THE FEDERAL Government’s strategic fleet pilot tender has closed and proposals are now being evaluated as part of a procurement process.
An announcement of the successful applications will be made early next year, following evaluation of each tender and contract negotiations.
The government released a tender in September calling for three vessels to participate in the pilot program which will run for five years.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King, said COVID-19, natural disasters, and other challenges have underlined the importance of a resilient domestic maritime sector that can meet the nation’s needs through such disruptive events.
The five-year pilot, which Minister King called a first of its kind for Australia, will see three Strategic Fleet vessels that are available to the Commonwealth to requisition in times of need, crisis, or national emergency, such as natural disasters or conflict.
The minister said the pilot not only forms a critical step to establishing an Australian strategic fleet of 12 vessels, but will also help increase the amount of Australian qualified seafarers, with participating vessels to each offer three training berths.
The government launched the Strategic Fleet Taskforce in October 2022 to liaise with industry and stakeholders and advise the government on ways to establish such a fleet and in 2022 allocated $6.3 million to the taskforce.
The taskforce submitted its final report to government in June last year, which was subsequently made public, along with government response to its recommendations in November 2023.
