Prime contractor-designer Luerssen Australia is delivering the first two of 12 Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) to the Royal Australian Navy from the Osborne Naval Shipyard. The remaining OPVs are to be built at Henderson, Western Australia.

Construction of the first OPV commenced in November 2018. The fore and aft sections of OPV1 were built inside workshops, and were transferred to the dry dock by ANI’s Operations team using ANI’s self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) base for consolidation. A first for the shipyard, these SPMTs allow greater flexibility and manoeuverability through the shipyard, enabling the two megablocks to be moved around buildings to the dry dock.

Luerssen will transfer the program to Henderson, Western Australia, where it will continue delivering vessels with local shipbuilding partner, Civmec.