Austal Group News

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA, part of Australia's Austal Group, hosted a christening ceremony for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship at the company’s Gulf Coast shipyard today. Ship sponsor Lolita Zinke performed the ceremonial bottle break over the bow of the Santa Barbara, the 16th LCS designed and constructed by Austal USA and the third U.S. Navy ship to be named after the California coast city.Zinke, wife of former U.S. Congressman and former U.S.

Shipbuilding group Austal announced Friday that its Vietnam yard opened in 2018 has delivered its first vessel fully constructed at the Vung Tau shipyard.The 94-meter high-speed catamaran A.P.T James was officially handed over from Austal Vietnam to the National Infrastructure Development Company (NIDCo), to be used for maritime transport services on the Trinidad and Tobago ‘sea bridge’ route between the islands.The Auto Express 94 vehicle-passenger ferry was designed at Austal Australia and features the company’s signature raked bow and optimized hull design.

Austal USA is pleased to announce the promotion of John Caccivio to Vice President of Global Defense Programs. Mr. Caccivio joined Austal as part of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program in December 2004. After a brief assignment to Austal Ships in Henderson, Western Australia, he was assigned as Program Manager for Littoral Combat Ships at Austal’s Mobile, Alabama facility. He assumed the role of business development manager for Austal USA defense programs in 2006. In his new position, Mr. Caccivio is responsible for Austal’s global defense strategy and business development. He will coordinate the business sector for the Austal Group which is currently comprised of five shipyards in Australia and the US. Before joining Austal, Caccivio spent 22 years as a U.S.

Dinner Cruise Catamaran for Operation in Miami. Austal Limited announces that subsidiaries, Austal Ships and Austal USA have each secured contracts for new vessels. The new orders are a strong endorsement of the world-renowned reputation of Austal’s design and construction capabilities that cover a range of vessel types and sizes, customized to individual operational requirements. “Each contract was secured through a very competitive process and Austal’s attention to quality and the ability to deliver vessels tailored to suit the clients’ requirements has ensured our continued success. The Austal Group now has in excess of twelve vessels under construction ranging from small river catamarans to large vehicle-passenger ferries, a very positive outlook”, Mr McKinnon said.

Austal USA, the fast expanding US aluminum shipyard subsidiary of Austal Ships, has signed an important contract for a catamaran dinner cruise vessel with the well-established and highly respected Island Queen Cruises of Miami, Florida. Contract value is not being published but delivery will be in November 2002 in time for the busy Christmas season. Charles Sofge, the major shareholder in Island Queen, is also a partner in the ownership of Aqua Cat, the vessel delivered earlier this year to Blackbeard Cruises by Image Marine, part of the Austal Group. This new order represents a strong endorsement of the quality of the Austal Group ship design and construction and a clear illustration of the synergies within the group.

Reflecting the its existing Austal catamarans, Hong Kong based New World First Ferry Services (Macau) Limited [“First Ferry (Macau)”] has signed its third contract with Austal Ships in two years. The latest order is for two 47.5 metre passenger catamarans that will take the total number of vessels built by Austal for the group to seven. Austal subsidiary Image Marine will shortly deliver two 41 metre harbour cruise vessels to New World First Travel Services Limited, a member of NWS Holdings Limited, and will also build the two new catamarans.

Having already completed two years of service supporting the operations of the US Marine Corps’ Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) in the Western Pacific theatre, the Austal catamaran “WestPac Express” has become the first large high speed vessel (HSV) to be registered and flagged as a commercial ship in the United States. After a competitive bid process, the HSV was first chartered in July 2001 for a “proof of concept” period. This was so successful that the Military Sealift Command signed a three year charter in January 2002, again after receiving several competing offers. The III MEF charter was the first time the US military had contracted a commercial vessel of this type for military support.

Having already completed two years of service supporting the operations of the U.S. Marine Corps' Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) in the Western Pacific theatre, the 101-m Austal catamaran "WestPac Express" has now achieved another distinction: it is the first large high speed vessel to be registered and flagged as a commercial ship in the U.S. After a competitive bid process, the HSV was first chartered in July 2001 for a "proof of concept" period. This was so successful that the Military Sealift Command signed a three year charter in January 2002, again after receiving several competing offers. The III MEF charter was the first time the US military had contracted a commercial vessel of this type for military support.

