Demand doubles the AusShips Group
by Jeni Bone 4 Apr 2018 09:51 PDT
Ausships Group team at Rivergate © Rivergate
A member of the Rivergate Marina and Shipyard family, the AusShips Group has taken a massive step, expanding to occupy premises double the size of their original site at Rivergate Marina and Shipyard.
Respected as the one-stop shop for commercial vessels and high-level technical and manufacturing capabilities for the superyacht sector, the AusShips Group (ASG) has been an integral part of the Rivergate offering since 2014.
The ASG team comprises naval architects, engineers, boat builders, marine fitters, fabricators, welders, cabinet makers and apprentices. The company has experience and specialist expertise in large commercial operators such as fleet owners and government vessels including passenger ferries, workboats and patrol vessels, and in the superyacht sector, superyachts, shadow vessels and tenders.
Increasing demand was the main factor driving the business' need for additional space, as ASG Director, Tommy Ericson explains. "We required a customised facility to accommodate the continued growth and strategic plan for the business. The opportunity arose in late 2016 for the ASG to purchase two adjoining properties at Rivergate and combine them to provide increased capability and capacity for the group.
"The new facility is double the size of our original facility. Our offices above were custom-designed and built by our team and comprise a design studio and conference room as well as significantly larger manufacturing workshop and designated stores."
ASG is currently working on 18 projects, ranging from new constructions, acting as owners' representative, design and technical advisor, to major conversion and refit projects collaboratively with Rivergate.
Recent superyacht projects include major conversions and the addition of customised structures onboard to handle two submarines on 53m Shadow Yacht MV Umbra, refit work on 45m MY Qing, 58m SY Ethereal, 45m MY Ilonka, 40m MY Silentworld and 53m Shadow Yacht, MV Pursuit.
Strategically located on the Brisbane River, Rivergate Marina and Shipyard provides ASG a professional base from which to operate, according to Tommy. "The resources and capability of the Rivergate facility and its onsite contractors complement our business and provide scalability as is required for many of our projects," states Tommy.
"Another of our key strengths is our expertise in Class liaison with Lloyds Register and Bureau Veritas, which is imperative for commercial and charter vessels."
More than 80 percent of ASG's work is for repeat clients, which is a key priority of the business.
Providing the highest level of service to a relatively small client base which has ongoing needs from design, construction and maintenance is crucial to our growth.
"A presence at international boat shows and events with Rivergate and professional memberships of industry organisations such as AIMEX-Superyacht Australia, AMSA, Interferry and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects Queensland are also a vital means of promoting our services."
Rivergate General Manager, Andrew Cannon said Rivergate congratulated the AusShips Group on their expansion to new premises. "We are pleased the AusShips Group has invested in our shared future. We work closely with our 20+ tenants to attract business to Rivergate. It is wonderful to have ASG at Rivergate because they add a different dimension with their expertise in naval architecture and design, class liaison and repair capabilities in-house, which many other yards cannot offer."
www.rivergate.com.au