Austal
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| Austal | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Public (ASX:ASB) |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Henderson, Western Australia |
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
| Products | Aluminium commercial and defence vessels |
| Employees | 2400 |
| Website | www.austal.com |
Austal is an Australian-based company specializing in the design and construction of customised, high speed aluminium vessels for both commercial and defence applications. Austal currently operates five shipyards, located in Western Australia, Tasmania (Australia) and the USA (Mobile, Alabama) and has delivered or has on order more than 200 vessels for customers around the world.[citation needed]
Austal's product range includes passenger and vehicle-passenger ferries, coastal combat ships, high speed military support vessels, patrol boats, cruise vessels, live-aboards, offshore crew/supply boats and private vessels.
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[edit] History
Austal commenced operations in 1988 with a vision to build high quality aluminium commercial vessels for the international market. By the company’s fifth anniversary, Austal had become the world’s leading manufacturer of 40 metre high speed passenger catamarans and the dominant supplier to Asia.
It was in Hong Kong in 1993 that Austal introduced gas turbine propulsion and the first two installations of the Austal developed motion control system. The success in Asia and the introduction of a range of sophisticated, large vehicle-carrying fast ferries were the springboard for ongoing growth in Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia-Pacific.
Austal listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in December 1998 and has diversified its manufacturing base through the acquisition of local shipbuilders and the establishment of a new US shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
In 1998, Austal entered the defence market after securing an order for eight Bay Class Patrol Boats for the Australian Customs Service. Sizeable orders from other Australian and international agencies, including the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Yemen Navy and Kuwait Coast Guard, have reinforced Austal’s place among the world’s elite patrol vessel builders. In October 2007, Austal completing the last of fourteen 56 metre Armidale Class Patrol Boat built for the RAN.
In 2001, Austal became the first company to supply the US military with a high speed vessel, the 101 metre Theatre Support Vessel (TSV) “WestPac Express”.
In 2004, the US Department of Defense awarded a final design contract for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project to the General Dynamics Team, in which Austal is the LCS sea frame designer and builder. The first order for a US$223 million prototype was successfully awarded in October 2005 and an order for a second prototype was awarded to the same team in 2006.
The basis of Austal’s LCS seaframe design is the 127 metre trimaran hull “Benchijigua Express”, which Austal delivered as a passenger-vehicle ferry to a leading Spanish ferry operator in 2005. This delivery provided full scale validation for the LCS proposal and - by showing increased passenger comfort in operation - adds further impetus to the interest being shown in trimarans by ferry and defence operators.
Austal launched its 127 metre Littoral Combat Ship USS Independence (LCS-2) at its Mobile, Alabama shipyard.
[edit] Production Facilities
Austal’s diverse manufacturing base and strong productive capacity is facilitated by its five shipyards located in Western Australia, Tasmania (Australia) and the USA (Mobile, Alabama).
In Western Australia, Austal’s modern shipyards are situated on the Jervoise Bay waterfront in Henderson, 8 km south of the port city of Fremantle. Purpose-built enclosed facilities cater for simultaneous construction of vessels of varying sizes.
[edit] Austal Ships
100 Clarence Beach Road - Henderson, Western Australia
- Employees 1,200
- Land Area 78,344 m²
- Office Area 2,055 m²
- Building Halls
- Bay 3: 92.7 m long x 24.2 m wide x 14.9 m high
- Bay 4: 93.0 m long x 30.0 m wide x 21.8 m high
- Bay 5: 97.5 m long x 31.5 m wide x 21.8 m high
- Bay 6: 97.5 m long x 24.2 m wide x 14.9 m high
- Slipway 2,000 tonnes
- Commissioning Berth 290 m
- Pre-Fabrication Space 4,320 m²
[edit] Austal Image
18 Clarence Beach Road, Henderson, Western Australia
- Employees 200
- Land Area 39,891 m²
- Office Area 950 m²
- Building Halls
- Bay 1: 82.1 m long x 25.0 m wide x 22.5 m high
- Bay 2: 120.6 m long x 24.7 m wide x 22.5 m high
- Slipway 1,500 tonnes
- Commissioning Berth 220 m
- Fit Out Fabrication Space 3,823 m²
- Cranage 4x 10.0 tonne gantry
[edit] Austal Egmont
Egmont Road, Henderson, Western Australia
- Land Area 15,826 m²
- Office Area 728 m²
- Building Halls
- Bay 1: 59.2 m long x 15.3 m wide x 12.9 m high
- Bay 2: 59.2 m long x 16.6 m wide x 12.9 m high
- Bay 3: 63.0 m long x 15.5 m wide x 12.9 m high
- Cranage 3x 10.0 tonne gantry
[edit] Austal Tasmania
83 Gemalla Road, Margate, Tasmania
- Land Area 50,000 m²
- Office Area 450 m²
- Building Halls
- Bay 1: 70 m long x 50 m wide x 20 m high
- Slipway 600 tonnes
- Commissioning Berth 63.0 m long x 15.5 m wide x 12.9 m high
- Fit Out Fabrication Space 3,823 m²
- Cranage 7 x 5.0 tonne gantry
[edit] Austal USA
1 Dunlap Drive, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Employees 1100
- Land Area 40,500m²
- Office Area 970m²
- Building Halls
- Bay 1: 109 m long x 25 m wide x 24 m high
- Bay 2: 122 m long x 41 m wide x 37 m high
- Bay 3: 122 m long x 41 m wide x 37 m high
- Slipway 1,500 tonnes
- Commissioning Berth 238 m
[edit] Current Orders
 1 x 107m vehicle-passenger catamaran for Hawaii Superferry |
 2 x 65m vessels for Sultanate of Oman |
 10 x 48m vessels for Cotai Strip (Macau) |
 2 x 88m and 2x69m for Middle East |
 2 x 48m vessels for New World First Ferry |
[edit] Recent Deliveries
| Hull Nos | Quantity | Vessel Type | Vessel Length | Vessel Capacity | Vessel Speed | Client | Delivery Date |
| 321-334 | 14 | Armidale Class Patrol Boat | 56 metres | 29 compliment | >25 knots | Royal Australian Navy | 2005-2007 |
| 285 | 1 | Vehicle-passenger catamaran | 85 metres | 600 pax, 65 cars | 35 knots | Virtu Ferries, Malta | February 2005 |
| 283 | 1 | Passenger catamaran | 45 metre | 446 pax | 38 knots | L'Express des lles, SA, Guadeloupe | November 2005 |
| 284 | 1 | Vehicle-passenger catamaran | 45 metre | 360 pax, 10 cars | 38 knots | L'Express des lles, SA, Guadeloupe | November 2005 |
| 180-185 | 6 | Police Boat | 16 metre | 4 crew, 8 personnel | 28 knots | New South Wales Police | 2006 |
| 297 | 1 | Private vessel | 58 metre | 15 guests | 16 knots | Private | May 2007 |
| 615 | 1 | Vehicle-passenger catamaran | 107 metres | 866 pax, 282 cars | 40 knots | Hawaii Superferry | June 2007 |
| 294-295 | 2 | Vehicle-passenger catamaran | 88 metres | 1200 pax, 225 cars | 37 knots | Istanbul Deniz Otobusieri, Turkey | 2007 |
