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As ASC’s contribution to the $85 billion Future Submarine and Future Frigates projects remains uncertain, the company has announced plans to target ship export projects with overseas designers and customers.
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Chief executive of ASC Shipbuilding Mark Lamarre made the announcement at the PACIFIC 2017 exposition in Sydney, noting the plans are still in the works but said the opportunities are strong.
"We acknowledge these plans are in their infancy, but we’re excited by the government’s bold plan to pursue export markets and think Australian companies are best placed to make this happen," Lamarre said.
"We are in a great position to achieve exports, with our existing capability and workforce.
"We have identified real and present export opportunities, appropriately timed before the Future Frigate program, to aid workforce transition from the AWD to the future."
ASC is expecting to formally announce teaming agreements in the near future for an export opportunity.
Lamarre said not only would 1,300 of ASC's current employees be given added job security, hundreds of jobs could be created under the export plans.
"If successful, we believe we could achieve a jobs uplift of between 300 and 600 positions, over and above what is required for Australian shipbuilding programs, including the AWD project, which is scheduled to finish at the end of 2019," he said.
"By taking advantage of export opportunities, ASC Shipbuilding can help Australia ride through the so called ‘valley of death’.
"By leveraging our existing capability we can turn the ‘valley of death’ into a ‘mountain of opportunity’ and get a head-start on achieving the government’s ship export plans. I’ve got 1,300 shipbuilding personnel back home in Adelaide who are raring to go."
ASC is currently working on the Air Warfare Destroyer Project, and is partnered with two of the three international tenderers for the $3 billion Offshore Patrol Vessel project.
