THE AUSTRALIAN Maritime Safety Authority has awarded the first of nine contracts for maintenance of Australia’s aids to navigation network.

Sydney-based company Solar Technology Australia has received the contract for Region 4 – New South Wales – to the value of $672,000.

On its website, Solar Technology Australia describes itself as a solar and marine specialist, catering to the supply, installation and maintenance of commercial solar power systems, navigational aids and electrical work in marine environments.

The news comes less than three weeks ahead of the expiry of the current 10-year AtoN maintenance contract (with maritime services company AMS Group) on 30 June 2024.

From 1 July, AMSA will transition from the current model – a single maintenance provider for the national network – to the new regionalised model, under which multiple providers will service eight regions around the Australian coast.

The new model will be underpinned by a separate technical support and logistics provider role.

AMSA executive director of response Mark Morrow said the first contract being awarded under the new regional model for maintenance was a watershed moment in the transition process.

“It is the manifestation of nine months of hard work by our in-house experts in contract management, engineering, information technology and navigation to redesign the national maintenance model to a regional one – and it is evidence of the market’s ability to respond to changing times,” Mr Morrow said.

“That hard work has been rewarded and our expectations have been exceeded with this first contract being awarded to Solar Technology Australia.

“Solar Technology Australia is an experienced provider of aids to navigation products and services. We look forward to the company starting work on our network shortly.”

The new regional model divides the national network into:

  • Region 1: North Queensland
  • Region 2: Torres Strait MetOcean
  • Region 3: South Queensland
  • Region 4: New South Wales
  • Region 5: Victoria and Tasmania
  • Region 6: South Australia
  • Region 7: Western Australia
  • Region 8: Northern Territory.

AMSA expects to award the remaining contracts in the coming weeks.