Austal
Austal is an Australian-based global shipbuilding company known for designing and constructing high-performance aluminum vessels. Established in 1988, the company has expanded its operations worldwide, with shipyards and service centers in Australia, the United States, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Austal specializes in producing various types of vessels, including:
- Military Ships: Austal has significant contracts with the United States Navy and other navies worldwide. Notably, they build the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and the Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) for the U.S. Navy.
- Commercial Vessels: They manufacture high-speed ferries, passenger vessels, and offshore support vessels.
- Custom Vessels: They also produce tailor-made solutions for governmental and private clients, addressing specific requirements and operational needs.
Key Attributes and Services
- Lightweight Aluminum Construction: Austal is recognized for its expertise in aluminum fabrication, which offers benefits like reduced weight, corrosion resistance, and lower fuel consumption, leading to cost-efficient operations.
- Innovative Design: The company employs advanced design and engineering techniques to enhance vessel performance, safety, and efficiency.
- Global Reach: With production facilities and service centers worldwide, Austal supports a broad spectrum of maritime needs across different regions.
- Sustainability: Austal is involved in sustainable practices, including the development of environmentally friendly technologies and vessels.
- Service and Maintenance: They provide lifecycle support, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul services to ensure the longevity and optimal performance of their vessels.
Key Projects and Achievements
- Defense Contracts: Notable for securing large-scale contracts such as the multi-billion-dollar LCS and EPF programs for the U.S. Navy.
- High-Speed Ferries: They've delivered some of the fastest and most efficient ferry services globally, contributing significantly to maritime passenger transport.
Financial and Market Presence
Austal is publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Over the years, it has demonstrated robust financial performance, driven by strong order books and expanding market presence. The company continues to invest in R&D, reflecting its commitment to innovation and growth in the maritime industry.
Austal’s expansive portfolio and strategic global positioning make it a formidable player in the shipbuilding industry, known for delivering high-quality, innovative maritime solutions.
Passenger and vehicle-passenger ferries, leisure vessels, private liveaboard vessels, offshore vessels, patrol boats, police boats, naval vessels, multi role vessels,
- Phone: +61 8 9410 1111
- Web: www.austal.com
- Fax: +61 8 9410 2564
Locations
Austal USA News
US Navy Testing Unmanned Capabilities Aboard USNS Apalachicola
The future USNS Apalachicola (EPF 13) is performing a series of planned test events assessing autonomous capabilities integrated into the shipboard configuration, demonstrating that a large ship can become a self-driving platform.Known as Unmanned Logistics Prototype trials, each test event increases the perception capabilities and complexity of behaviors demonstrated by the autonomous systems. Test evolutions to date include point-to-point autonomous navigation…
US Navy: Building Small Combatants to Create Force Structure and Capability
The U.S. Navy needs more ships. And that means the Navy has to build more ships than it is decommissioning.The sea service has a stated a goal of 355 ships, and as many as 500 and more when unmanned platforms are counted. There are 298 ships in the fleet today. For surface ships, this number includes a high-low mix of highly capable large surface combatants, and smaller ships such as littoral combat ships LCS).The Navy’s smallest combatants are the 330-ton, 197-foot coastal patrol boats (PCs).
From Surface to Subsea to Space: U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Outlook 2022
As a rudderless U.S. Navy debates maritime strategy, fleet futures and platform performance, America’s naval shipbuilding industry can look forward to another year of relative stasis.Barring a major geopolitical incident or unexpected maritime provocation, government shipbuilding isn’t going to change course. With Admiral Michael Gilday approaching the final “lame duck” year of his four-year term as Chief of Naval Operations and the 2024 election season looming…
US Navy Awards Austal Option for Two More T-ATS Vessels
Australian shipbuilding group Austal announced its Austal USA arm has been awarded a $156,171,650 fixed-price incentive contract option from the U.S. Navy for the construction of two additional Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ships (T-ATS 13 and 14). With the award, the company is now under contract for four T-ATS, having received awards for T-ATS 11 and 12 in October 2021.Austal CEO Paddy…
USS Santa Barbara Delivered to the US Navy
Mobil, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA on Thursday delivered the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), the 16th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) delivered by the company for the U.S. Navy.Delivery documents were signed on board the ship and followed the completion of acceptance trials during which the ship’s major systems and equipment were tested to demonstrate mission readiness. The ship’s…
Austal USA Begins Building Its First Steel Ship
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA on Monday said it celebrated the start of construction on the company’s first steel ship, a U.S. Navy Navajo Class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 11).“It seems like only yesterday we were breaking ground on our steel shipbuilding facility and here we are, a little over a year later, beginning construction on our first steel ship,” said Austal USA Vice President of New Construction…
Austal USA Inks $128m Deal for Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock
Austal USA won the Detailed Design and Construction (DD&C) contract on June 17 valued at $128 million for the U.S. Navy Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium (AFDM), which marks Austal USA’s second steel vessel program for the U.S. Navy. The AFDM will be built in Austal’s modern steel panel line in Mobile, Ala. The design incorporates features to improve operability and maintainability based on the company’s experience and lessons learned from owning…
Austal USA Launches LCS 34
Austal USA launched the 17th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS Augusta (LCS 34). Assisted by tugs, the ship was escorted out of Austal USA’s floating dry dock and secured pier side on the waterfront for machinery commissioning and system activation in preparation for sea trials later this year.Augusta is the 17th of 19 Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships that Austal USA is building for the U.S. Navy. Five LCS are under various stages of construction.
