Duratec Ertech Joint Venture (DEJV), a 50:50 joint venture between Duratec and Ertech, will deliver marine construction solutions as part of the $281 million infrastructure upgrade program at HMAS Stirling, supporting Australia’s future submarine capability.
Already well advanced on the Diamantina Wharf at Garden Island, Western Australia the joint venture has completed 70 per cent of piling works and has recently commenced piling activities at two other sites on the Island.
According to the venture, a key innovation has been DEJV's ability to undertake piling from the existing wharf structure rather than relying extensively on marine plant. This approach has significantly reduced impacts on ongoing naval base operations while improving construction efficiency in a highly constrained and sensitive environment.
To further enhance delivery, DEJV established a dedicated fabrication and pre-assembly yard at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) in Henderson.
Major pile and fender components are assembled offsite before being transported by barge to Garden Island for installation. This strategy has minimised disruption within the operational Defence precinct, improved quality control as well as accelerated construction activities.
“By fabricating the components at Henderson and barging the materials across the water, we are taking large vehicle loads off local roads and delivering the works more sustainably by lowering fuel emissions,” the DEJV’s Contractor’s Representative, Peter Shaw, said.
“Completing the works offsite means we are reducing the amount of work being completed in an environmentally sensitive area,” he said, underlining Duratec and Ertech’s joint commitment to environmental stewardship on Garden Island.
SRF-West is a major new capability underpinning the maintenance and sustainment of conventionally armed, nuclear powered submarine rotational force from the United States and the United Kingdom under the AUKUS partnership.
HMAS Stirling, and ultimately the Defence Precinct at Henderson, will maintain and sustain the Virginia-class (USA) and Astute-class (UK) submarines and new AUKUS-class (Australian) submarines to be designed and built in South Australia.