Austal has hosted the keel-laying ceremony for the sixth Cape Class Patrol Boat being manufactured at Austal’s Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.
The vessel, Cape Leveque, is the sixth of eight Cape Class Patrol Boats being built by Austal for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service under a design, construct and in-service support contract valued at approximately $330 million.
The first-in-class Cape Class Patrol Boat, Cape St George, was delivered to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service in April 2013.
A second vessel, the Cape Byron, is undergoing sea trials and is expected to be delivered in the next two months.
All eight vessels are on track to be delivered by August 2015, in line with the contract.
The three coins for the Cape Leveque keel laying ceremony were placed by Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Scott Morrison; Austal Chairman John Rothwell; and Customs and Border Protection Regional Commander WA Rod O’Donnell.
As part of the $330 million contract, Austal will also perform ongoing in-service support for the Cape Class fleet over at least eight years, encompassing a full range of intermediate and depot level maintenance activities, valued at a minimum of $50 million.
In addition to its role as a defence prime contractor in Australia, Austal is also prime contractor for two major US defence projects – the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) – for the US Navy.
The first-in-class Cape Class Patrol Boat, Cape St George, was delivered to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service in April 2013.
