Austal Ships News

Maritime fuel management systems provider Fueltrax said it is expanding its representation in Asia in response to growing demand for its solutions in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific regions. Joining the company is Faiz Azani, Director of Operations – Southeast Asia, and Chris Pemberton, Regional Representative – Asia PacificAzani joined the FUELTRAX team last month and brings 11 years of experience in the oil and gas, shipping, and marine industry, focusing on Southeast Asia, Europe, & the Middle East. He is a former marine expert to Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) of PETRONAS.

Australian-based shipbuilding group Austal said it has entered into an agreement to acquire compatriot ship repair and support business BSE Maritime Solutions Group.BSE Maritime Solutions, which operates in Cairns and Brisbane, serves defense, commercial, tourism and luxury vessel customers, including Australian Border Force, BAE Systems, Thales and Svitzer. The deal, which comes at an enterprise value of A$27.5 million (US$19.6 million), aligns with Austal’s strategy to continue building the its key support business…

Wärtsilä informs it has been contracted to supply four waterjets plus the hydraulics and control system for a new 109-meter-long high-speed RoPax ferry being built at the Austal Ships Pty yard in Australia for Molslinjen A/S of Denmark. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in May 2017. The new vessel will be an all aluminum catamaran having a top speed of 40 knots. It will be equipped with two full vehicle decks for 425 cars, or 610 lane meters for trucks and up to 232 cars. The ship will be able to carry more than 1,000 passengers.

Built Built by Austal Ships, Rashid Behbudov, sistership to the Muslim Magomeyev and the second Incat Crowther 70m Catamaran Fast Crew Boat, has been delivered for Caspian Marine Services. Muslim Magomayev, the first of this design developed by Incat Crowther, was built by Incat Tasmania and delivered to CMS in 2014. Both Muslim Magomayev and Rashid Behbedov are engineered for the Ampelmann walk-to-work system, which transfers crew to offshore platforms in day-to-day operation as well as in emergency situations.

Construction is underway for the second 70m Catamaran crew boat sister ship to the Muslim Magomayev, designed by Incat Crowther. Muslim Magomayev is a first-of-type vessel which Incat Crowther developed in close conjunction with Caspian Marine Services (CMS). Incat Crowther has undertaken extensive support work in the field, including involvement in engineering for the fitting of an Ampellmann walk-to-work stabilized access platform, making it the first catamaran to have such a system and its structure fully integrated into its design. The operational success of the vessel has led CMS to order a second unit, with construction having well advanced at Austal Ships’ Western Australian shipyard.

The Turnbull Government today signed a contract with Austal Ships Pty Ltd to build and sustain up to 21 steel-hulled vessels to replace the existing fleet of Pacific Patrol Boats as part of Australia’s new Pacific Maritime Security Program. As part of the $280 million (ex-GST) contract Austal will design and construct the first 19 vessels in Henderson, securing more than 120 jobs for Western Australia. Two vessels have also been offered to a new member of the Program, Timor-Leste, with an option for these additional vessels to be constructed by Austal at an agreed fixed price should Timor-Leste accept the offer. Austal has also been awarded a $24 million (ex-GST) contract to provide support services to the replacement vessels for an initial seven-year period.

Australia will speed up plans to build more naval vessels in domestic shipyards, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Monday, making an announcement that could find favour with voters just weeks ahead of a likely federal election. Naval shipbuilding is a key part of a plan unveiled in February to boost defence spending by nearly A$30 billion ($23.02 billion) over the next 10 years. To speed up the plan, the construction of 12 offshore patrol vessels, worth A$3 billion ($2.30 billion) would now start in 2018, Turnbull said, though the government has still to award the contract. "Putting our navy in the right situation to keep us safe and putting our naval ship building industry in the right place to build the ships we need for the future is a great national endeavour…

The U.S. Navy has awarded contracts worth nearly $1.4 billion to buy four more Littoral Combat Ships from Lockheed Martin Corp and Australia's Austal Ltd, the U.S. Defense Department said on Monday. Lockheed won a contract valued at $699 million to build two more of its steel monohull-design ships, while Austal won a contract worth $684 million to build two more of its aluminum trimaran design, the Pentagon said in its daily digest of major weapons contracts. Lockheed welcomed the contract…

Austal Ships has selected Survitec Zodiac escape slides for the Perle Express and the Liberty vessels. Both are newly constructed 47m fast ferries and were completed at the Austal yard in Henderson, Western Austalia. Perle Express and Liberty entered service in October with their owner L’Express des Iles and are in use on routes between Guadeloupe, Les Saintes, Marie Galante, Dominique, Martinique and St Lucia. Four Survitec Zodiac Small Inflatable Slides (SIS), developed specifically for fast ferries with low freeboard have been installed on the Liberty…

The U.S. Navy and its shipbuilding partners have incorporated lessons learned from the first two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) in the design and construction of the follow-on ships. “I think the lead ships are pretty good,” says Rear Adm. Jim Murdoch, the Program Executive Officer for LCS (PEO LCS). LCS 1 is the USS Freedom, built at Marinette Marine in Wisconsin by a team led by Lockheed Martin, and commissioned in November of 2008. The ship deployed to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command as well as participated in the RIMPAC fleet exercises around Hawaii in 2010.

