Seven of Tasmania's leading maritime organisations will be on show in Sydney at the biggest naval and marine expo of its kind, Indo Pacific 2023.
From Tuesday six of our top advanced manufacturing companies and the renowned Australian Maritime College will show off their capabilities in the 72 square-metre Defence Tasmania exhibit in the international Convention Centre, Darling Harbour.
Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries, Madeleine Ogilvie, said the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition was the region's premier international maritime defence exposition.
"Indo Pacific showcases maritime defence equipment, technology and services to senior representatives of governments, navies and industries from around the world, and that is exactly why we are here," Minister Ogilvie said.
"We know Tasmanian companies produce some of the best defence and maritime products and technologies in the world and that is increasingly being noticed.
"By putting these amazing Tasmanian products directly in the hands of senior decision makers and buyers we are opening the door to even more high-value supply contracts and further boosting the reputation of our local industry," she said.
The Tasmanian delegation includes the Australian Maritime College, CBG Systems, Hensoldt, Sentinel Boats (part of PFG Group), Pivot Maritime International, Taylor Bros and Lightning Protection international.
Minister Ogilvie said that in the past four years Tasmanian companies have been awarded more than $160 million in defence-related contracts.
"The Rockliff Liberal Government is delivering on our long term plan to keep our strong economy and create more jobs for Tasmanians, and these defence contracts help us do that."
Minister Ogilvie said this year's expo includes repeat delegation members as well as first-time participants.
"Lightning Protection International is bringing their world-leading equipment and munitions protection systems to Indo Pacific for the first time as part of the Tasmanian team just like PFG Group did with their Sentinel watercraft in 2019.
"In 2019 PFG took the risk of bringing its new Sentinel to Indo Pacific looking for buyers and, four years later, the latest Sentinel on display is heading to its new home in NZ with more defence orders already being pursued.
"It shows the real opportunities for real sales that being part of the Tasmanian defence delegation can achieve.
"With more than 25,000 representatives and 115 official defence, industry, academic and government delegations attending Indo Pacific from 40 nations, there are huge opportunities for more deals to be locked-in," Minister Ogilvie said.
"This is the fourth time we have assembled a Tasmanian delegation to showcase our Tasmanian quality and innovation on this international stage, an effort that is estimated to have made more than 100 new business connections for Tasmanian businesses."
