AMC gets new wharf

The Australian Marine Complex (AMC), Australia?s premiere shipbuilding precinct, has been a hive of activity recently with the opening of a new wharf. Located on the shores of Cockburn Sound, 23 kilometres south of Perth, Western Australia, the complex has become Australia’s leading integrated industrial estate with a deepwater port, world-class multi-user load out and fabrication facilities, and high-wide load road access.

The work being undertaken at the AMC facility further establishes its credentials as a world-class centre of excellence for marine, defence and resource industries. The wharf extension has been driven by the increased demand for berths from private and commercial vessels at the AMC. The extension will double the berthing capabilities of the AMC?s Common User Facility to hold four vessels at any one time and will allow simultaneous berthing opportunities to accommodate the increased work load at the facility and make it Australia?s pre-eminent large-scale repair, maintenance and ship conversion facility.

The new wharf will meet the needs of the Royal Australian Navy?s fleet maintenance programs, including the $500million ANZAC frigate capability upgrades, with berthings booked in a continuous schedule until 2012. WA?s superyacht industry is also buoyant with local companies receiving international recognition and plans for a new superyacht cluster at the AMC.

As part of the state government?s $174million infrastructure upgrade at AMC, the world?s biggest and most powerful dredger, the ?Leonardo da Vinci?, has carried out a three-week major dredging program to create a 17.5m deep pocket in the Southern Harbour to accommodate a new floating dock.