Naval Architects and marine engineers from around the world gathered in Honolulu in September for the 11th International Conference on Fast Sea Transportation (FAST 2011). The four-day biannual symposium promoted world-wide cooperation among scientists and engineers involved with all aspects of the high-speed maritime industry. FAST 2011 was the Fast Foundation’s 20th anniversary. Kjell Holden of the Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology and FAST International Standing Committee…

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.

Austal submitted its final Phase II Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) submission to the US Navy this week following a design and review process. Austal was one of three bidders awarded a Phase I contract in January and it is anticipated that a single Phase II contract will be awarded in late 2008 for the construction of up to ten ships. The Austal JHSV Team’s low risk, technology solution is comprised of Austal , Austal Ships () and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS).

Since its introduction in 2000, MTU's Series 8000 high-speed diesel engine has gained popularity among Naval and Commercial shipbuilders because of its performance and operating availability. With over one hundred 20V 8000 engines sold, and with over 160,000 hours in combined operation, the world's highest power to weight ratio in this power range is said to be the low risk propulsion engine option for many navies and high-speed ferry operators. Delivering up to 12,200 bhp (9100 kW) of continuous power, MTU's Series 8000 has consistently set the performance benchmarks for fuel efficiency - less than 190g/kWh, while achieving IMO Marpol NOx emission certification. The 20V 8000 engine is now also available in a US EPA Tier II emission certified configuration.

Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Minister revealed that the six fast patrol vessels, which are expected to assist in securing the country's coastline and the eradication of the It is said an additional figure of over $78m was also included to the cost for a five-year maintenance of the vessels and training for Coast Guard personnel. The three contracts to Australian firm, Austal Ships PTY, would cost a total of $390.76m.  In the meantime, two interim patrol vessels are said to have been acquired and are being outfitted for military use at a local marine service company. Source:  Express

This year's Cruise + Ferry Exhibition promises to be even bigger than it was in 1999. The biennial show, which draws thousands of cruise and ferry operators, chief engineers, interior designers and naval architects is recognized worldwide as the premier exhibition in its market. With more than 450 companies representing more than 45 countries already scheduled to show off their innovations, record visitor and delegate participation is also expected at the conference, which will be held from May 8-10. With booths situated in London's Grand and West halls of Olympia, attendees will have the opportunity to meet and share ideas with the leading providers of products and services to the cruise, ferry and fast ferry industries.

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.

Even a cursory analysis of the performance and capacity specifications of the Auto Express 66 catamaran “Bocayna Express” makes it obvious that Austal Ships has provided Fred. Olsen, SA with a class-leading ferry that reflects each company’s position at the forefront of the international fast ferry industry. Now that the 66 metre vehicle-passenger catamaran has completed sea trials and been handed over, the Australian shipbuilder and Spanish ferry operator are pleased to confirm that both speed and deadweight are higher than previously revealed. During construction every effort was made to save weight and a significant reduction in displacement has resulted in a fantastic improvement in maximum deadweight, which is in excess of 300 tonnes.

The 2003 workboat construction market had its ups and downs and at best has given mixed signals about 2004 and beyond. Among the various workboat vessel segments, passenger vessels, excluding ferries and inland waterway vessels such as tugs and push boats, are in a static mode. Vessels will be built in 2004, but at a pace constant with years past. Some markets such as the building of patrol boats and other vessels with national security implications appear are sure bet winners for 2004 with several shipyards with large contracts that have deliveries stretched out for two years or more in some cases. Another market that continues to grow is high-speed aluminum passenger ferry and the slower passenger/vehicle ferries.

The passenger vessel market is a classic mature marine market. Segments of it are doing well, while other parts have literally died. For example, the overnight segment of the market saw one substantial vessel delivered in 2003 with none on the horizon for 2004. The Empress of the North, a 360-ft. sternwheeler was put into service in September working the West Coast-Alaska route. Now that ice is a problem in Alaska, the vessel is working the Columbia River system in the Northwest U.S. The vessel was the largest vessel ever built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash. and is owned by American West Steamboat Company, Portland, Ore. Developing overnight service is the most difficult part of the passenger vessel industry to get established.

Although it has diversified into other vessel types in recent years, Western Australian based shipbuilding group Austal still counts fast ferries as a core market. The last year has been no exception, with the biggest news being the June announcement of an order for what will be the world's largest high-speed multihull vessel. Even more significant than the vessel's 126.7 m length overall is the fact that the cargo-vehicle-passenger ferry will be based on slender stabilized monohull hullform (more commonly referred to as a trimaran). While the experienced high-speed builder from down under touts the commercial value of the project, ramifications for its military aspirations, particularly with the U.S. armed forces, are clear.