The new Austal Auto Express 58 catamaran “Lake Express” entered service on June 1. Operating between Milwaukee, Wis., and Muskegon, Mich., “Lake Express” provides a crossing time of 2.5 hours slicing in half the time it would take to drive around the southern tip of the lake, through a congested Chicago. Another Austal vessel, the Australian-built “Spirit of Ontario I”, is scheduled to begin service across Lake Ontario between Toronto and Rochester, New York, on June 18. The establishment of the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile…

Two 150ft. Crew / Supply vessels, Anapaula and Veronica, have been completed and handed over by Austal USA to owners Otto Candies LLC ahead of the contracted delivery date and by the end of January 2002 had already reached Del Carmen in Mexico where they will be based. Not only were these vessels built in record time, but also exceeded contract speed targets in official sea trials. These were the first two vessels delivered from the new, state-of-the-art facilities commissioned less than a year ago. The Austal USA team produced these two vessels in 8 months in the main construction hall at this Mobile, Ala. facility. The 150 ft. Crew / Supply Vessel is the first of a new line of crew boat designs that have been developed by the Austal Group.

Austal Limited has secured a contract for two 136 ft. passenger/cargo catamarans for ferry operator, Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskad ASA (OVDS) of Norway. The two new aluminium catamarans will be built by Austal subsidiary, Image Marine and are due for delivery at the end of April 2003. Austal’s managing director, Bob McKinnon said the contract was won in very competitive circumstances, including competition from local Norwegian shipyards. “This is the second contract for a Norwegian client by the Austal group and is the result of a concerted team effort by Image and Austal sales and design staff,” McKinnon said. “OVDS' preference for an Austal product and our ability to offer a fully customized vessel were major factors in securing this order. The two 136 ft.

Austal Ships has received a contract for two 136 ft. passenger/cargo catamarans for ferry operator, Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskad ASA (OVDS) of Norway. Designed for difficult sea and harsh weather conditions, the two new aluminium catamarans are due for delivery at the end of April 2003 and will be built by Austal subsidiary, Image Marine. Capable of carrying 216 passengers and 30 Euro pallets (12 tons of refrigerated cargo), the two vessels will operate from the Norwegian port of Bodo. Austal’s managing director, Bob McKinnon said the contract was won in very competitive circumstances, including competition from local Norwegian shipyards.

Austal USA has signed a contract with Lighthouse Fast Ferry of New York (also known as New York Fast Ferry) for the sale of the 86 ft. (26 m) passenger catamaran being built at Austal USA’s shipyard facilities in Mobile, Ala. Due for delivery in July 2002, the new catamaran will be the third vessel delivered by Austal USA within six months and follows closely the delivery of two crew/supply vessels to Otto Candies LLC in January. Austal Group Managing Director, Bob McKinnon said the sale was a great result for Austal USA and the Austal group. “We are very pleased to have finalized the first sale of a high speed ferry into the United States market,” Mr. McKinnon said.

Austal Limited shipbuilding subsidiary, Austal USA has signed a contract with Lighthouse Fast Ferry of New York (also known as New York Fast Ferry) for the sale of the 86ft. (26 m) passenger catamaran being built speculatively at Austal USA’s shipyard facilities in Mobile, Ala. Due for delivery in July 2002, the new catamaran will be the third vessel delivered by Austal USA within six months and follows closely the delivery of two crew/supply vessels to Otto Candies LLC in January. Austal’s managing director, Bob McKinnon said the sale was a great result for Austal USA and the Austal group. “We are very pleased to have finalized the first sale of a passenger catamaran into the United States market,” McKinnon said.

Austal Limited subsidiary, Austal Ships, has signed a contract with Canadian Transportation Systems (C.A.T.S) for a 282 ft. (86 m) catamaran. The high-speed vessel will provide a new service route between Rochester and Toronto across Lake Ontario, connecting the United States and Canada. Austal Managing Director, Bob McKinnon said the contract has the potential to open more markets for Austal vessels in North America. “This is the first Austal vehicle-passenger ferry for North America and I am certain this vessel will make a strong impression in a market with further potential,” McKinnon said. “This contract comes at a time when the…

Austal USA has signed a contract with New York operator, Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. (Circle Line) for a 143-ft. passenger catamaran which will be the first aluminium high speed vessel for this operator and the third contract Austal USA has secured for the New York area in the last 6 months. When delivered to New York in late June 2003, it will be part of an extraordinary association between New York State and the Austal Group with the 136-ft. Cloud Nine dinner cruise vessel being delivered by Austal USA in the previous month and the delivery the following month of a 280-ft. High Speed Catamaran into Rochester, NY by Austal Ships of Australia.

