Australia has hit a key milestone in its landmark naval shipbuilding program with the first steel cut for the country’s new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).
This is the next step in our nation’s $90 billion naval shipbuilding program that will keep Australia safe and deliver jobs for generations around the country.
Our plan for an even stronger economy means using Australian steel, Australian workers and investing in Australia’s skills base.
Australian steel is being used for all 12 OPVs and after being prepared and processed in Western Australia it will be delivered to South Australia. Two ships are being built at Osborne in SA by ASC Shipbuilding before construction for the other ten moves to Civmec in WA in 2020.
Ultimately, our Government’s OPV project will create up to 1,000 positions.
The first bolt has also been locked down on the steelwork at the country’s largest ship assembly hall at Civmec’s massive new $85 million facility at Henderson.
The facility will also include a blast and paint workshop, undercover storage, offices and carparks.
The new assembly hall will be bigger than the WACA Ground in Perth and large enough to house multiple OPVs for construction.
The facility project will create around 140 jobs and Civmec estimates it will provide positions for up to 1,000 West Australians, including 100 new apprentices and trainees, when it’s up and running.
Our Government’s investment in Australia’s naval shipbuilding program demonstrates our commitment to the safety and security of our nation, its people and its borders, and it represents an unprecedented investment in the local economy, workers and skills.
