Now NSW sources ferries from overseas, ignores local builder

Comment by Peter Roberts The New South Wales government has confirmed its love affair with importing expensive transport equipment with the purchase of 13 Sydney harbour ferries for a reported $1.3 billion. Writing in MichaelWest.com, maritime commentator Neil Baird said Northern NSW company, Birdon had contracted to build the ferries in China and Indonesia. The…

Development capital sector invests in manufacturing through Levett

Development capital interests have agreed to buy leading South Australian supplier of precision components and assemblies for defence and aerospace industries, Levett Engineering.. CPE Capital subsidiary ASDAM will add Levett to a growing portfolio of manufacturing interests, focused on high tecnology suppliers to defence prime contractors. Levett provides complex parts for naval and air force…

2020 WorldSkills tradie competition to be held August 13 – 15 in Perth

More than 500 competitors and 20,000 visitors are expected to attend the WorldSkills Australia National Championships, which have been announced for August 13 – 15 at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre next year.   The national vocational and educational training (VET) competition will feature as many as 60 skills categories. It is held in conjunction…

Now Microsoft and Google make quantum breakthroughs

Technology giant Microsoft has joined rival Google in announcing important advances in quantum computing, the next stage in smaller and ever more capable computers. Yesterday Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella announced the technology company had developed a “full-stack, open cloud ecosystem” to bring the benefits of quantum computing to developers around the world. He…

Talga begins big graphene trial

Advanced materials group Talga Resources (ASX: TLG) has begun a large scale commercial trial of a Talga graphene enhanced coating for ships hulls. Over 700 square metres of the coating is being applied to the Algarrobo (pictured), a 33,000 tonne container ship as a performance booster for conventional marine primer. Talga managing director Mark Thompson…

BAE systems demonstrates fully autonomous armoured vehicles

Defence manufacturer BAE systems demonstrated two fully autonomous armoured vehicles for the Australian Army this week, providing insights into autonomous technologies on future battlefields. The ‘battlefield simulation’ demonstration was held at the Majura Training Site where the Chief of Army was shown two customised M113 tracked armoured vehicles (pictured) in operation. BAE Systems engineers and…