Austal Bags $230.5M Deal to Design and Build Expeditionary Fast Transport Ship for U.S. Navy
Austal USA has won a $230.5 million contract for the detailed design and construction of EPF 16, the Navy’s newest Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ship.Austal USA has so far delivered 12 EPFs. Three additional EPFs are currently under construction. "EPFs have demonstrated their operational capability to conduct a variety of missions to include humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, maritime security, surveillance, command and control, and counter-narcotic missions around the globe.
Austal USA Opens New Steel Facility
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA hosted a ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new facility which adds steel shipbuilding capability to the company’s well-established aluminum shipbuilding expertise.“We are so excited to see our plans to add steel to our capabilities come to fruition,” said Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh. “The addition of steel capability is a game changer as it opens up our capability to support the U.S. Navy, U.S.
2022 US Shipbuilding Report
It’s a common story in the U.S. shipbuilding industry today. A piece of equipment that used to be available for delivery on short notice—maybe in one or two weeks—now must be ordered months or more in advance, and it costs double. Add to this rising steel prices and the labor issues that have pervaded nearly all industrial sectors since the early days of the pandemic, and it’s clear that business is far from usual for American shipyards.Bollinger Shipyards president and CEO…
Shipbuilding Interview: Rusty Murdaugh, President, Austal USA
Austal USA has been investing mightily, more than $600 million to expand its repair and services business for both commercial and military customers; and in the opening of a state-of-the-art steel panel line in Mobile to complement its established aluminum shipbuilding operations. Rusty Murdaugh, President, Austal USA, discusses the rationale behind the investment as Austal USA drives quickly toward a $500m services model.Most of our readers know the Austal USA brand…
Shipbuilder Austal USA Delivers USS Canberra (LCS 30)
The U.S. Navy took delivery of the future USS Canberra (LCS 30) at Austal USA on December 21. This is the second Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) that shipbuilder Austal has delivered to the Navy in 2021.“With two ship launches, two christenings, and now the successful completion of sea trials and delivery for LCS 30, it has been a busy last couple of months at Austal USA,” said Rusty Murdaugh, President of the Mobile, Alabama-based shipbuilder.
Austal USA Wins Navy Contract for NGLS Design Study
Austal USA said it was awarded a contract to perform design studies for the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program. This contract requires Austal to develop a new baseline design and perform specific trade studies for the Navy’s newest logistics ship. Austal, as the shipbuilder and design agent, will be the prime contractor.“Austal is excited to begin work on another U.S. Navy steel shipbuilding program,” Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh said.
Austal USA Orders Dry Dock for New West Coast Yard
Austal USA on Monday revealed it has ordered a new dry dock that it said will become the centerpiece of its new repair facility in San Diego.Construction on the dry dock began Monday at Sedef Shipyard in Turkey, and the completed vessel is scheduled to be fully operational in Austal’s new West Coast yard by August 2023.The dry dock will have a 9,000 light ton lifting capacity. It will be 531 feet (162 meters) long…
Austal USA Inks Deal to Open West Coast Repair Facility
Austal USA finalized a deal to establish a repair facility in the Port of San Diego. The deal, first announced in November, includes a long-term lease of a waterfront site in National City adjacent to Naval Base San Diego, and the 15-acre site will focus on ship repair for U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command and U.S. Coast Guard ships. The site will be centered on a newly-built dry dock designed to…
Austal USA Partners With Steel Provider SSAB
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced it has entered into contract with local Alabama steel provider SSAB to provide steel for the new Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ships (T-ATS) it is building for the U.S. Navy.Austal said it will source various strength and sized steel plating from SSAB capable of being cut, shaped, welded, and fitted resulting in the construction of support ships and potential combat ships for our U.S.
US Navy Taps Austal for Littoral Combat Ships Maintenance in Western Pacific
Austal USA has won a US$72.5 million contract with the US Navy to perform maintenance on Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the countries and ports in the region.The contract value could increase to US$215.9 million if options for further periods contained in the contract are exercised by the US Navy.Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Patrick Gregg said building Austal’s support business has been "a key plank" of the company’s growth strategy…
Shipbuilding: EPF-13 Christened for US Navy at Austal USA
Austal USA christened Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF-13) USNS Apalachicola at its shipyard in Mobile over the weekend.Austal has delivered 12 EPFs since December 2012, and USNS Apalachicola is slated for delivery in the summer of 2022.The Honorable Kelly Loeffler, ship sponsor of USNS Apalachicola, performed the ceremonial bottle break over the bow of the ship, the 13th EPF designed and constructed by Austal USA and the second U.S. Navy ship to be named after the Florida coast city.
In the Shipyard: Austal USA Opens Ship Repair Business in Mobile
Known best for its construction of U.S. Navy warships, Austal USA in September 2020 acquired waterfront property along the Mobile River and established a commercial ship repair facility. Mike Bell, Austal’s VP Operations and Harley Combs, Director, Austal West Campus Ship Repair discuss the plan. Austal USA’s long-established shipbuilding facility in Mobile, Ala., is a modern ship manufacturing factory, one of the largest aluminum warship builders in the world producing new ships for the U.S.
