Thales wins dry dock maintenance contract

The federal government has extended its partnership with Thales Australia to operate and maintain the Captain Cook Graving Dock in Sydney.

The continued operation of the graving dock at Garden Island Defence Precinct is vital to the sustainment of the Royal Australian Navy fleet.

Thales CEO Jeff Connolly welcomed the move.

He said: “The Captain Cook Graving Dock and Garden Island Precinct on Sydney Harbour have always been critical sovereign national security assets – as is the highly skilled Thales Australia workforce that safely operate the dock every day to ensure the RAN is always ready and available to protect the nation and support our Pacific Island neighbors as needed.”

Connolly committed to ensuring the continued training and upskilling of its 460 people at the site to advance dockyard operations as new RAN vessels come online.

“The new contract awarded to Thales is expected to generate over 800 local jobs and generate over $700m of opportunities with Australian SMEs to 2028, including the addition of over 40 new apprentices, trainees and cadets.”

Thales Australia has been awarded a five-year contract, valued at approximately $50 million, which will create up to 30 direct defence industry jobs and support an industrial ship repair workforce of approximately 300 people in the Sydney region.

Thales Australia will coordinate and conduct the docking of naval vessels that require out of water maintenance, repair and overhaul.

The Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said: “Enhancing the capability of our vessels is key; but we must meet enduring sustainment demand through advanced and reliable infrastructure.

“This approach will allow our naval vessels to be ready and up to the job when and where they’re needed.”

Picture: Thales Australia