News Story: Damen Team Heads to Australia for Navy Bid

Damen Shipyards Group has sent a high level delegation to meet with key members of the Australian shipbuilding industry as part of its tender for the design and construction of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Australian Navy.

Damen, as one of the three designers competing for the OPV program, is fully committed to consolidating their commitment to Australia. Approaching the delivery of their 100th vessel to the Australian market, Damen has built more than 6,000 vessels, with close to 1,000 of these constructed with partner shipbuilders from all over the globe. Damen, who will be the prime contractor with responsibility for the delivery of the 12 ships has teamed with ASC Forgacs Shipbuilding, a joint venture established to build two ships in South Australia and 10 in Western Australia.

The Damen team comprises Damen CEO René Berkvens, Area Director Asia Pacific Roland Briene and Director Procurement Jacob Biemond. They have been joined by a number of Dutch companies and their Australian partners as they seek to secure the highest levels of Australian content for the new OPVs. 

Read the full story at MarEx

Industry: ASC Shipbuilding welcomes OPV bid partners Lürssen and Forgacs to Techport for the first time

ASC Shipbuilding today welcomed to Adelaide Peter Lürssen, the head of the German warship designer in the running to launch Australia’s next major shipbuilding program – the Offshore Patrol Vessel project – in Adelaide from 2018.

Joining Mr Lürssen in Adelaide for a media conference (see alert) will be Jim Fitzgerald, Executive Chairman of Forgacs Marine & Defence of Perth (owned by Civmec). Last month ASC Shipbuilding announced a partnership with Forgacs to offer a low risk, commercial shipbuilding solution for the OPV program to two design tenderers – Lürssen of Germany and Damen of the Netherlands.

“As the builder of Australia’s most advanced surface combatants – the Air Warfare Destroyers – ASC Shipbuilding is delighted to welcome Mr Lürssen and Mr Fitzgerald to Techport, where the first Offshore Patrol Vessels will be built from next year,” Mr Lamarre said.

Industry: Damen Shipyards Group submits tender for Australian OPV

Damen Shipyards Group has submitted a tender for the SEA 1180 Phase 1 Project to deliver twelve Offshore Patrol Vessels to the Royal Australian Navy. To demonstrate its commitment to on time and within specification delivery Damen submitted its response early.

Damen has teamed with ASC Forgacs Shipbuilding, a joint venture established to build the initial two ships in South Australia and further 10 in Western Australia, to compete for the foundation project of Australia’s continuous Naval shipbuilding enterprise. The joint venture is already investing in infrastructure at the Henderson Shipbuilding Precinct in Western Australia in preparation for the OPV construction to move to WA.

Damen, with almost 100 vessels operating in Australia already, has extensive experience providing vessels that are suitable for local conditions and is fully committed to the long-term integration with Australian Shipbuilding. Key tenets of the bid include maximising investment in local industries and businesses to establish a long term capability; investment in the training of a future workforce including those transitioning from other industries; and assisting the Australian Government to prepare to build future frigates and submarines in SA. The proven Damen design being offered uses innovative technology to improve seakeeping, reduce running costs and decrease whole of life sustainment costs.

Roland Briene, Damen Sales Director Asia Pacific, said: “We are fully committed to maximising Australian industry participation and supporting the development of a sustainable, national shipbuilding industry in Australia. This is fully in line with our standard practices where we partner with local organisations to help transform local shipbuilding industries into globally competitive shipyards. We look forward to working with the Commonwealth to maximise opportunities for Australian industry, drawing on the existing supply chain of our Australian partners, while also providing opportunities for local industry to be involved in our global supply chain supporting more than 70 shipyards around the world.”

Damen

Industry: CIVMEC and ASC shipbuilding join forces for Australian Defence programs

SINGAPORE – 20 March 2017 – Australia-based Civmec Ltd (“Civmec” or the “Group”), through its wholly owned subsidiary, Forgacs Marine and Defence Pty Ltd (“Forgacs”), today announced it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with ASC Shipbuilding Pty Ltd (“ASC Shipbuilding”) to jointly bid for the build of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels (“OPVs”) for the Royal Australian Navy (“RAN”). 

ASC Shipbuilding and Forgacs were jointly chosen by two of the three shortlisted designers to work with them on the tender for the Commonwealth Government’s OPV program, known as Project SEA 1180. B.V. Scheepswerf Damen Gorinchem of the Netherlands and Lürssen Werft GmbH & Co. KG of Germany are two of the shortlisted designers. ASC Shipbuilding and Forgacs will work with both companies on their bids for Project SEA 1180 and also to explore opportunities to build other Minor War Vessels for the RAN and export markets.