OPV construction commences

Joint media release

• Minister for Defence, The Hon Christopher Pyne MP
• Minister for Finance and the Public Service, Senator The Hon Mathias Cormann

In a momentous day for Australia’s national shipbuilding endeavor, construction has commenced on the Navy’s new Offshore Patrol Vessels at Osborne in South Australia.

The Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, said the multi-billion dollar project will see 12 OPVs delivered.

The OPVs will have an important role protecting our borders and will provide greater range and endurance than the existing patrol boat fleet.

“The OPV project is expected to create up to 1000 direct and indirect jobs,” said Minister Pyne.

The first two vessels will be built at Osborne before Civmec starts constructing the next 10 at Henderson in Western Australia.

Minister Pyne said ASC Shipbuilding will use its expertise gained through the Air Warfare Destroyer program to build the first two OPVs.

“These new vessels are being built in Australian facilities, with Australian steel, and by Australian workers.”

“Only a year ago we announced Lürssen was the preferred tenderer.”

“It’s a fantastic achievement to start construction on time and on budget and I’d like to thank everyone involved in the project.”

The Government’s $90 billion dollar continuous naval shipbuilding program is the largest and most ambitious capital investment ever undertaken in Australia.

“This investment is about more than building ships, submarines and shipyards because it will establish an Australian sovereign capability.”

“The continuous shipbuilding program will act as a catalyst for industry growth which will secure thousands of Australian jobs for decades.”

“This is truly a national endeavour, with the Federal Government laying the foundations for an Australia-wide sovereign naval shipbuilding enterprise.”

The OPVs will be built using Australian steel, creating Australian jobs. The steel used today in construction is from the same batch cut by the Prime Minister in Henderson just a few weeks ago, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to the naval shipbuilding program and Australian jobs.

“Our commitment ends the boom-bust cycle which has afflicted the Australian naval shipbuilding and sustainment industry in the past.”

The Minister for Finance and the Public Service, Mathias Cormann said that ASC’s shipbuilding capacity has continued to grow from strength to strength since the Government initiated the Air Warfare Destroyer reform program in 2014.

“Over the past few years ASC has demonstrated its capacity to deliver high quality vessels for the Royal Australian Navy.

“ASC’s workforce has already delivered two state-of-the-art Air Warfare Destroyers, with a third due next year. They are also exceeding their performance benchmarks in support of our Collins Class submarine fleet.”

“We look forward to ASC continuing their strong work on the first two Offshore Patrol Vessels that begin construction today.”