ABFC Cape Wessel, Departing Cairns Harbour on 13 Sept 2024.

‪@shipsintropicaloz‬ Australian Border Force Cutter, ABFC Cape Wessel departing Cairns Harbour, heading into the Coral sea on 13 Sept 2024.

Built by Austal in Henderson, Western Australia, ABFC Cape Wessel was the seventh of eight Cape-Class patrol boats to be delivered to the Australian Border Force. The Cape-Class patrol vessels replaced the Bay-Class patrol boats between 2013 and 2105.

Each Cape-Class patrol vessel has a crew of 18, and two crew groups are assigned to each vessel, alternating between operating the patrol boat and shore duties, to ensure maximum vessel availability. Each Cape-Class vessel is armed with two .50 calibre machine guns, and carries two 7.3 m (24 ft) Gemini RHIB interception craft in cradles at the stern, along with a small boat carried amidships.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) was established on 1 July 2015 merging the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service with the immigration detention and compliance functions of the then Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

ABF maintains a fleet of ships and a number of coastal patrol vessels which act as a Coast Guard, the majority of ABF's vessels are assigned to Maritime Border Command and operate alongside the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)'s patrol boat group. ABF vessels are staffed by Marine Tactical Officers (MTO), Engineers, Technical Officers, and other specialists who receive extra training in seamanship, navigation, and boarding operations. ABF Ships are prefixed with Australian Border Force Cutter (ABFC).