Austal 58 - Cape Class Patrol Boats - Program
The proposal to replace the existing fleet of 13 Armidale-class patrol boats (designed and manufactured by Austal) with new, evolved Capes was first proposed by Robert Jackson, Head of Business Development – Sustainment at Austal.
The maritime security policy governing patrol boat operations by Customs was established in the Australian Civil Maritime Security Capability Plan, which was endorsed by the Government in November 2009. The plan provided guidance for maritime security planning to 2020 and included a number of key performance requirements for patrol boat operations that were beyond the capabilities of Customs’ existing Bay Class patrol boat fleet. At that time, the Bay Class patrol boats were also entering the latter stages of their planned 10-year operational life.
In response to the planned capability requirements, in the context of the May 2010 Federal Budget the Government approved funding of $573.6 million over 10 years (2010–11 to 2019–20) for the acquisition and operating costs (including crew, maintenance and fuel costs) of new patrol boats to replace the Bay Class patrol boat fleet—the Cape Class patrol boats (CCPBs). Over the 10 year period, the Government required Customs to offset approximately 90 percent of the additional operating costs associated with the CCPBs, compared to the Bay Class patrol boats, from within Customs’ internal allocations. The Government also required that the replacement vessels maintain a patrol function of 2400 sea days per annum across the fleet.
Customs issued through Austender an Requests for Proposal [RFP] seeking industry responses for each of the replacement options. The RFP opened on 23 June 2009 and closed on 17 September 2009. The cost to industry of responding to two capability options was considerable, with one company advising the ANAO that: "The bid cost for the RFP was in the seven figures, and was approximately five times the cost of a usual tendering activity. It was the largest tendering activity undertaken by the company to date." Overall, while the RFP exercise was useful, the low response rate (one response) diminished its value. The low response rate was attributed to the cost of participating in the RFP.
The Request for Tender was released through Austender on 30 July 2010 and closed on 22 October 2010. Three responses to the RFT were submitted by the closing date. Negotiations with the two shortlisted tenderers commenced in February 2011 and were planned for completion by early May, with a contract to be signed by late May 2011. Negotiations with one respondent progressed until April 2011, when the company advised Customs that it would withdraw from the process. This resulted in negotiations continuing with the remaining respondent.
A contract for the acquisition of eight aluminium patrol boats and in-service support (ISS) was signed on 12 August 2011 between the Commonwealth (represented by Customs) and the prime contractor (Austal Ships Pty Ltd, based at Henderson in Western Australia). The total budget for the acquisition was set at $316.5 million over the period 2011–12 to 2015–16. This included $277.7 million in acquisition contract milestone payments to the contractor. The remaining budget covers the costs of: government furnished material7; foreign exchange risk; and an allowance for design/equipment changes and rectification work.
The acceptance schedule included a break of more than 12 months between the first CCPB and the second vessel. This schedule incorporated a six month vessel build pause under the contract, which was intended to capture and address design issues arising from the operational test and evaluation of the first CCPB, before construction commenced on the second vessel. Data provided by Customs showed that, as at September 2014, the contractor’s vessel production schedule for vessels four to eight was generally in-line—within a few weeks—to meet the planned acceptance schedule.
In the 2010-11 Budget, the Australian Government reaffirmed its commitment to improving maritime border security by investing in building and supporting eight new enhanced patrol boats to replace the Bay Class vessels, which were nearing the end of their planned operational life. In March 2010, Customs and Border Protection (now Australian Border Force) released a tender for the design and construction of these boats. Austal emerged as the winner of the contract to design, build and provide in-service support to Australia’s next generation of border protection vessels.
The in-service support contract extends for a minimum period of eight years and encompasses a full range of intermediate and depot level maintenance activities. Further options can be exercised by Australian Border Force for in-service support for the life of the fleet. This contract was Austal’s second significant contract with the Australian government for border protection vessels, having designed and constructed the previous fleet of eight Bay Class vessels.
The new Cape Class Patrol Boats represent a significant investment in Australia’s long term security and is the biggest maritime acquisition project ever undertaken by Australian Border Force. The first Cape Class Patrol Boat came on line in early 2013, and the last vessel, Cape York, was delivered in September 2015.
Austal received a $63m contract from the National Australia Bank in December 2015 for two more Cape Class patrol boats. The first vessel was delivered to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in April 2017 and the second vessel was handed over in May 2017.
The support contract extends for a minimum period of eight years and encompasses a full range of intermediate and depot level maintenance activities. Further options can be exercised by the Australian Border Force for In-Service Support for the life of the Cape-class Patrol Boat fleet.
Austal Limited reported 30 July 2018 that the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) has announced its intention to purchase two Austal Cape Class Patrol Boats. The vessels will enhance the border protection capabilities of the country in conjunction with the existing Coast Guard fleet, and will join six Austal Fast Patrol Craft acquired in 2009.
This announcement is further to a comprehensive proposal submitted by Austal to GORTT in recent weeks. The sale is likely to be supported by the Australian Government via the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC), and follows a demonstration by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) of the capabilities of the Cape Class vessel to a delegation of senior Trinidad and Tobago officials, which included the Chief of Defence Staff. The order is likely to be valued at circa AU$100m plus a multi-year ongoing maintenance and support package. Austal expects to establish a Service Centre in Trinidad to support these vessels, the Austal supplied Fast Patrol Craft, and any additional vessels requiring maintenance as determined by GORTT.
The new Cape Class vessels will be built in Austal’s Henderson shipyard based in Western Australia. Austal had already built 10 Cape Class vessels in Henderson for the Australian Border Force and RAN. Delivery was expected to be in mid-2020.
Austal Australia was awarded 01 May 2020 a A$324 million contract to design and construct six evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (CCPBs) for the Royal Australian Navy. It is the largest contract for an Australian vessel construction program ever awarded to Austal in the Company’s 30 year history.
The six new vessels, to be constructed at Austal’s Henderson shipyard in Western Australia, will add to the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) existing fleet of two CCPB’s delivered in 2017 and further extends Austal’s Cape-class Patrol Boat program to a total of 18 vessels. This includes eight patrol boats operated by the Australian Border Force and two currently under construction for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard.
Construction of the six Capes for the RAN would commence immediately at Austal Australia’s Henderson, Western Australia, shipyard with deliveries scheduled from September 2021, then successively through to mid-2023.
Austal Limited announced 27 November 2020 that Austal Australia had ‘cut metal’ on the third of six new Cape-class patrol boats to be constructed for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The plate-cutting marks the start of construction of Hull 813, part of a A$324 million, six vessel contract announced on 1 May 2020 by the Australian Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC and Defence Industry Minister, The Honourable Melissa Price MP. Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said the Henderson, Western Australia shipyard now had five Cape-class Patrol Boats in various stages of production, for export and local customers. “This third Cape for the Royal Australian Navy adds to the two already under construction by our experienced team of shipbuilders. Lined up prior to those, we have two more Capes for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, which are on track for delivery in the first half of 2021,” Mr Singleton said. Delivery of the first of six Capes, Hull 811, is scheduled in September 2021 with subsequent deliveries of remaining vessels through to mid-2023. Based on Austal’s proven 58 metre aluminium monohull patrol boat design, the new RAN Capes include a number of enhancements that further extend the capability of the vessel and the fleet. Crew accommodation has been increased by 10 people, to now total 32 and ‘quality-of-life’ provisions have been enhanced, ensuring those who operate the new Capes have WIFI connectivity to the outside world regardless of the operating environment.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
