Ramona Adams
Serco Group subsidiary DMS Maritime has landed an estimated $234 million contract from Australia’s environment department to lead efforts to design, build, operate and maintain an icebreaker ship for research work in the Antarctic region.
Serco said Thursday the contract includes four years of design and construction work, 10 years of full operations and maintenance as well as four five-year extension options.
DMS Maritime has selected subcontractor Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding to construct the icebreaker.
Mark Irwin, CEO of Serco Asia Pacific, said the contract works to support the company’s market presence in Australia’s Tasmania state and its portfolio of project management and vessel support services for the marine sector.
The icebreaker research and supply vessel will replace Aurora Australis and work to support extended access to the Southern Ocean and Antarctic region through a projected 30-year service life, Serco noted.
Serco added the ship will be designed to house laboratory facilities and deliver cargo, equipment and personnel to Australia’s three permanent research stations in Antarctica and one station in Macquarie Island.
The ship will be built to accommodate up to 34 DMS Maritime crew, 116 AAD scientific personnel, four helicopters, two landing craft and a science tender.
