The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ flagship fisheries patrol vessel, the KI Ross, is back in operation after a major refit.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, Mark Furner said contracts valued at $2.1 million had been allocated to Brisbane shipyards to refurbish the KI Ross and three other vessels.
“This two-year project benefits the local workforce at the Murarrie Marine Precinct where hundreds of staff, apprentices and contractors are employed,” Mr Furner said.
“Rivergate Shipyard recently completed the half-life refit of the KI Ross, which is the largest vessel in the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol fleet,” he said.
“Aus Ships managed the refit of the three rigid-hull inflatable boats, Dogtooth, Nudgee and Paluma.”
Mr Furner said the 24-metre offshore patrol vessel, KI Ross began its half-life refit in early March 2020.
“The vessel’s two 1,100-horsepower V12 Caterpillar engines and gearboxes have been serviced back to original condition for the first time since the boat joined the fleet in 1999, with all of the wheelhouse electronics replaced with state-of-the-art new technology,” he said.
“The KI Ross is an integral part of the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol, capable of patrolling 200 nautical miles out to sea, with a key focus on compliance in the East Coast Trawl Fishery, which contributes $170 million annually to Queensland’s economy.”
Mr Furner said the KI Ross was named after deceased District Officer, Kenneth Ivan Ross who started as a fisheries patrol officer in the late 1960s and progressed through the ranks to become District Officer at Yeppoon.
