Shipping hoist lifts outlook

A CAIRNS shipyard is on the cusp of securing the finance to build a massive machine capable of hoisting any ship in the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet – including submarines.

BSE Maritime Solutions managing director Justin Parer said he was in the final stages of getting approval to establish a 5000-7000 tonne syncrolift at his Portsmith slipways.

The size will depend on what work contract guarantees are made in the coming weeks, but even a machine with 5000tonne capacity would bring Cairns on par with Darwin in terms of lifting capabilities.

Mr Parer said Defence was “red hot” for the proposal and wanted Cairns, as one of three regional maintenance centres, to become “class agnostic” and capable of maintaining any vessel in the fleet.

“We’re very close to getting financial approval but there are still a couple of steps we have to go through,” he said.

Mr Parer said the equipment would be operational within two years of approval, making it ready for service when new offshore patrol vessels came online in 2022.

It will be a common-user facility so other firms can put in bids for major maritime contracts and use it on a roster.

“I’m sure it’s going to happen – it’s just a case of when and how,” Mr Parer said.

The COVID-19 downturn took a toll but Ports North has helped BSE keep afloat.

“We’re doing some hard months like everyone, because we’re exposed, and we wouldn’t be able to build the future without that support at present,” Mr Parer said.