Australian shipbuilder Austal Ships will design and build the world’s most powerful diesel-powered catamaran for Canadian American Transportation Systems (CATS). The contract represents a major milestone for the Austal Group in the North American market. With a speed of 42 knots, the 86 metre vehicle-passenger ferry will be the first of its type on the Great Lakes. It will operate on Lake Ontario between the cities of Rochester in New York State, USA and Toronto in Canada, with a voyage time of two hours and 15 minutes. Austal’s Managing Director, Mr Bob McKinnon, said the contract is a vital step forward in maintaining Austal’s share of the fast ferry market.

Australian shipbuilder Austal Ships is pleased to announce an unconditional contract for a 66 metre high speed vehicle-passenger catamaran for a well-established ferry operator. This is the customer’s first contract with Austal and brings the total number of vessels under construction for the Austal group to 16. Due for delivery in August 2003, the Auto Express 66 will operate at a speed of approximately 31 knots and will have the capacity to carry 450 passengers and 69 cars or 110 lane metres of trucks plus 37 cars. Austal Ships also has an 86 metre vehicle-passenger catamaran ferry available for delivery in June / July 2003. Capable of loaded speeds in excess of 42 knots, this vessel provides capacity for 774 passengers and 238 cars or 10 trucks and fewer cars.

Austal USA has secured an order for the construction of a 192-ft. vehicle-passenger ferry from Milwaukee-based Lake Express LLC. The aluminum catamaran will be the largest vessel so far constructed at the company’s purpose-built shipyard in Mobile, Ala. · The first high-speed vehicle-passenger ferry to operate on Lake Michigan. With capacity for 253 passengers and 46 cars, the Auto Express 58 will be capable of 34 knots. It will link the cities of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon in Michigan, crossing Lake Michigan in just over two hours, thus saving passengers a lengthy drive around the southern shore of Lake Michigan, including traffic congestion in Chicago. The service is scheduled to begin by the summer of 2004.

The recent delivery of the luxury motor yacht Aussie Rules, built by the Austal Group company Oceanfast, a Western Australian custom motor yacht builder, marks the conclusion to an innovative project which Lloyd’s Register has been involved in for the past two years. The vessel is owned by Greg Norman, the Australian two-time winner of the British Open golf tournament, who also serves as the inspiration for Oceanfast’s series of Norman Expedition Yachts of which Aussie Rules is the first. The yachts represent an innovative hybridization between the commercial exploration vessel and the traditional luxury yacht and combine the ability to undertake both traditional cruises and more specialized expeditions, including diving and access to remote locations.

Austal Ships has reported that a pair of cruise yachts ordered by Bora Bora Cruises of Tahiti are in the final stages of fitout at its modern shipyard south of Perth, Western Australia. “Tu Moana” and “Tia Moana” (meaning ‘strong on the ocean’ and ‘sure and stable on the ocean’) each provide 74 passenger berths in 37 outside cabins. The two cruise yachts will feature a high degree of comfort and luxury with a modern design inspired by Tahitian traditional art and incorporating the European touch of Tillberg Designs. Onboard features include a restaurant and galley catering for all passengers in a single sitting, gymnasium, library, indoor and outdoor lounges, two jacuzzis, an expansive sun deck and a host of watersports equipment, with easy access to the water.

Austal has appointed Greg Metcalf to the position of CEO. Prior to relocating to Mobile with his family, Metcalf worked for Austal Limited in Henderson, Western Australia for 5 years as Austal Group Financial controller and then Vice President of Business Development. Current activity at the Mobile yard includes a 143 –ft. high speed passenger catamaran being built for the Circle Line Statue of Liberty Ferry Company in New York City. Circle Line transports thousands of passengers each day to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The new catamaran is designed to meet Circle Line’s requirements for a vessel capable of fulfilling a number of different roles and will be delivered to New York in July.

Image Marine of Western Australia, a member of the Austal Group, has ordered Hamilton Waterjets for two River Catamarans to operate in Portugal. Each of the two 121 ft. (37-m) catamarans will be fitted with twin Hamilton Model HM651 waterjets, which will be controlled using Hamilton's MECS electronic control system, to give an operational speed of 29 knots.