Strategic Marine, a specialist shipbuilder with operations in Singapore, Australia and Vietnam, today announced it will build the Long Term Ashmore Capability (LTAC) for Gardline Australia Pty Ltd on behalf of the Government of Australia.
The LTAC will be a 40-metre On Station Vessel designed for reliable, flexible self-sufficiency on longterm deployment in tropical areas.
The order was awarded after a successful tender prepared under a teaming arrangement between Gardline Australia Pty Ltd, the owner and operator of the current Ashmore Guardian, Strategic Marine, the builder of the new vessel, and McAlpine Marine design Pty Ltd, the designer.
Once delivered, the LTAC will be deployed by Australian Customs & Border Protection to Ashmore Island, an external territory of Australia lying 500 nautical miles from Darwin in the Indian Ocean.
The vessel’s steel hull and aluminium superstructure design stems from Gardline’s previous experience with its Ashmore Guardian, the vessel currently operating in the same location and which the LTAC is intended to relieve and replace in mid-2014.
Among the LTAC’s technical specifications are twin main Caterpillar 32 engines and a bowthruster, twin davits and tenders, a draft of 2.4 metres and breadth of 11.5 metres. There is accommodation for 17 crew and 26 passengers. It will be built at Strategic’s multi-purpose shipyard in Vietnam.
Ron Anderson, Strategic Marine’s Executive Director, said: “We are delighted our long experience in the construction of transport and patrol boats for many governments gave Gardline the confidence to select us to build for them under their contact with the Australian authorities.”
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, March 21, 2013; Image: Strategic Marine