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AUSTRALIAN WELDING | MARCH 2017
Inside the Industry:
Breaking News Ultra Electronics Secures $1.7 Million Defence Contract Adelaide-based defence and aerospace company, Ultra Electronics Avalon Systems, has received government funding of $1.7 million to develop and demonstrate an innovative technology to enhance Defence capability. Ultra Electronics regional director for Australia and NZ, Bernard Mills, said the funding will provide Australia with sovereign capability development and Australian workers with better skills.
Monadelphous Secures New Contracts Engineering company Monadelphous has recently secured a number of contracts. In joint venture with Jacobs Engineering, Monadelphous will enter into a five year contract for engineering, procurement and construction services on Oil Search’s oil and gas production facilities in Papua New Guinea, valued at US$50 million per annum.
“[The funding] enhances in-country skills at the highvalue/high-tech end of the capability spectrum, and [the project] can be leveraged as a potential common system across a variety of current and future naval platforms,” Mr Mills said.
Monadelphous signed two new contracts with subsidiaries of Fortescue Metals, including: a three year contract for fixed plant maintenance crane services and shutdown crane services at the Solomon Hub site in the Pilbara; and a contract to provide abrasive blasting, cleaning and relining of up to 900 carbon steel ore wagons in Port Hedland.
Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP said this innovation project would develop techniques to provide naval ships with early warning of incoming low flying air threats, such as anti-ship missiles. “We are determined to use the defence dollar to drive a higher technology, advanced manufacturing future. We need to ensure that we maximise opportunities for Australian industry to contribute to meeting our capability needs,” Pyne said.
Monadelphous also won the upgrade of the Water Treatment Plant at BHP Billiton Western Australia Iron Ore’s Mining Area C operation; a contract for the supply, fabrication, pre-assembly and delivery of structural steel, conveyers and plate work with Brolton Group at the Hanson Bass Point Quarry Expansion Project in Shellharbour, NSW; and an order to provide facilities maintenance services at the Wheatstone LNG Project for 12 months under an existing agreement with Chevron.
Austal Delivers Pacific Patrol Boats Design Review Austal’s Detailed Design Review (DDR) for the A$306 million Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Project has been successfully completed, formally signifying the end of the design phase and the commencement of the production phase. A key element of the Commonwealth’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy, the PPB-R Project is contributing to the growth of Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability in the lead up to the Offshore Patrol Vessel and Future Frigate programs for the Royal Australian Navy, due to commence in 2018 and 2020, respectively. The PPB-R Project comprises the design, construction, delivery, training and sustainment of nineteen 40m patrol boats - to be gifted by the Commonwealth of Australia - to twelve Pacific Island nations as part of Australia’s new Pacific Maritime Security Program. Construction of the patrol boats will commence in Western Australia in April 2017, with deliveries from 2018 to 2023. Sustainment of the new fleet of vessels will be carried out by Austal in Cairns, Queensland.
Artists impression of the Pacific Patrol Boats. Source: Austal.