Steel Cut for First Offshore Patrol Vessel

04 Oktober 2018

Lürssen OPV 80 (image : Lurssen)

Australia has hit a key milestone in its landmark naval shipbuilding program with the first steel cut for the country’s new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

This is the next step in our nation’s $90 billion naval shipbuilding program that will keep Australia safe and deliver jobs for generations around the country.

Our plan for an even stronger economy means using Australian steel, Australian workers and investing in Australia’s skills base.

Australian steel is being used for all 12 OPVs and after being prepared and processed in Western Australia it will be delivered to South Australia. Two ships are being built at Osborne in SA by ASC Shipbuilding before construction for the other ten moves to Civmec in WA in 2020.

Ultimately, our Government’s OPV project will create up to 1,000 positions.

The first bolt has also been locked down on the steelwork at the country’s largest ship assembly hall at Civmec’s massive new $85 million facility at Henderson.

The facility will also include a blast and paint workshop, undercover storage, offices and carparks.

The new assembly hall will be bigger than the WACA Ground in Perth and large enough to house multiple OPVs for construction.

The facility project will create around 140 jobs and Civmec estimates it will provide positions for up to 1,000 West Australians, including 100 new apprentices and trainees, when it’s up and running.

Our Government’s investment in Australia’s naval shipbuilding program demonstrates our commitment to the safety and security of our nation, its people and its borders, and it represents an unprecedented investment in the local economy, workers and skills. (Aus Gov)

Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)

Australia’s current Armidale class and Cape class patrol boats, Huon class coastal minehunters, Leeuwin class survey ships and Survey Ship, Coastal (AGSC) are planned to be replaced with a single class of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) to be built in Australia by German shipbuilder, Lürssen's subsidiary, Luerssen Australia partnering with Australian shipbuilder, Civmec in the joint venture, Australian Maritime Shipbuilding & Export Group (AMSEG). The twelve Australian vessels are based on the PV80 design with the first two vessels to be built at ASC's Osborne ship yard in South Australia before production moves to Civmec's Henderson ship yard in Western Australia. Construction of the first vessel is planned to commence in 2018.

The primary role of the OPV will be to undertake constabulary missions, maritime patrol and response duties. State of the art sensors as well as command and communication systems will allow the OPVs to operate alongside Australian Border Force vessels, other Australian Defence Force units and other regional partners.

Through the use of two changeable, containerised mission systems, secondary roles of minehunting, unmanned aerial system (UAS) missions, and hydrographic survey can also be performed.


The lead vessel is planned to planned to enter service in 2021. (RAN)