Austal secures $152m in contracts.

Austal will build a ferry for the government of Trinidad & Tobago, in a deal worth approximately $97.7 million, while also announcing it had won an advanced $54.9 million order for materials to construct a transport vessel for the US Navy.

Under the Trinidad & Tobago contract, the Henderson-based shipbuilder will construct a 94-metre, high-speed vehicle and passenger catamaran to be delivered in mid-2020.

In July, Austal announced the government of Caribbean country signed a deal to purchase two patrol boats in a deal worth approximately $100 million.

Austal chief executive David Singleton said the company was delighted to have been selected again by the government of Trinidad & Tobago.

“This new contract will build upon the Austal fleet already in Trinidad, which includes four 41-metre catamaran Water Taxis and six 30-metre monohull fast patrol craft,” Mr Singleton.

For the US Navy, Austal will provide long lead-time materials, including diesel engines, water jets and reduction gears, for a 103-metre expeditionary fast transport.

In a statement to the ASX, Austal said it expected these contracts to lead to full vessel construction contracts later in the fiscal year, which, if awarded, was estimated to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2022.

This would be the 14th vessel of this class built by the company for the US Navy.

In September, the company secured a $1.6 billion contract to build two littoral combat ships for the US Navy over the next five years.

Yesterday, Austal also announced it had commenced construction on a next generation 83-metre trimaran ferry for JR Kyushu of Japan at its shipyard in Western Australia.