Defence Industry Minister Opens Austal's New Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Shipbuilding Facility

Austal (ASX: ASB) has welcomed Australian Defence Industry Minister The Hon. Christopher Pyne MP to officially open the company’s new Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Shipbuilding Facility in Naval Base, Western Australia and herald the commencement of Austal’s steel naval shipbuilding capability.

Minister Pyne cut the red ribbon at the 10,500m² facility in front of key defence industry stakeholders, suppliers and partners from across Australia.

Speaking at the official opening, Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said the PPB-R project is estimated to create up to 207 jobs across production, project management, services and support - from Perth Western Australia to Cairns in Queensland.

“The PPB-R project is the first key element in the Federal Government’s Continuous Naval Shipbuilding Plan and Austal is proud to be leading the way by growing Australia’s shipbuilding capability,” he said.

“It is worthy of note that this facility was originally built to service the mining boom and it has now been transformed to support what I anticipate to be a shipbuilding boom here in WA.”

Austal was awarded the A$306 million PPB-R contract in May 2016 and recently completed the Detailed Design Review (DDR), on schedule.

The PPB-R Project comprises the design, construction, delivery, training and sustainment of nineteen 39.5 metre Patrol Boats - to be gifted by the Commonwealth of Australia to twelve Pacific Island nations as part of Australia’s Pacific Maritime Security Program.

Construction of the Austal design will commence at Austal’s dedicated new PPB-R shipbuilding facility from late April 2017, with deliveries scheduled from 2018 to 2023. Sustainment of the new fleet of vessels will be carried out by Austal from facilities in Cairns, Queensland.

Austal is positioned to play a key role in the delivery of the Commonwealth’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy, as the only ASX-listed Australian shipbuilder and Defence prime contractor currently delivering multiple naval vessel programs for Australian and overseas customers, including the Royal Australian Navy and US Navy.

Minister Pyne was joined by Senator Linda Reynolds CSC and Western Australia Attorney General and Minister for Commerce, The Hon. Michael Mischin MLC.

Austal has officially opened the company’s new Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Shipbuilding Facility in Naval Base, Western Australia. With the recent completion of the project’s Detailed Design Review (DDR), on schedule, construction of the 19 steel vessels will commence in late April 2017. (Image: Austal)

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About Austal

Austal is a global defence prime contractor and a designer and manufacturer of defence and commercial ships. For more than 28 years Austal has been a leader in the design, construction and maintenance of revolutionary ships for governments, navies and ferry operators around the world. More than 255 vessels have been delivered in that time.

Ships

Defence vessels designed and built by Austal include multi-mission combatants, such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the United States Navy and military high-speed vessels for transport and humanitarian relief, such as the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ships for the U.S. Navy and High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) for the Royal Navy of Oman. Austal also designs, constructs, integrates and maintains an extensive range of patrol and auxiliary vessels for government agencies globally, including the Cape Class Patrol Boat Program for Australian Border Force. Defence vessels are designed and constructed in Mobile, Alabama and in Henderson, Western Australia.

Austal has been at the forefront of the high-speed ferry market since the early days of the industry. Our market leading designs of high performance aluminium vessels have long been at the heart of Austal’s research and development. Today, commercial ship construction is centred on our shipyard in Balamban, Philippines.

Systems

Austal has expertise in integrating complex systems into its ships, including ride control, ship management, and communication, sensors and weapon systems.

Support

Austal provides a wide range of support services, including through life support, integrated logistics support, vessel sustainment and systems support. These services are delivered through our global support network in the USA, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East together with partner shipyards worldwide.