Work starts on sixth offshore patrol vessel






Construction has officially begun at Henderson south of Perth on OPV6, the sixth vessel being constructed for the navy in the Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Program.

Luerssen Australia has cut the first steel on the sixth vessel at its Henderson yard for what will be the future HMAS Carpentaria.

The company now has six OPVs under construction – two at Osborne in Adelaide, South Australia and the remainder and all future ships in Western Australia.

Overall, it will deliver 12 OPVs to the Royal Australian Navy.

Luerssen Australia Chief Executive Officer, Jens Nielsen, said this represented another significant achievement in the program.

“The commencement of construction on OPV 6, is another pivotal point in the Arafura Class OPV Program.

“It is a testament to the efforts of everyone involved in the program that construction is underway on vessel number six, as we continue to work on five other vessels across two sites in Osborne and Henderson.

“We are extremely proud of the progress we have made on the program, and there is no doubt the strength of our sovereign supply chain has been critical in helping us achieve this milestone.”

Luerssen Australia is embedding almost 150 years of shipbuilding and sustainment knowledge into the Australian supply chain.

“By supporting local suppliers, we are helping develop their capabilities which is creating a more robust supply chain.”

As the Western Australian shipbuilding sector continues to grow over the next decade, Luerssen Australia said it saw a very bright future for the industry and is committed to making a positive long-term impact on sovereign shipbuilding in Western Australia.

Picture: Luerssen Australia

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