Serco and Civmec Pursue Shared LAND 8710 Vision

12 Mei 2022

'Oboe' Littoral Manouvre Vessel Medium (image : Serco)

Combining innovation and excellence, Serco Australia and Civmec have come together to pursue their shared vision to deliver the next-generation in assured amphibious capabilities for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under a new Joint Venture (JV) company, the Australian Maritime Alliance (AMA).

Civmec and Serco are leading an Australia-wide team in solution development and industrial mobilisation in pursuit of the LAND 8710 Phase 1A program. Over the past year, the design of the new ‘Oboe’ Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel Medium (LMV-M) has been optimised and refined to meet the needs of the ADF and now represents the next generation in amphibious capability.

Serco Defence Managing Director Clint Thomas AM, CSC, said the alliance demonstrates the importance of delivering local industry resilience, facilitating workforce and workload predictability, and providing assured supply chain access to build a trusted and sustained Australian shipbuilding sector.

“Serco and Civmec share a vision to provide the crucial leadership that the Australian shipbuilding sector requires, signalling an industry-led strategic approach to deliver and support essential sovereign military capabilities and sustainable workshare outcomes,” Mr Thomas said.

“With Serco and Civmec’s complementary capabilities and shared community values for realising the sustained growth of Australia’s Shipbuilding Industry, our alliance is set to deliver proven benefits through uplifting Western Australian industry capabilities, matching Serco’s global shipbuilding expertise and reach with Civmec’s superlative workforce skills, proven technology and infrastructure capacity.”

As an internationally recognised shipbuilder, Serco brings fresh perspectives and a proven stable of innovative ship designs. Over the last 20 years Serco Australia’s Program Managers, Naval Architects and Engineering Specialists have supported Naval and Commonwealth maritime operations around Australia, with a proven local Supply Chain Team and demonstrated ability to support the Army in a true partnership. During this time Serco has delivered 130 vessels into Commonwealth service and trained many thousands of Bridge watchkeepers and Seaboat crew for the Royal Australian Navy.

Civmec are a leading integrated, multi-disciplinary construction and engineering services provider to the Marine & Defence, Oil & Gas, Metal & Minerals, and Infrastructure sectors, headquartered in Henderson, Western Australia. Civmec have heavily invested in building Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding and sustainment capability through the construction of a new shipbuilding and sustainment hall. The mega-structure stands 18 storeys (70 metres) high and contains 20 overhead travelling cranes with a 400t lift capacity in the central hall.

Civmec’s CEO Pat Tallon is excited to progress Civmec’s credentials in demonstrating a sovereign naval shipbuilding capability.

“I am proud that Civmec is evolving to be a solid option for the Commonwealth as it seeks to expand on the Sovereign shipbuilding and sustainment capability. We are committed to the charge and look forward to forging strong relationships with Serco and others that are integral to meeting the demands of the ADF,” Mr Tallon said.

“Civmec’s Henderson facility offers unmatched shipbuilding capacity to deliver for the Commonwealth’s naval shipbuilding programs and combined with our new state-of-the-art ship assembly hall, we operate the largest fabrication workshops in Australia.

“This project builds on our experience gained through the ongoing delivery of the SEA1180 Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel program. The LMV-M platform will allow us to continue to demonstrate our innovative approach to shipbuilding.”

Serco and Civmec are bringing together a national team to best deploy the skills and strengths of Australian Industry, reflecting a rigorously developed strategy to deliver sustained SME growth and professionalisation.

The combined size of Serco and Civmec’s workforce is 19,000 strong, with their local talent having proven themselves on numerous successful shipbuilding and infrastructure projects around the world.

The ‘Oboe’ will heavily rely upon and maximise the use of Australian Industry Capability to advance Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability. Serco, Civmec, and their nation-wide industry team stand ready to deliver for the Commonwealth, bringing Australian industry skills and expertise to the forefront, and positioning Australia to drive forward in establishing a sustainable and vibrant shipbuilding industry.

Serco and Civmec are Australian Maritime Alliance.

 (Serco)