• 10 of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels for Royal Australian Navy to be built in Henderson
• Vessels to be built by Civmec and Austal
• Project to create up to 400 direct jobs in Western Australia

Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia has welcomed the Federal Government's announcement that 10 of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels to be built for the Royal Australian Navy will be constructed in Henderson, south of Perth.

The Federal Government has confirmed that both Civmec and Austal will share building work for the vessels in Western Australia, using designs by German shipbuilder Lürssen.

The first two vessels will be built in Adelaide, with construction to start in the second half of 2018.

In 2020, construction will move to WA where the remaining 10 vessels will be constructed.

The project is expected to create up to 400 direct jobs, and 600 indirect positions.

The Offshore Patrol Vessel program is a key part of the Australian Defence Force's continuous naval shipbuilding program.

Comments attributed to Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia:

"This is a great day for Western Australian industry, with up to 400 new jobs to be created through our involvement in the Offshore Patrol Vessel program.

"The decision to use two WA companies demonstrates the depth of capability of the WA shipbuilding sector, and I congratulate Civmec and Austal on their success.

"This announcement provides some confidence for the local shipbuilding industry, which can commence establishing supply chains.

"The McGowan Government now looks forward to working with the Federal Government to secure investment for upgrades to the infrastructure at Henderson in order to prepare for the work ahead.

"We also look forward to continuing discussions with Lürssen about its proposal to develop a regional shipbuilding hub in WA to capture the significant opportunities emerging in the Asia-Pacific."