Australia tempts Ferrol’s naval sector with a flood of new boats

Its Army will provide 50 vessels on the following years and offers work chances to foreign firms.

The Australian Ministry of Defense has just published its White Book with the needs for the following decades, which reflects the intention of its Army to get 50 new boats. This opens a wide range of possibilities, not only for their local industry, but also for the world naval companies. In a conference organized by ASIME (Galician Association for Metallurgic Industry) at the national parador, where representatives of the Australian Commission of Commerce and Invest participated, Galician companies analyzed yesterday the options that offers the Australian market and also its peculiarities.

Naval enterprises of diverse specialties, engineering and services took place in a meeting where Carlos Blanco from Navantia exposed the experience of the Spanish shipyards in the Australian country. He reminded us that the progressive growing of the public Spanish shipyards in Australia, in connection with the ones obtained within the country, has taken half Milliard workers of the public company travelling to the country and expatriating around a hundred. Personnel management is a key to be considered when companies are planning to do business in the country, he highlighted.

In fact, he recalled that Navantia ‘has displaced more than fifty key people for the Shipyard from Ferrol’, something that creates problems to the develop of its in-house works. Public Spanish shipyards staff in the country will reach 150 people this year, compared to the 90 people from last year. Even though what they call ‘austrialization’ of the company reflects on the reduction on the Spanish personnel and local growing.

Alberto Fernández, developmment Manager on the Naval area at CT Ingenieros, has also reminded us about the experience in Australia, sending three engineers together with Navantia. He insisted on the business possibilities that the Ministery of Defence White Book opens with the construction of nine frigates, 12 submarines and another 12 ocean patrol boats, among others. ‘This plan opens the eyes to anyone, encourages to a must go’ he declared.
Enrique Mallón, Asime’s general secretary, talked about the importance of the Australian market for its business, no matters geographic distances. ’This country is far but close regarding interest’ he pointed out.

Associations

Auriol Seaton and Jennifer Mackinlay, from the Commerce and Invest Australian Commission, explained the entrance ways for foreign companies into the country, through his strategic partner established at a local office and the building of a committee between several companies from the same or from different sectors, apart from offering his co-operation.