WA boat maker on world stage

Western Australian ship builder Austal has won a multi-million dollar contract to supply three cutting edge vessels for use on offshore wind farms in Europe.

The purpose built catamarans will be used to transport service crews and equipment to offshore wind farms located in the North Sea. They will be based in Holyhead, Wales and operated by Turbine Transfers Limited.

The 21 metre vessels will be built at Austal’s Henderson plant, south of Perth, and are due for delivery in May next year.

The Managing Director of Holyhead based Turbine Transfers, Captain Mark Meade said Austal was selected based on its extensive experience in the design and construction of innovative aluminium vessels.

“We look forward to taking delivery of these three vessels, which were designed to provide comfortable transits and safe turbine step-offs, whilst capably servicing Europe’s growing wind farm industry,” he said.

Austal Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bellamy says the awarding of the contract shows the WA company is a market leader.

“Supporting the currently installed offshore generating capacity is today an attractive market opportunity,” he said.

He said the company will continue to focus on Europe’s renewable energy sector in the future.

“The projected growth in new wind farms and wave generator capacity over the coming years makes this market sector a strategic component of the Austal Group’s commercial vessel business,” he said.

Agent General Kerry Sanderson AO said the deal is a fine example of the strong trade relationship in specialised and advanced technologies between Western Australia and Europe.

 

 

*Image courtesy of Austal