A new $35million purpose-built submarine maintenance facility at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) will bring in millions of dollars to the State over the next 25 years.
Full announcement below:
A new $35million purpose-built submarine maintenance facility at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) will bring in millions of dollars to the State over the next 25 years.
Industry and Enterprise Minister Francis Logan officially opened the ASC facility earlier this week, with the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Greg Combet.
ASC (formerly known as Australian Submarine Corporation) is the designer and builder of the Australian Defence Force's Collins Class submarines. ASC will provide through-life support, maintenance and upgrade services to the submarines under a 25-year contract.
Mr Logan said the dedicated submarine maintenance facility was an enormous asset for Western Australia and an excellent extension to the AMC.
"The AMC is Australia's premier shipbuilding, module fabrication and repair and maintenance facility for the marine, defence and petroleum industries," he said.
"The State Government has invested $174million in new infrastructure at the AMC that will prove critical to the operations of ASC and other companies in WA.
"A new floating dock and self-propelled modular transfer system are currently being constructed and will improve facilities for ships and submarines to be repaired and maintained.
"This infrastructure was instrumental in ASC's decision to invest in purpose-built facilities at the AMC and the State Government is certain that ASC has made the right decision.
"I am positive this decision will be paid back many times over in both productivity gains for the company, the AMC and the State."
ASC has worked across multiple sites in WA since 1996, and the opening of its ASC West facility at the AMC represents the amalgamation of three service facilities into one consolidated, cutting-edge submarine support facility.
ASC chairman John Prescott said it was a very significant day for ASC, both in terms of its commitment to sustaining the submarine fleet at the AMC and to ASC's future in WA.
"Over the past 12 years, our operations in the West have helped keep the Collins Class submarines at the forefront of Australia's naval defences," Mr Prescott said.
"It has been a vital base in the ongoing operations of the Collins Class - critical maintenance that has helped ensure these boats remain the most lethal conventional submarines.
"The State Government is developing key infrastructure at the AMC, without which ASC West simply could not exist.
"ASC West represents a $35million investment in the future and a permanent commitment to WA."
Mr Logan said the AMC's cluster of marine, defence and oil and gas companies would continue to grow and become an economic powerhouse in the Asia-Pacific region.
ASC will perform its first submarine docking at ASC West in 2009, when the floating dock begins service at the AMC.
