Perth office for German shipbuilder

Family-owned German shipbuilder Lürssen will be setting up shop in the Australian Marine Complex through a partnership with Civmec and government-owned ASC.

Joined by Civmec chairman James Fitzgerald and ASC chief executive Mark Lamarre today, Luerssen chief executive Peter Luerssen told reporters the company would be sending an initial 20 workers over from Germany to the company’s first major headquarters outside of its origins, utilising both Civmec’s and ASC’s facilities in Henderson.

“The idea is that we do the design work and the marketing but using the facilities and expertise of these two companies to build ships in Australia,” Mr Luerssen said.

That includes the Royal Australian Navy’s $3 billion offshore patrol vessel program, for which Civmec subsidiary Forgacs Engineering and ASC have been chosen by Luerssen and Netherlands-based Scheepswerf Damen Gorinchem to work on their bids for the 12-vessel build.

Mr Luerssen also said its Australian branch would seek opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region.

“With our partners Luerssen Australia will develop a regional export hub to capture the significant opportunities that are emerging in Asia-Pacific,” he said.

“We have every expectation that Luerssen Australia will forge a new Australian naval shipbuilding capability, supplying Australian-made ships backed by more than 140 years of German engineering expertise.

“We will be working with our partners ASC and Civmec to establish this Australian shipbuilding and ship design capability.”