ADI Limited has boosted its bid for the Royal Australian Navy's new patrol boat fleet with agreements which will provide repair capabilities for advanced composite materials in Darwin and Cairns.
Under the agreements with Darwin Ship Repair and Engineering and Tropical Reef Shipyard in Cairns, ADI will transfer advanced composite technology and repair specifications to the two shipyards.
The transfer will ensure that full support of the advanced composite hulls of the vessels proposed by ADI will be available at the two patrol boat base locations.
The two shipyards are already experienced in naval support and the repair of composite hulls.
ADI is following its highly successful strategy for producing Australia's new fleet of Huon Class minehunter ships by proposing that the patrol boats be based on an internationally proven design and built from advanced composites.
The advantages of advanced composites include:
--Less structural maintenance than steel. --Longer life, guaranteeing a service life of 20 years and beyond without escalation of maintenance costs in later years. --Lighter than a comparable steel vessel, resulting in a reduction in installed power and consequently substantial fuel savings. --The smaller engines required are more easily changed out for maintenance and consequently provide a very high availability for service of the fleet.
If ADI's patrol boats bid is successful, the vessels will be built at the company's world class composites ship production facility in Newcastle where the minehunter ships were produced.
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Darwin And Cairns To Get Patrol Boat Advanced Composite Repair Capabilities
