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2017-02-16

GCC offers multiple opportunities for Austal’s defense vessels

Australian ship maker Austal sees manifold opportunities to expand its market in the GCC countries, according to the CEO, David Singleton. “Austal, which started operations in the Middle East in 2008, has been established in the Middle East since 2008 and now operates in Oman and the UAE,” he said.

“We are very much committed to growing our customer base, presence and support in the GCC and see multiple opportunities for our defence (and commercial) vessel solutions with operators throughout the region.”

Following the recent deliveries of two 72 metre High Speed Support Vessels (HSSV’s) to the Royal Navy of Oman, Austal is keen to further promote the unique capability of the military catamaran to other nations in the GCC, he said.

Initially focused on the global commercial passenger ferry market, Austal is now an acknowledged leader in patrol boat design, construction and sustainment, having delivered 72 patrol boats since 1998, including the Commonwealth of Australia’s entire border patrol capability – comprising 30 vessels for the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Border Force.

Today, Austal’s patrol boat portfolio features the benchmark 58 metre Cape-class Patrol Boat, with 8 vessels operating with the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy and 2 more under construction. Singleton said new variants of the Cape, offering maritime security and anti-mine warfare or hydrographic survey mission capability are on display at Austal’s stand at NAVDEX 2017.

Also in the defence sector, Austal has effectively created and led the development of the High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) class. “Our latest variant of this highly adaptable, military catamaran platform - a 113 metre HSSV - is also on display at NAVDEX 2017,” he said.

“We’re also keen to highlight Austal’s leadership in patrol boat design and construction and in particular, offer the proven Cape-class Patrol Boat as an effective border patrol or maritime security platform that is ideal for the extreme operating conditions of the GCC.

Austal has built over 255 vessels for over 100 operators in 44 countries. Austal has developed innovative vessel designs in numerous categories and, in fact, created new categories to meet customer requirements, over the past 28 years, he said.

In the commercial sector, Austal led the development of high speed aluminium craft and has gained an enviable reputation for monohull, catamaran and trimaran designs that have become icons of the industry, including the 127 metre Benchijigua Express – the world’s largest trimaran hull vehicle passenger ferry.

In the defence sector, Austal has developed original, effective vessel solutions for governments, navies, coast guards, maritime security agencies and police forces including patrol boats (from 16 metres to 58 metres), frigate sized surface combatants (Littoral Combat Ship) and theatre support vessels such as the Expeditionary Fast Transport and the High Speed Support Vessel.

Austal has had a permanent engineering team in Oman since 2008, providing a variety of support services to customers including the National Ferries Company, Royal Oman Police Coast Guard (ROPCG) and now the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO).

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