AUSTAL STATEMENT ON OPV PROGRAM

COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT

11 MAY 2018

AUSTAL STATEMENT ON OPV PROGRAM

AUSTAL (ASX:ASB) acknowledges the announcement by Luerssen for the Commonwealth’s SEA 1180, Offshore Patrol Vessel Program.

"We are grateful to the Government for the continuous support and endorsement they have provided to Austal, both in this program and in our commercial and defence operations around the world," Austal CEO David Singleton said.

"The current pipeline of work enable Austal to sustain the operations at Henderson while we continue to compete for additional commercial and defence orders," he said.

Austal has achieved increasing sales in the technologically advanced, high speed, ferry market over the last 18 months, with over AU$400million of new ferries being contracted, most of which are set for delivery by 2021. This means that our Australian and Asian based commercial operations will be at full stretch for some time.

In Henderson, the 109m Catamaran for a European customer is in the final stages of construction and will be launched in a couple of months. At that time construction on a 117m trimaran will commence. This is the first trimaran Austal has built in Australia since 2005 and is an exciting project for the Austal employees at Henderson.

Henderson is also currently constructing the Pacific Patrol Boats for the Commonwealth. That program is running on time and on budget with the first vessel ready to launch in June, with a further three in various states of construction. This program is schedule to run until 2023.

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Further Information:

Austal Media Contact:

Contact: Gemma Whiting - Government Relations

Mobile: +61 (0)408 982 727

Email: gemma.whiting@austal.com