Austal signs naval classification agreements with DNV, Lloyd’s Register

June 2, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Austal Defence Shipbuilding Australia has signed long-term agreements with Lloyd’s Register and DNV Australia to provide naval classification services for the Australian Army’s Landing Craft Medium (LCM) and Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) programs.

The agreements support the delivery of the vessels under Australia’s Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement and cover classification, quality assurance and compliance activities throughout the construction lifecycle of the two programs.

Under the arrangement, Lloyd’s Register will provide classification services for the Landing Craft Medium program through to 2032, with personnel embedded at Austal’s Henderson shipyard in Western Australia for the duration of the contract.

DNV Australia will oversee classification services for the Landing Craft Heavy program, which is expected to continue until 2038.

Both vessel classes will be assessed against the ISO 9001 international quality management standard, ensuring compliance with recognized shipbuilding and quality assurance requirements.

The contracts extend Austal’s longstanding relationships with both classification societies and were announced during the second day of the Indian Ocean Defence & Security (IODS) Conference and Exhibition 2026.

Speaking at the event, Austal’s Head of Strategic Supply Chain, Brent Carey, also presented on Western Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding enterprise, highlighting the state’s growing role in Australia’s defence industrial base.

The Landing Craft Medium and Landing Craft Heavy programs form part of the Australian Army’s modernization efforts to enhance amphibious and littoral logistics capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region.

To remind, Australia selected Damen’s design as the preferred option for the Australian Defense Force’s Landing Craft Heavy.