• Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne with the Maritime Australia industry Innovation Awards winners at Pacific 2017. Credit: ADM David Jones
    Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne with the Maritime Australia industry Innovation Awards winners at Pacific 2017. Credit: ADM David Jones
Close×

Patrick Durrant | Pacific 2017, Sydney

Judges were faced with an unenviable task as a strong lineup of entrants contested the inaugural Maritime Australia Industry Innovation Awards, with a total of 15 Australian civil and defence industry innovators shortlisted across five categories.

The winners were presented with their awards by Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne at the Pacific 2017 International Maritime Exposition on Wednesday.

The awards were developed by Industry Defence and Security Australia to recognise the significant innovations of companies and young innovators operating in the commercial maritime and naval defence sectors.


 

These innovators are trying to be game changers in their markets

 


Thales Australia took out the National Defence Industry Innovation Award with its integrated multi-media communications management system for naval boarding parties. The system known as Stingrae uses COTS mobile phone, data capture and network communications and management technologies to allow transfer of voice, video, imagery and text-based data between one or more boarding parties and their host platform in support of mission objectives. Stingrae is currently being trialled aboard a RAN warship and its RHIBs during an operational deployment.

The Defence Materials Technology Centre was Highly Commended for its work on microbiological influenced corrosion, responsible for about 17 per cent of the RAN's annual maintenance costs. The research conducted by the DMTC, ASC and the Swinburne University of Technology has resulted in smarter maintenance procedures, greater availability of ships and submarines and a reduction in maintenance and repair costs.

Unmanned surface vessel SME Ocius Technology took out the Defence SME Innovation Grant for the work it has undertaken developing the Bluebottle USV that can remain at sea for weeks or months relying on solar, wind and wave energy alone. Ocius was awarded a CTD contract in 2015 which led to a successful demonstration in August.

Ocius CEO Robert Dane said the company was honoured to be recognised among the strong field of Australian contestants. “It has been truly a tremendous Australian team effort to get to where we are today.”

He also thanked Ocius partners and suppliers including UNSW, Thales Australia, and Steber International.

Prism Defence was highly commended in this category for developing the HeliSAFE shipborne software system that improves the safety of maritime helicopter operations in high winds and heavy seas.

AMOG Technologies received the Civil Industry National Innovation Award for its work developing and testing an all-new application for the disruptive, Australian developed Longitudinally Grooved Suppression (LGS) Technology. Commercially manufactured LGS modules have now been deployed and this innovation has the potential to save up to $16 million per rig per annum.

The Civil SME Innovation Grant was awarded to WA company Nauti-craft with it passive suspension system that works to improve ride comfort, boat handling and occupational health and safety for crew and passengers in high-speed craft such as those used in naval and police boarding operations.

Two candidates jointly won the Young Innovator Scholarship for Defence Industry. Peter Kabakov from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation was recognised for his work on a collaborative R&D program to develop single crystal piezo-electric ceramics for use in acoustic transducers for sonar systems. Andrew Short, a PhD candidate at the University of Wollongong, was selected for his work that has helped to develop robots for inspection of submarine ballast tanks.

The other shortlisted Innovation Awards contenders were:

  • Abyss Solutions (NSW) – End to End Condition Assessment of Underwater Assets
  • Advanced Navigation (NSW) – Subsonus subsea navigation system
  • Artis Group (NSW) – Artis Engineering Platform
  • Columbus Group (WA) – 3D Dynamic Fluid/Semi-solid pump
  • Defence Materials Technology Centre and Partners (VIC) – High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) coatings for marine applications
  • Rojone Pty Limited (NSW) – RADHAZ Isolation unit
  • Ron Allum Deepsea Services (NSW) – Energy Storage and Distribution System (ESDS), Pressure Tolerant Brushless DC Motors
  • Woodside Energy Pty Limited (WA) – LNG-powered marine support vessel

Pacific 2017 CEO Ian Honnery said innovation wasn't just about having good ideas, but putting them to good use. “These innovators are trying to be game changers in their markets and we are delighted to be able to recognise their contributions and be a part of their journey.”

comments powered by Disqus