of HMAS Arafura, wishing him and his crew safety and success in every mission.

* By Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey.

Jean is our Shipping and Sailing Correspondent and also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may also like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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