Austal
is pleased to announce the launch of the first-in-series Cape Class
Patrol Boat during a ceremony with staff and suppliers at the company’s
Henderson shipyard in Western Australia on January 7.
The vessel is the first of eight new boats being built by Austal for
the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service under a design,
construct and in-service support contract valued at approximately A$330
million.
The ceremony marked the first time the boat has been lowered
into the water. Following maritime tradition, specially minted coins
were placed under the keel block of the vessel as a symbol of good fortune
in June 2012. These were removed prior to the launch and will be presented
to the boat at a later date. The boat was then lowered slowly into the
water using Austal’s slipway facility.
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Austal
Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bellamy said the ceremony recognised
the tireless efforts of its staff and suppliers in meeting a significant
milestone on a strict production schedule.
“I am proud of the efforts of our Henderson team to be able to
deliver on the first of these high performance patrol boats,”
Mr Bellamy said.
“This contract has been vital in underpinning our Henderson workforce,
with close to 300 staff involved in the construction of this first vessel.
“I would also like to thank our many suppliers for their important
contributions. More than two-thirds of our 305 suppliers for the first
Cape Class vessel are based in Western Australia and I am pleased that
a number were able to attend today’s event. We look forward to
continue working with all our suppliers as we progress with delivering
the remaining patrol boats by August 2015.”
As prime contractor, Austal’s role extends beyond the design and
construction of the vessels. The company is also using its in-house
expertise to develop and integrate sophisticated electronic systems
for command, control and communication.
“We are also building our capabilities to provide a comprehensive
and effective in-service support system for the fleet,” Mr Bellamy
said.
“This total solution capability represents the future of our Australian
business, as we continue to expand and enhance the strategic industry
capability necessary to meet the current and future defence needs of
Australia and other nations.”
Apart from the Cape Class Patrol Boats, Austal is prime contractor at
two major defence projects – the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and
the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) – for the United States Navy.
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