NORSTA awarded five year, $150 million Darwin maritime sustainment contract

NORSTA North has been awarded a five-year, $150 million contract for the Regional Maintenance Centre at Darwin, known as RMC North, the fourth and final addition to a network of maritime sustainment centres around Australia.

According to a statement on Monday from defence industry minister Pat Conroy, the contract is expected to create up to 37 direct jobs, and also support a broader industrial ship repair workforce of approximately 56 in the region.

“This strategically important Regional Maintenance Centre based in Darwin will have positive impacts on the local community and defence industry, creating jobs and increasing economic activity centred around sustainment of our naval fleet,” said Conroy.

“Naval forces in Darwin serve as a rapid response capability for addressing security challenges, bolstering humanitarian aid efforts and supporting disaster relief operations, greatly contributing to security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.”

​NORSTA will coordinate maintenance for Navy vessels in the region, supporting Defence’s national approach to sustainment of the Royal Australian Navy fleet. 

Thee Darwin facility is scheduled to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2024, initially supporting sustainment of Navy’s Cape class (pictured) patrol boats.

RMC North is one of four maintenance centres to be developed at strategic ports around Australia, at Cairns, Henderson in WA, Darwin, and Sydney.

Team NORSTA includes NORSTA Maritime and partners including Nova Systems and SECORA Australasia. It is also the Regional Maintenance Provider at Cairns RMC.

Picture: credit Austal

Further reading

Norsta awarded $70 RAN maintenance contract at new Cairns base

NSM awarded contract for OPV maintenance at Henderson