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SEA 5000 Future Frigates contender Fincantieri has hosted a supplier briefing with Queensland companies in Brisbane to showcase the opportunities available to the local industry under Fincantieri’s global supply chain.
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The briefing, run in partnership with the Queensland government and the Defence Teaming Centre, offered a chance for prospective supply chain partners to obtain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and advantages of partnering with Fincantieri.
Representatives from a range of Queensland industries were in attendance, including engineering, ship repair and sustainment, testing and certification, design, fabrication and radar systems, along with professional service providers from legal, logistics and training.
Chairman of Fincantieri Australia Dario Deste said if the company is selected for the $35 billion SEA 5000 project, there are significant opportunities for Australian companies to not only participate in the design and build process for Future Frigates, but to become involved in other global shipbuilding projects.
"Fincantieri is one of the largest shipbuilding groups in the world and we have a forward order booked of some €25 billion, which means our need for external suppliers is very strong," Deste said.
"The briefing in Brisbane allows us to continue our search for suppliers and partners to support our global pipeline of shipbuilding activity."
Fincantieri has already released request for proposals (RFP) to four South Australian shipbuilders – ASC Shipbuilding, Adelaide Ship Construction International, MG Engineering and Ottoway Engineering – to build three cruise ship blocks in Adelaide in 2018.
Fincantieri's subsidiary Vard will also have expedition cruise vessel blocks for Coral Sea Expeditions constructed in Australia.
The briefing in Brisbane is part of a series of briefings and technical workshops that Fincantieri is holding around Australia. Beginning last month, the shipbuilder held two technical workshops for potential suppliers in Adelaide: a mechanical component session focused on engineering expertise, and a workshop for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. Further briefings and workshops are scheduled to take place across the country, including in Darwin, before returning to Adelaide in February.
"The workshop series will discuss how we will transfer technology, skills and expertise as well as methods of operation. The workshops are designed for us to learn more about the specific expertise and skills of local SME’s in particular and for them to learn more about Fincantieri," Deste added.
Fincantieri has 20 shipyards across four continents, employs 19,400 people and works with 80,0000 subcontractors, and in November opened its Australian office in Adelaide.
