The RMI Sea Patrol’s Lomor 03 departed Majuro for the last time last weekend.
It is heading to Australia to be decommissioned — a fancy way to say its life is over after 34 years of providing search and rescue support, fisheries surveillance, and collection and investigation of drugs on remote outer islands.
Lomor 03 will be replaced next year by a new, larger and more sophisticated patrol vessel. The Australian government funded the building of the Lomor 03, including multiple refits and maintenance dry-docking services in Australia over its 34 year life.
Australia is funding the new Guardian-class patrol vessel, one of many being donated by Australia to Pacific islands in support of surveillance and monitoring programs.